Data Visualization Designer

Rural Innovation Strategies, Inc. is a social impact consulting firm dedicated to serving rural America in finding renewed prosperity and economic sustainability through the tech economy. Our multi-disciplinary team of strategists, capacity builders, and data scientists help rural leaders create an economy that can attract and retain technology skills, resources, and businesses. Our services include tech-based economic development, data mapping and analytics, federal grant writing support, broadband and entrepreneurship consulting (including startup incubation and acceleration, innovation workshops, entrepreneurship program design and capacity building, and placemaking). With deep rural expertise, we identify what each community needs, whether improved funding, or an attractive environment for tech workers and entrepreneurs, and help unlock the funding needed to make this vision possible.

Job Description:

As a Data Visualization Designer, you will design impactful visualizations that drive data-driven storytelling, enabling CORI to highlight its impact and improve program delivery. You will work across teams to translate complex datasets into actionable insights, leading the translation of problems to products.

This role requires comprehensive expertise in data analysis, storytelling, and design. You will collaborate with economists, data scientists, program teams, and other stakeholders to design and implement static and interactive visualizations that demonstrate the success and impact of our initiatives. Through careful listening and facilitation, you will address the data needs of internal and external clients, helping them interpret complex information, uncover meaningful insights, and make informed decisions that drive positive outcomes for the communities we serve.

Supervisory Responsibilities:

• None.

Key Responsibilities

Showcase data storytelling capabilities

• Deliver presentations to external audiences, using data to tell compelling stories about rural America and highlight program success.
• Support business development by contributing to grant and contract proposals, providing technical insights, and aligning deliverables with client and funding requirements.
• Develop and implement design concepts and data visualizations for internal and client-facing reports, presentations, and website/interactive platforms.
• Write and edit graphic-led articles.

Analyze data and create compelling visualizations

• Design and create compelling and publication-ready visualizations of complex socio-economic data.
• Develop interactive or web-based visualizations to communicate and share research findings.
• Find and analyze publicly available datasets.
• Contribute to core economic and demographic databases.
• Support the implementation of data processing pipelines to ensure clean, ready-to-use data for visualization.

Collaboratively engage stakeholders

• Work directly with clients, partners, and internal teams to gather data, design, and product requirements.
• Make data insights accessible for non-technical audiences, helping them leverage data for informed decision-making.
• Collaborate with monitoring and evaluation teams to build tools that track program progress and ensure timely, accurate data.
• Create and prototype aesthetically pleasing and user-friendly interfaces.

Provide technical leadership

• Train and mentor staff on best practices in data visualization, UX/UI, and tools, ensuring alignment with organizational design requirements.
• Stay ahead of industry trends by researching and sharing advancements in design, data visualization, data science, and web development.
• Manage and maintain data visualization tools, platforms, libraries, and third-party integrations

Requirements

Required Skills/Attributes:

• 3–5 years of professional experience in a data-focused role, ideally within a nonprofit or mission-driven organization.
• 3+ years of experience creating visualizations using tools such as ggplot, Datawrapper, and Adobe Illustrator.
• 3+ years of experience analyzing data with R (tidyverse) and/or Python (pandas).
• Experience building interactive graphics with modern HTML, CSS, and JavaScript (e.g., d3.js).
• Experience developing static and interactive maps using Mapbox, Leaflet, and/or QGIS.
• Experience using data to measure, evaluate, and communicate program outcomes and impact.
• Proficiency with design tools such as Figma and Adobe Illustrator.
• Proficiency with spreadsheet tools such as Microsoft Excel or Google Sheets.
• Strong understanding of information design principles and data storytelling.
• Familiarity with, or willingness to learn, JavaScript frameworks such as React or Svelte.
• Familiarity with federal socioeconomic datasets, such as the American Community Survey (ACS) and Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages (QCEW).
• Experience creating and maintaining organizational style guides and design systems.
• Proficiency with Git and GitHub.

Physical Requirements:

Prolonged periods of sitting at a desk and working on a computer.

Location:

Fully remote, but will require travel to Hartland, VT headquarters and/or other rural locations 1-4 times a year for in-person meetings. Work hours are 8am - 5pm eastern standard time.

**We are seeking candidates who currently live in a rural area or have lived in a rural area for more than 5 years. Rural is defined as a town with a Rural Urban Commuting Area (RUCA) code of 4 or higher as determined by the Federal Office of Rural Health Policy.**

IMPORTANT NOTES:

• Please make sure your application materials are tailored to showcase your ability to succeed in this specific role and include your link to GitHUB or portfolio projects.
• Due to the pace of this search, candidates are strongly encouraged to apply as soon as possible.
• RISI will manage the application and review process using our Workable platform. Please direct all inquiries through this system. We are unable to respond to phone and email inquiries at this time.
• Failure to answer application questions will result in immediate disqualification.

Benefits

• Annual professional development allowance
• Comprehensive benefits package, including health, dental, vision, short-term disability and life insurance, and 5% employer-matched 401(k).
• Home office set-up allowance
• Employee Assistance Program
• Fifteen days accrued PTO, plus eight floating holidays
• The salary for this position is $80,000 - $90,000 depending on experience
  
  
  We are an Equal Opportunity Employer—people of color, people with disabilities, women, and LGBTQ candidates are strongly encouraged to apply. We are committed to a diverse workplace, and to supporting our staff with ongoing career development opportunities. We are interested in your ambitions, personal experiences, great ideas, and passions, and believe that everyone’s unique story and perspective adds value to our organization.