Basketball Data Scientist, Phoenix Suns

Basketball Data ScientistAt Player 15 Group, we aren't just building a team: we're crafting a legacy. We're a collective of visionaries who consistently put people first, knowing that true greatness is forged through shared passion and purpose. Service focused to our core, we're driven by an insatiable desire to innovate and elevate every experience. Our strength lies in unity, where diverse talents converge to achieve extraordinary feats, and we infuse every endeavor with genuine joy. Here, a relentless pursuit of growth isn't just encouraged—it's the very air we breathe. If you're ready to transcend expectations, unlock unparalleled potential, and dedicate your energy to something truly special, your moment to make an indelible mark on the future of sports and live entertainment starts now.The Basketball Analytics team partners across Basketball Operations to transform data, research, and technology into actionable insights for front office, coaching, scouting, player development, and basketball strategy stakeholders.As a Basketball Data Scientist, your practical day-to-day and forward-thinking work will focus on turning complex basketball questions into rigorous analysis, clear models, useful tools, and decision-ready recommendations. Working closely with Basketball Analytics, Engineering, and Basketball Operations, you will own high-impact research and projects that connect technical rigor with real basketball insights.What You Will DoOwn high-impact basketball data science and analysis initiatives.Translate ambiguous basketball questions into clear analytical plans, research designs, models, tools, and recommendationsConduct basketball research using statistical modeling, machine learning, exploratory analysis, and domain expertise to uncover actionable insightsBuild, validate, and maintain models that help evaluate players, teams, lineups, tactics, and basketball decision-making questionsWork with large and complex basketball datasets, including tracking/spatiotemporal data, play-by-play, event data, lineup/personnel data, scouting information, and other internal sourcesDevelop tools, workflows, and data products that turn research into decisions.Write clean, reproducible code in Python or R for analysis, modeling, reporting, and internal workflowsBuild internal tools, dashboards, visualizations, and workflows when needed to move projects forward quicklyPartner with the Engineering team to productionalize high-value model outputs, tools, and data productsDocument methods, assumptions, limitations, and outputs clearly so work can be reused, reviewed, and extended by the broader analytics teamSupport basketball stakeholders with clear analysis and communicationCollaborate with front office, coaching, scouting, player development, and basketball strategy groups to ensure analysis is connected to real basketball decisionsCommunicate complex technical findings through clear recommendations, written reports, visualizations, and presentationsHelp scope problems, prioritize work, and determine when analysis is rigorous enough to inform decisionsUse basketball judgment to interpret model outputs, identify limitations, and translate findings into practical next stepsDrive innovation and special projects within Basketball AnalyticsStay current with relevant research, modeling approaches, and basketball analytics methodsIdentify opportunities to bring new ideas, methods, and data sources into the organizationUse unique basketball data and internal context to create models and insights that are difficult to replicate externallyOther duties as assignedGrowth AreasBasketball decision-support modelsDevelop and refine models that help the organization evaluate players, teams, lineups, tactics, and strategic basketball questionsCreate tools that make model outputs easier to interpret, compare, and apply in basketball contextsImprove the way uncertainty, sample size, role, context, and fit are incorporated into analysisApplied research and model validationStrengthen research standards for testing, validation, backtesting, documentation, and reproducibilityExplore new modeling approaches and determine when they can improve existing workflowsTranslate research into practical outputs that can be used by basketball stakeholdersInternal tools and operational workflowsBuild and improve tools, reports, and dashboards that help stakeholders answer recurring basketball questionsPartner with Engineering to move high-value prototypes into more durable, scalable productsCreate reusable workflows that improve the speed, consistency, and quality of analytics workPeople and ServicesIntegrated working with Basketball Analytics leadership and team membersPartnership with Engineering on data products, internal tools, and model deployment workflowsSupport for front office, coaching, scouting, player development, and basketball strategy stakeholders through timely, decision-oriented analysis.Cross-functional collaboration to ensure technical work is grounded in basketball context and connected to organizational prioritiesWhat You'll BringBasketball Curiosity and Judgment - A strong desire to understand the game, ask better questions, and connect analysis to basketball decision-makingTechnical Rigor - Strong statistical, machine learning, and research fundamentals with the ability to validate work and communicate uncertainty.Practical Builder - Ability to move from idea to prototype quickly, while writing clean and reproducible Python or R codeClear Communicator - Ability to translate complex technical work into clear, concise recommendations for technical and non-technical stakeholders.Ownership Mindset - Comfortable taking responsibility for ambiguous problems and driving work from question to insightCollaborative Teammate - Ability to work effectively across Analytics, Engineering, and basketball departments with a service-oriented approach.Data Science Foundation - Professional experience in data science, applied science, research science, or a similar analytical field; expertise in Python or R for data science and proficient SQL skillsBasketball Analytics Experience - Prior sports analytics experience with a college, professional, or NBA team is a plusThe Player 15 Group is committed to employing a diverse workforce. Qualified applicants will receive consideration without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, veteran status, or disability.Please note this job description is not designed to cover every activity, duty, or responsibility. Duties, responsibilities, and activities may change at any time with or without notice.For questions about this career opportunity, please contact our People & Culture Recruiting team at View email address on click.appcast.io