Reporter/Researcher

The mission of The New York Times is to seek the truth and help people understand the world. That means independent journalism is at the heart of all we do as a company. It’s why we have a world-renowned newsroom that sends journalists to report on the ground from nearly 160 countries. It’s why we focus deeply on how our readers will experience our journalism, from print to audio to a world-class digital and app destination. And it’s why our business strategy centers on making journalism so good that it’s worth paying for.

Job Description

Reporter-Researcher, Dakar

The New York Times seeks a reporter-researcher for its West Africa bureau, based in Dakar, Senegal.

As a reporter-researcher you will play a critical support role, aiding the West Africa bureau chief in tracking and covering news across the region, and in producing ambitious, high-impact journalism.

In the job, you will contribute to coverage of politics, culture, climate change, security, migration and international relations, among other topics, and you may be asked to help with breaking news, enterprise, investigations and innovative story forms.

Our ideal candidate is an up-and-coming journalist or researcher with excellent organizational and communication skills who enjoys solving difficult logistical problems in high-speed environments.

This is a job for someone who thrives in a varied and challenging environment, can stay sharp and organized under pressure. One day you may be helping cover an election and interviewing sources, the next day you may be arranging travel for correspondents or you may be combing through legal documents to understand and summarize an unprecedented new law.

Curiosity, skepticism and attention to detail are a must, as is an ability to write clearly and concisely in English.

Main responsibilities

Working closely with the bureau chief and other reporters and editors to identify, research and contribute to news and enterprise stories.

Planning travel, arranging interviews, finding contacts and completing other administrative tasks.

Conducting interviews, producing interview summaries, transcribing, compiling research memos and writing news stories.

Contributing to live coverage.

Monitoring current events across media in West Africa.

Obtaining, reading and analyzing reports and data.

Performing other journalistic duties as determined by supervisors.

Our ideal candidate

Fluent in English and French, written and spoken.

Fluency in other widely-spoken West African languages, like Hausa and Pulaar, preferred.

Meticulous organizational skills; ability to prioritize with strong attention to accuracy.

Excellent communication skills, written and verbal.

Shows initiative and independence; identifies and tackles tasks that need completion, without instruction.

A good collaborator and receptive to feedback.

A strong, demonstrable passion for journalism.

Ability to deal with management, staff and sources in a highly professional manner.

Professional judgment with respect to confidentiality is a must.

General knowledge of history, politics and culture across West Africa.

An appreciation of The Times culture, writing style and commitment to journalistic standards and ethics.

Excellent troubleshooting skills.

To be considered for this role, please provide:

A CV in English.

Articles you have written

A cover letter in English that explains what makes you the best candidate for the job. Please highlight special areas of expertise (international relations, politics, culture, etc.)

The New York Times is committed to a diverse and inclusive workforce, one that reflects the varied global community we serve. Our journalism and the products we build in the service of that journalism greatly benefit from a range of perspectives, which can only come from diversity of all types, across our ranks, at all levels of the organization. Achieving true diversity and inclusion is the right thing to do. It is also the smart thing for our business. So we strongly encourage women, veterans, people with disabilities, people of color and gender nonconforming candidates to apply.

The New York Times Company is an Equal Opportunity Employer and does not discriminate on the basis of an individual's sex, age, race, color, creed, national origin, alienage, religion, marital status, pregnancy, sexual orientation or affectional preference, gender identity and expression, disability, genetic trait or predisposition, carrier status, citizenship, veteran or military status and other personal characteristics protected by law. All applications will receive consideration for employment without regard to legally protected characteristics. The New York Times Company will provide reasonable accommodations as required by applicable federal, state, and/or local laws. Individuals seeking an accommodation for the application or interview process should email . Emails sent for unrelated issues, such as following up on an application, will not receive a response.

The Company will further consider qualified applicants, including those with criminal histories, in a manner consistent with the requirements of applicable "Fair Chance" laws.

The New York Times Company follows the pay transparency and non-discrimination provisions outlined by the United States Office of Federal Contract Compliance Programs. Click here for details.

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