Elections Data Scientist (Newsperson)

The Associated Press is an independent global news organization dedicated to factual reporting. Founded in 1846, AP today remains the most trusted source of fast, accurate, unbiasednews in all formats and the essential provider of the technology and services vital to the news business. More than half the world's population sees AP journalism every day.

The Associated Press seeks a data scientist who is passionate about using data and statistics to understand what's taking place in the American electorate. We're looking for someone with experience working with American elections data and predictive modeling to specialize in estimating turnout in U.S. elections, and to help our newsroom and our audience understand its role in determining who wins - and who loses. This position on our Elections Analytics team is based in Washington, D.C., although exceptional candidates in other locations will be considered. It is covered by AP's agreement with the News Media Guild.

Responsibilities: Reporting to the expected vote news editor, you will be part of the team that declares winners in U.S. elections as part of AP's coverage of elections and our unique role in the American democracy. In this role, you will focus primarily on statistical modeling of expected vote, building tools to contribute to the Elections Analytics team's use of data and statistics to understand and explain the outcome of U.S. elections.

We're looking for someone to develop and maintain data models predicting turnout of elections race-wide, at the county level and by the type of ballots cast. Your models and analysis will be tailored to specific election circumstances, locations and office types; from general elections to partisan primaries; from special elections for national office to regular elections for local office. You'll be part of an expanding Elections Analytics team, and your work will inform that of data analysts, reporters, developers and other stakeholders across the wider AP newsroom as it works to explain what's behind the numbers and show the how and the why of winning and losing.

Required Qualifications:

• Bachelor's degree or equivalent experience, such as at least one year of full-time work as a statistician or data scientist, ideally in a politics or political science related field. A master's degree or equivalent experience is preferred.
• All applicants must be able to work in the U.S. or be able to gain permission to do so.
• The ability and willingness to work at night and on weekends, as AP is a 24/7 operation and polls almost always close after the end of the business day.
• Advanced-level professional competency in written and spoken English. Professional competency in a language besides English is a plus.

Preferred Qualifications: We're looking for someone with advanced proficiency in one or more statistical programming languages, preferably R. You've got experience developing predictive models, including time series models, and working with relational and non-relational data sets. Experience working with voter files, election results, GIS data, census data and public opinion research is essential, but we're just as interested in how you solve problems as in the data used to do so.

You are a highly motivated, independent and detail-oriented data scientist who is committed to using your technical skills to advance the strong, fact-based reporting of AP's staff. You embrace best practices and agile methodologies, and you write modular, reusable code. You refactor and test, and you use the outcomes of every election to improve your models of the next. You keep an eye on new technologies and enjoy developing creative solutions, even under tight deadlines.

You understand that there's always more to know, and you expect to learn from your teammates in addition to sharing what you know. You're looking for a collegial environment that involves consistent communication and pair coding, and you enjoy sharing ideas with people from diverse backgrounds, areas of expertise and experience.

We will consider strong candidates who do not meet every listed qualification. You may use a cover letter to describe the unique qualifications you would bring to this role.

This position is covered by The Associated Press' contract with the News Media Guild, which provides for an annual salary for Class A staff of between $53,477 and $85,214 based on location and years of professional experience. Additional compensation is negotiable based on a job candidate's skills, qualifications and market location.Employees are eligible to participate, according to the terms of the official plan documents, in a 401(k) plan and employer-sponsored health insurance plan, and are eligible for paid time off and holidays in accordance with AP policy.

The Associated Press offers comprehensive benefits which include:

• Competitive medical, dental and vision coverage
• Retirement benefits
• Company paid life insurance
• Paid vacation and sick days
• Paid parental leave for any new parent

Application deadline is August 12, 2025, at 11:59 p.m. EST.

AP seeks to build an inclusive organization grounded in respect for differences. We support all aspects of diversity and provide equal employment opportunities to all employees and applicants without regard to race, color, religion, sex, marital status, national origin, age, sexual orientation, gender identity, disability, status as a veteran, or other characteristic protected by law.