Twitter has a fair number of open jobs available, but this one caught our eye: The startup is looking for a data editor to make sense of and tell stories around its user data. According to the job listing, the ideal candidate will be able to create “clear and insightful data-driven case studies” using Twitter’s data for the press, partners, and its own internal communications.
Of course, Twitter isn’t the only tech company to hire someone to write about the huge amounts of data that it collects. OkCupid has a pretty fantastic data blog, OkTrends — although it hasn’t been updated in more than a year. (Interesting data point for Twitter’s new data editor: People who use Twitter every day are much more likely to masturbate, when compared to everyone else.) And Google last year hired away former CNET reporter Caroline McCarthy to work on its Trends & Insights team. And, of course, there’s no shortage of third-party data analytics companies, like Visible Measures, which collect data and do their own analysis.
I imagine the Twitter job will probably be similar, as it uses a mix of data, visualization, and smart text to tell the story of how it’s helping to change the world. And, well, how its users use its service. The job posting gives some examples, such as how live-tweeting drives follower growth or engagement, or how the medium can be used during an effective TV integration.
Twitter’s already doing a bit of this: Just check out its blog for recent examples, like how Twitter users remembered Neil Armstrong or its roundup of Tweets during the RNC convention. The goal is to re-affirm its value to users, potential partners, and advertisers as part of its overall marketing message. Data’s always an interesting thing, and I’m looking forward to seeing some of the output from whomever gets the job, especially to help fill slow holiday news days like today.