Local recruitment: Data Storyteller

Virga Labs

Arizona, USA 🇺🇸

Home-based/Remote

About Virga Labs

Virga Labs is a woman-owned, mission-driven water and natural resource consulting firm based in Tucson, Arizona. We build integrated modeling, analysis, and data visualization tools that demystify complex problems at the intersection of water, climate, and society. We believe that the democratization of data, paired with artful design, inspires creativity and empowers change agents to build a resilient future. We develop interactive decision support tools and immersive storytelling mediums that create actionable data experiences for our clients and collaborators.

Our expertise lies in transforming complex climate, hydrogeologic, and water resource data into intuitive, accessible tools for decision-makers. We work with governments, non-profits, and universities to address water and climate issues across the U.S., driving engagement and collaboration. Our solutions have translated complex data and legal frameworks into intuitive, actionable tools and maps that enhance stakeholder understanding and facilitate productive dialogue, both online and in-person.

We’re seeking a Data Storyteller to serve as the narrative bridge between our technical findings and the audiences who need to understand them, translating complex data and scientific results into clear, compelling stories while partnering closely with our Creative Director and technical delivery team to ensure every project tells a story with its data, not just visualizes it.

Purpose of Position

Own the storytelling core of Virga Labs’ work — translating complex data and technical findings into clear, compelling narratives that the Creative Director and technical delivery team build into finished products — ensuring every project tells a story with its data, not just visualizes it.

Why This Role Matters

You ensure our sophisticated data and technical work lands with real audiences by giving it a narrative throughline. Your storytelling craft transforms technical and scientific findings into stories that drive understanding and action, and helps the wider team build stronger narrative instincts over time.

Areas of Responsibility

  • Narrative strategy and story development leadership
  • Translation of technical and scientific data for general audiences
  • Cross-functional collaboration with the Creative Director and technical delivery team
  • Storytelling quality assurance across projects
  • Storytelling capability-building across the team
  • Business development support for storytelling-heavy engagements

Essential Functions

  • Own the narrative strategy for client projects, from initial data exploration through final delivery, shaping the story arc for each engagement
  • Translate technical and scientific data into clear, audience-appropriate stories, working closely with the technical delivery team throughout
  • Partner with the Creative Director and technical delivery team on how data should be structured and visualized, bringing a narrative point of view to those decisions
  • Review and shape work in progress to ensure storytelling quality and consistency across all projects
  • Share storytelling techniques and feedback with the technical delivery team as Virga takes on new kinds of projects, building collective storytelling craft over time
  • Contribute to how Virga Labs pitches and scopes storytelling-heavy engagements with clients and prospects

Required Qualifications

  • Professional experience in data journalism, science journalism/writing, or a closely related narrative-driven data field
  • Demonstrated ability to build a compelling narrative from a dataset, not just visualize it
  • Working understanding of data — able to read, question, and interpret datasets without needing to build the pipeline
  • Comfortable working in a small, collaborative team and giving/receiving feedback on in-progress creative work
  • Experience with science, environmental, or policy storytelling preferred; prior water/climate experience is a plus but not required

Working Conditions

  • Remote work from Arizona or Colorado (Washington state also considered); exceptional candidates outside these states may be considered
  • Full-time position with collaborative team environment
  • Occasional travel for client engagements and industry events
  • Company-provided business tools and software licenses

Compensation & Benefits

  • Salary: Commensurate with experience and education
  • Health, dental, and vision insurance (individual premiums paid by Virga Labs)
  • 401(k) plan
  • 16 paid holidays per year
  • Flexible vacation policy
  • Professional development opportunities

Start Date

As soon as September 2026

Why You’ll Love Working Here

  • Play a crucial role in solving critical water and climate challenges
  • Work at the intersection of science, policy, and technology
  • Opportunity to become a recognized expert in water and climate issues
  • Collaborative, mission-driven team environment where your ideas are valued
  • Direct impact on meaningful projects that benefit communities and the environment
  • Professional growth opportunities in a rapidly expanding field

To Apply

Please submit your application here: https://forms.gle/c2o9qVqdwr54P9jL9  

Note

Virga Labs is an equal opportunity employer and prohibits discrimination against applicants and employees on the basis of race, religion, color, national origin, gender, sexual orientation, age, marital status, veteran status, disability status, or any other legally protected status.


POSITION TYPE

ORGANIZATION TYPE

EXPERIENCE-LEVEL

LANGUAGE REQUIRED

IHE Delft - MSc in Water and Sustainable Development