Investigative Journalist, Digital Forensic Unit, Belgrade

We are looking Investigative Journalist to join RFE/RL’s newly created Digital Forensic Unit based in Belgrade. You will initiate, prepare, produce and deliver complex original stories in Serbia on multiple platforms, covering Western Balkans countries.

The stories covered by the Unit go beyond regular reporting of events and come both in the short and long form, dealing with everything from investigative pieces to special reports or unearthing breaking news. Along with other investigative journalists on the team, you will work on complex investigations staying true to RFE/RL mission, adhering to and striving to exceed RFE/RL content quality standards. You will work closely with other Bureaus and teams, including Evropa e Lirë, Радио Слободна Европа.

You will work together with the central newsroom, multimedia, digital teams, other language services and various departments as needed to create and deliver standout investigations and special reports for the audiences that are having the biggest impact, using social media to further expand RFE/RL’s reach.

JOB SUMMARY

The incumbent is an integral part of the investigative team in the newly created Digital Forensic Unit.  The Investigative Journalist initiates, prepares, produces and delivers complex original stories on multiple platforms. The stories covered by the Unit go beyond regular reporting of events and come both in the short and long form, dealing with everything from investigative pieces to special reports or unearthing breaking news. Along with other investigative journalists on the team, the incumbent works on complex investigations staying true to RFE/RL mission, adhering to and striving to exceed RFE/RL content quality standards. The Investigative Journalist works closely with other Balkan Service teams, including Evropa e Lirë (Kosovo Bureau) and Радио Слободна Европа (Macedonian Bureau).

The incumbent works together with the central newsroom, multimedia, digital teams, other language services and various departments as needed to create and deliver standout investigations and special reports for the audiences that are having the biggest impact, using social media to further expand RFE/RL’s reach.

RESPONSIBILITIES

• Initiates, develops, produces, and edits long-form investigations and special reports, as well as other products covering news and current affairs, to the highest editorial standards.
• Explores innovative angles for investigations coverage, ensuring relevance for the regional audience and to serve as an example for best practice journalism.
• Works both in the newsroom and in the field on investigative reporting assignments.
• Conducts interviews in the studio, by telephone, or in the field. When able to draw on specialist knowledge, be ready to be interviewed or provide expertise as required.
• Moderates, delivers live, blogs, records, contributes, inputs online, shoots photos and video as required, coordinates other staff, sound and camera crews as necessary.
• Researches material and, exercising editorial judgment, selects reliable information from a varied range of reputable sources.
• Exercises excellent news judgment.
• Keeps deadlines and strives to meet or exceed RFE/RL standards for the quality of the output.
• Adheres to RFE/RL editorial standards at all times and takes editorial responsibility for all own material.
• Actively participates in program feedback sessions.
• Is expected to regularly suggest viable coverage ideas and to contribute to program planning.
• Coordinates planning with other teams, striving for efficiency in the use of journalistic resources and capacity.
• Liaises with RFE/RL’s Balkan Service language teams, other departments and field bureaus to plan and execute investigations and special reports.
• Expected to explore innovative angles for coverage, ensuring relevance for the audience and to serve as an example for best practice journalism.
• Takes part, as required, in programs by local media and develops contacts for both journalistic work and RFE/RL reputation.
• Liaises with RFE/RL’s Balkan Service teams, other departments and field bureaus to plan and execute investigations and special reports.
• Assist the Service in verification of user-generated content or open-source data 
• Pinpoint how digital evidence can lead to compelling story angles that offer unique value to the audience

Performs other related duties as assigned.

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS

Education:

• Combination of education and investigative journalism experience
• Journalism or related field university degree

Work Experience:

• 5+ years experience as an investigative journalist in a major news organization, and a track record of own investigations. 
• History of successful projects under deadline pressure. 
• Broad, thorough and detailed knowledge of political, economic, and social situations in Western Balkans as well as international affairs

Competencies:

• Excellent investigative journalism skills and a history of multimedia investigative projects
• Familiarity and experience in dealing with open-source reporting and verification 
• Familiarity using command line tools and basic scripting to analyze data (Python and SQL skills desirable) 
• Knowledge of computer-assisted reporting, incl. multimedia verification and other related tools for geolocation and information authentication 
• Proven ability to produce innovative, creative, cross-platform investigative journalism and storytelling that can be held up as examples of best-practice journalism. 
• Ability to produce, report and write from a network of original sources, including short and long-form pieces. 
• Consistently pitches original ideas resulting in viable suggestions for coverage and delivery. 
• Familiarity with political, economic and social issues in Western Balkans as well as regional and international news events. 
• Contributing to maintaining a positive, collegial working environment. 
• Good understanding of the challenges facing the Balkans Service and contributes to the overall strategic planning. 

Languages: 

• Serbian language, mandatory. 
• English language, mandatory.