Data Intern

About DataDesk

DataDesk is a data platform built for journalists, researchers, and civil society — positioned as South Africa's clean, trustworthy public data layer. We collect, clean, and structure datasets so they're easy to find, understand, and use — powering charts, stories, and tools across The Outlier and beyond.

The Role

We're looking for a Data Intern to help us collect, clean, and manage the datasets that power DataDesk. Most of our work draws on public data, but there's real scope to help compile datasets from other sources too — so curiosity about where good data lives (and how to get it) matters as much as spreadsheet skills. You'll work closely with our small data team on the day-to-day work of turning raw, messy data into something reliable and usable, with opportunities to contribute to data visualisation as well.

This is a hands-on role suited to someone early in their career who wants real experience working with data — including modern AI-assisted workflows — in a South African context.

What you'll do

• Source and collect data from public bodies, government portals, and other datasets — public and otherwise
• Help compile new datasets by identifying and pulling together relevant sources
• Clean, structure, and validate datasets for accuracy and consistency
• Maintain and update existing datasets on a regular cadence
• Use AI tools to speed up data collection, cleaning, and structuring work
• Support the team in preparing data for publication
• Help build or update data visualisations/charts
• Flag data quality issues, gaps, or opportunities for new datasets worth adding

What we're looking for

• A Bachelor's degree in Economics, Data Science, or a related quantitative field
• Comfortable working in spreadsheets (Google Sheets/Excel) with large or messy data
• Basic proficiency with data cleaning tools (Excel formulas at minimum; Python/SQL a plus but not required)
• Genuine interest in using AI tools as part of everyday data work — willingness to learn is enough, prior experience is a bonus
• Strong attention to detail — this role is fundamentally about accuracy
• Interest in public data, journalism, or civic tech
• Self-starter who can manage a queue of ongoing dataset upkeep with light supervision

Nice to have

• Familiarity with South African public data sources (Stats SA, government departments, etc.)
• Prior use of AI tools for research, data cleaning, or analysis
• Exposure to SQL or a scripting language for data work

What you'll gain

• Real-world experience working with public interest data at a working newsroom/data platform
• Exposure to the full lifecycle of a dataset — from sourcing to publication
• Practical experience using AI tools in a real production data workflow
• Mentorship from a small, experienced data team
• A portfolio of real datasets and (potentially) published visualisations
• This is a paid position (R15,000 per month CTC)

Eligibility

The position is open to South African residents or anyone with a valid South African work permit. We are not able to sponsor work visas at this time.