At Academy Sports + Outdoors our vision is to be the best sports + outdoors retailer in the country — but what truly sets us apart is our people. We’re a passionate, purpose-driven team that’s as committed to each other as we are to our customers.
We’ve spent over 80 years building a culture that puts people first. We believe in creating opportunities for growth, fostering meaningful connections, and supporting every Team Member’s journey. What fuels us? Our belief in the power of fun.
Here, you won’t just help customers gear up for their next adventure — you’ll launch one of your own. Whether you're starting out or leveling up, Academy is a place where fun can’t lose!
Education
Bachelor's degree in Computer Science, Information Technology, Data, Engineering, or a related field, or equivalent practical experience
Microsoft Copilot Studio, Power Platform, Azure AI, or related Microsoft certification preferred
Training or practical experience in prompt design, AI evaluation, knowledge grounding, or responsible AI preferred
Work Experiences
4+ years in AI solution development, automation, application development, data platforms, or enterprise technology
Hands-on experience building AI agents, copilots, chatbots, workflow automations, or advanced digital assistants
Experience with Microsoft Copilot Studio, Power Automate, Power Apps, SharePoint, Teams, Dataverse, or Azure AI
Experience building internal tools for operations, human resources, IT, finance, supply chain, stores, or customer-facing teams preferred
Retail or multi-site enterprise experience preferred
Skills
Strong understanding of prompt design, knowledge grounding, and AI testing methods
Ability to design agent instructions, conversation flows, prompts, knowledge grounding, actions, and escalation paths
Comfort configuring approved knowledge sources such as SharePoint, Dataverse, SQL, ServiceNow, internal documents, and enterprise data
Ability to work directly with business users and translate needs into practical AI solutions
Strong problem-solving skills and comfort working in fast-moving, ambiguous environments
Familiarity with Retrieval-Augmented Generation (RAG) patterns, Azure OpenAI, Microsoft Graph, APIs, enterprise search, AI safety, access controls, and data privacy preferred
Responsibilities
Build AI agents, copilots, and assistant experiences using Microsoft Copilot Studio, Azure AI Studio, Power Platform, SharePoint, Teams, and related Microsoft tools
Design agent instructions, conversation flows, prompts, knowledge grounding, actions, and escalation paths
Configure approved knowledge sources such as SharePoint, Dataverse, SQL, ServiceNow, internal documents, and enterprise data
Partner with business stakeholders to clarify requirements and convert use cases into working prototypes
Test agent performance for accuracy, completeness, hallucination risk, usability, and business fit
Improve agent quality through prompt refinement, knowledge tuning, evaluation frameworks, and user feedback
Package successful prototypes into reusable templates, starter prompts, and build patterns
Document agent configuration, data sources, known limitations, support model, and adoption guidance
Support pilots, collect feedback, and iterate quickly toward production readiness
Responsibilities may change; team members may be required to perform other duties as assigned
Physical Requirements & Attendance
Acceptable level of hearing and vision to perform job duties
Adhere to company work hours, policies, procedures, and rules governing professional staff behavior
Regular office attendance is required
Academy is an Equal Opportunity Employer and does not discriminate with regard to employment opportunities or practices on the basis of race, religion, national origin, sex, age, disability, gender identity, sexual orientation, or any other category protected by law.
Skills Required
- Bachelor's degree in Computer Science, Information Technology, Data, Engineering, or related field, or equivalent practical experience
- 4+ years in AI solution development, automation, application development, data platforms, or enterprise technology
- Hands-on experience building AI agents, copilots, chatbots, workflow automations, or advanced digital assistants
- Experience with Microsoft Copilot Studio, Power Automate, Power Apps, SharePoint, Teams, Dataverse, or Azure AI
- Strong understanding of prompt design, knowledge grounding, and AI testing methods
- Ability to design agent instructions, conversation flows, prompts, knowledge grounding, actions, and escalation paths
- Ability to configure approved knowledge sources such as SharePoint, Dataverse, SQL, ServiceNow, internal documents, and enterprise data
- Ability to work directly with business users and translate needs into practical AI solutions
- Microsoft Copilot Studio, Power Platform, Azure AI, or related Microsoft certification
- Training or practical experience in prompt design, AI evaluation, knowledge grounding, or responsible AI
- Experience building internal tools for operations, HR, IT, finance, supply chain, stores, or customer-facing teams
- Familiarity with Retrieval-Augmented Generation (RAG) patterns, Azure OpenAI, Microsoft Graph, APIs, enterprise search, AI safety, access controls, and data privacy
Academy Sports + Outdoors Compensation & Benefits Highlights
The following summarizes recurring compensation and benefits themes identified from responses generated by popular LLMs to common candidate questions about Academy Sports + Outdoors and has not been reviewed or approved by Academy Sports + Outdoors.
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Retirement Support — A dollar-for-dollar 401(k) match up to 6% and an employee stock purchase plan are consistently presented as core strengths. These features stand out within big-box retail and are frequently highlighted as valuable parts of total compensation.
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Wellbeing & Lifestyle Benefits — A 20% merchandise discount, pay-on-demand access to wages, and tuition reimbursement provide tangible everyday value. Onsite gym access in Katy corporate/DC locations and vendor discount networks further enhance lifestyle perks.
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Leave & Time Off Breadth — Paid time off, paid holidays, and defined maternity and parental leave are part of the standard package. Materials also indicate PTO availability for some part-time store roles in certain situations.
Academy Sports + Outdoors Insights
What We Do
At Academy Sports + Outdoors, we believe in the power of fun. And we believe in helping our customers have more of it. With a wide assortment of sporting and outdoors gear, Academy offers the best brands under one roof — curated to make the most of every budget. Day in and day out, our 20,000+ Team Members bring a sense of adventure, energy, and passion to work. Understanding our people and the things that matter to them has been at the core of Academy culture for over 80 years. We take pride in creating a workplace that values hard work, commitment, growth, and of course, FUN. Academy — headquartered in Katy, TX, a suburb of Houston — is one of the nation’s largest sporting goods and outdoor stores. We offer a broad assortment of quality hunting, fishing, and camping equipment and gear, as well as sports and leisure products, footwear, apparel, and much more. Originally founded in 1938 as a family business in Texas, Academy has grown to a wide network of stores across many states, with $6.8 billion in annual revenue.
