[Remote] Data Scientist, Football Media & Operations

Note: The job is a remote job and is open to candidates in USA. EXL is a global analytics and digital solutions company that partners with clients to improve business outcomes. The Data Scientist role focuses on leveraging data science to enhance football strategy and media analytics, building predictive models to optimize game scheduling and evaluate rule changes. Responsibilities • Develop predictive models for game-by-game viewership and integrate them into scheduling workflows • Simulate trade-offs (e.g., competitive balance, travel, bye weeks) to support flex scheduling decisions • Create weekly dashboards and scenario analyses for tentpole events and regular-season slates • Quantify impacts of rule changes (e.g., kickoff format) on gameplay, safety, and scoring • Evaluate officiating technologies using tracking and vision data; define KPIs for adoption • Analyze player/ball tracking data to assess game quality, parity, and fan engagement • Collaborate with the Big Data Bowl community to source and test innovative analytics methods • Productionize pipelines for ratings-aware scheduling and scenario refreshes • Ensure reproducibility, versioning, and auditability of models and workflows Skills • 3–6+ years in data science, operations research, or quantitative analytics • Proficiency in Python (pandas, scikit-learn, statsmodels, PyMC), SQL, and optimization tools (Gurobi/OR-Tools) • Experience turning probabilistic forecasts into decision tools (e.g., simulations, scenario analysis) • Familiarity with audience/ratings data (e.g., Nielsen), time series forecasting, and causal analysis • Strong communication skills to translate complex models for non-technical stakeholders • Experience with player/ball tracking datasets and spatial modeling • Exposure to football strategy metrics and expected points modeling • Knowledge of causal inference techniques (e.g., synthetic control, DiD, double ML) • MLOps experience (e.g., Airflow, feature stores, model monitoring) • Dashboarding skills (e.g., Tableau, Power BI, Mode) • Understanding of media ecosystem constraints (e.g., network contracts, tentpole scheduling) Benefits • Bonuses • Paid Time Off policy • Many region specific benefits Company Overview • EXL is a provider of Transformation and Outsourcing services to Global 1000 companies in multiple industries It was founded in 1999, and is headquartered in New York, New York, USA, with a workforce of 10001+ employees. Its website is http://www.exlservice.com. Company H1B Sponsorship • EXL has a track record of offering H1B sponsorships, with 1 in 2025, 1 in 2020. Please note that this does not guarantee sponsorship for this specific role. Apply tot his job Apply To this Job