Principal Data Scientist

At Fanatics, we are passionate about leveraging data to drive growth and operational efficiencies. We firmly believe in putting data at the forefront of delivering an engaging experience for our sports fans! Our Principal Data Scientists work closely with engineering teams, PMs, and cross-functional business units to address challenging problems using techniques from applied statistics, AI/machine learning and/or data mining fields. 

What You’ll Be Doing: 

• In this position, you will collaborate and lead a team of ML scientists and engineers to spearhead the development of the next-generation search relevance and ranking solution. 
• Your primary focus will be enabling fans to discover products from the expanding array of products across thousands of e-commerce websites. 
• Showcase your contemporary expertise in Machine Learning, NLP, Reinforcement Learning, and Deep Learning by applying it to the enhancement of algorithms driving Search, Browse, Autocomplete, and Recommendations experiences on Fanatics. 
• As a Thought leader and Visionary, leverage your strong technical skills, leadership capabilities, effective communication, and adaptability to stay abreast of cutting-edge research in AI and Machine Learning. 
• Take charge of building, deploying, and maintaining predictive models in areas such as Search Relevance, Query Understanding and Ranking, Learning-to-Rank, Personalization, Product Sale Forecasting, and Product recommendation systems for both online and offline platforms. 
• Assume the role of a mentor and leader for a small team of accomplished scientists, guiding them in delivering complex models, deep analytical projects, and addressing business problems. 
• Manage multiple projects independently with a high degree of autonomy and accountability for success. 
• Foster cross-functional collaboration with diverse teams, including marketing operations, technology, merchandising, procurement, and apparel design/production, to align data-driven solutions with business objectives. 
• Collaborate closely with product managers and business teams to comprehend business problems and devise data-driven and ML-based solutions, particularly focusing on improving Search ranking while addressing challenges like cold start and discoverability within the rapidly growing product assortment. 
• Effectively communicate analytical solutions to non-technical stakeholders and senior leadership. 

What We’re Looking For: 

• Prior experience in search, information retrieval, knowledge graphs, recommendations, and personalization is a must, with a preference for candidates who have worked in an e-commerce environment. 
• Your expertise should encompass both traditional and modern machine learning/statistical techniques, spanning Regression, Classification, Ensemble Methods, Deep Learning, and Reinforcement Learning. 
• The ideal candidate will bring a minimum of 10 years of industry experience (excluding internships, co-op, or academic projects) in developing multiple AI, Machine Learning, and Statistical Models and products to address real-world business challenges. 
• Strong algorithmic thinking and a dedication to empirical research, especially in tackling challenging questions, are essential.
•  Effective communication skills are crucial, enabling you to convey complex quantitative analyses, analytic methodologies, and findings in a clear, concise, and actionable manner. 
• Experience in designing and evaluating A|B experiments, along with monitoring key product metrics and understanding the underlying reasons for metric changes, is expected. 
• Candidates with a BS/MS/Ph.D. degree in Statistics, Applied Math, Operational Research, Computer Science, or a related field will be highly regarded. 
• Demonstrated proficiency in leading and managing multiple projects, delivering timely results, and excelling in project management aspects such as planning, resource allocation, and execution is essential. 
• Exceptional leadership skills, a sense of ownership for outcomes, and the ability to build effective work relationships in cross-functional areas are highly valued.

Fanatics is building a leading global digital sports platform. We ignite the passions of global sports fans and maximize the presence and reach for our hundreds of sports partners globally by offering products and services across Fanatics Commerce, Fanatics Collectibles, and Fanatics Betting & Gaming, allowing sports fans to Buy, Collect, and Bet. Through the Fanatics platform, sports fans can buy licensed fan gear, jerseys, lifestyle and streetwear products, headwear, and hardgoods; collect physical and digital trading cards, sports memorabilia, and other digital assets; and bet as the company builds its Sportsbook and iGaming platform. Fanatics has an established database of over 100 million global sports fans; a global partner network with approximately 900 sports properties, including major national and international professional sports leagues, players associations, teams, colleges, college conferences and retail partners, 2,500 athletes and celebrities, and 200 exclusive athletes; and over 2,000 retail locations, including its Lids retail stores. Our more than 22,000 employees are committed to relentlessly enhancing the fan experience and delighting sports fans globally.