Chicago Tribune wants a web developer that can fly a multicopter

Gary Mortimer

Helicopters, HTML & democracy: be a HACKER-JOURNALIST

Making software in the newsroom is the best job I’ve ever had.

It’s great work, and it’s for a purpose. We’re not here to “save journalism” (whatever that means) — we’re here to save democracy.

Requirements

A passion for the news
Serious programming skills
An understanding of the inner workings of the web
Attention to detail and love for making things
A genuine and friendly disposition

On any given day you might implement a responsive web design w/ HTML5 + CSS3, explore a dataset with a reporter looking over your shoulder, or help invent new ways to report the news.

Bonus points for…

Experience flying quad-rotor helicopters or mapping balloons
Information / graphic design
User experience / usability / empathy

Let me persuade you

The newsroom is a crucible. We work on tight schedules with hard deadlines. While this may seem stressful, it’s got a serious upside. Every couple of weeks we can learn from our mistakes and refine our technologies. It’s a fast-moving, volatile development environment that will make you a better programmer.

Also, it’s damned good fun.

Find examples of our work at Maps & Apps. To get a feel for the full news apps experience, check our team blog.