The Nike Sport Research Lab (NSRL) is a multidisciplinary team of researchers, innovators, and scientists who lead with science to make athletes* measurably better. We deliver validated insights and innovative capabilities to drive the future of Nike products and services.
* if you have body, you are an athlete
WHO YOU’LL WORK WITH
The Principal Data Scientist partners with research scientists in physiology, biomechanics, perception, and behavioral science, as well as other data scientists, engineers, product managers, designers, and solution architects. This role reports to the Director of Data Science and collaborates across dynamic, multi-functional teams to accelerate innovative product development. The team is recognized for its culture of curiosity, collaboration, and impact within Nike and the broader industry.
WHO WE ARE LOOKING FOR
Nike Sport Research Lab seeks a Principal Data Scientist who combines deep technical expertise with a passion for advancing human performance. The ideal candidate is a hands-on creative problem-solver, a collaborative leader, and a strategic thinker who thrives in multidisciplinary environments. This individual brings a proven track record of leveraging science and technology to drive innovation in sport science, product development, or related fields.
Required Qualifications:
PhD or Master’s in Statistics, Computer Science, Electrical/Biomedical engineering, Economics, or related field, Will accept any suitable combination of education, experience and training.
7-9+ years demonstrated experience in Data Science, including expertise in data synthesis, machine learning, statistical modeling, causal inference, or signal processing.
Demonstrated expertise with Python, and data analysis stacks (such as NumPy, SciPy, pandas, Spark, etc.)
Experience with AWS infrastructure, Spark, Databricks, and SQL.
Demonstrated practice of software engineering best practices within technical orgs (git for version control, structured code reviews, automated tests, CI/CD pipelines, and maintainable, reproducible build environments)
Proven ability to define, initiate, and supervise analytics and modeling efforts.
Strong track record of translating business needs into research requirements and strategy.
Ability to interpret and implement methods described in research papers and articles in signal processing, machine learning, deep learning, mathematical modeling, and related fields.
Excellent interpersonal and communication skills, with experience communicating technical information in both written and verbal formats.
Desired Qualifications:
Experience with experimental design and statistical inference, including adaptive experimentation, A/B testing, bandit optimization, and causal inference.
Proficiency in advanced machine learning methods, including classification, regression, deep learning, and computer vision algorithms.
Familiarity with time-series analysis, predictive modeling, and forecasting using large-scale, real-world datasets (e.g., sensor, image, or behavioral data).
Experience developing and deploying models that learn from expert input and emulate expert decision-making.
Understanding of, or working knowledge in, cardiovascular physiology, biomechanics, perception science, or related fields.
Experience with bio-signals, wearables, and inertial measurement technologies.
Peer-reviewed machine learning publications or other demonstrable contributions (e.g., GitHub, apps, products).
Experience leading or mentoring teams of data scientists and engineers in research or product settings.
Experience designing and delivering clear, impactful data visualizations for technical and non-technical audiences.
Experience building and maintaining robust data pipelines, ensuring data quality, integrity, and accessibility for analysis and modeling.
WHAT YOU’LL WORK ON
As Principal Data Scientist, you will play a pivotal role in advancing Nike’s sport science capabilities through innovative data science and machine intelligence. You’ll leverage your expertise to solve complex problems, drive impactful research, and deliver scalable solutions that power athlete and product innovation.
You will:
Apply expertise in signal processing, machine learning, sensor fusion, computer vision, and other areas of machine intelligence to solve complex problems using large, diverse datasets.
Develop and deploy predictive models in production environments to power personalized digital experiences for athletes and consumers.
Drive the development of large-scale experimentation capabilities and help identify causal factors influencing athletic performance and behavior.
Lead the creation, acquisition, and maintenance of high-quality datasets that enable ongoing exploration and unlock value for NSRL and partner organizations.
Investigate and evaluate new technologies, software, machine learning techniques, and capabilities to keep NSRL at the forefront of innovation.
Communicate technical information, methods, and findings clearly and concisely to technical and non-technical teams, partners, and senior management.
Create specifications and documentation for external professional services firms to achieve team objectives efficiently.
Stay connected with machine intelligence innovations across the industry and share insights with team members and partners throughout Nike.
We offer a number of accommodations to complete our interview process including screen readers, sign language interpreters, accessible and single location for in-person interviews, closed captioning, and other reasonable modifications as needed. If you discover, as you navigate our application process, that you need assistance or an accommodation due to a disability, please complete the Candidate Accommodation Request Form.
Nike Compensation & Benefits Highlights
The following summarizes recurring compensation and benefits themes identified from responses generated by popular LLMs to common candidate questions about Nike and has not been reviewed or approved by Nike.
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Retirement Support — A 401(k) with a company match is complemented by options such as a Mega Backdoor Roth and deferred compensation for eligible earners. Financial coaching and structured savings programs support long-term financial security.
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Equity Value & Accessibility — An Employee Stock Purchase Plan with a stock discount sits alongside broad-based equity vehicles like RSUs and non-qualified stock options. These avenues expand wealth-building opportunities beyond base pay.
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Parental & Family Support — Paid parental leave includes maternity and paternity time, recently expanded in the U.S. to 16 weeks and extended to part-time retail teammates. Additional supports include childcare assistance at select locations and family-building benefits such as fertility, surrogacy, and adoption.
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What We Do
At NIKE, Inc., we innovate to serve athletes*. Every teammate - from coder to creator - plays a role in making these athletes’ dreams real. Our tech, data, and digital teams push limits every day, building the future of sport and the tools that drive it. Here, curiosity is fuel. Innovation is the game plan. Different perspectives keep us on the offense. You’ll solve challenges worth tackling, grow fast and belong to a team that backs you to do the right thing. Bring your drive. Bring your bold. Let’s move the world, together. Take your first step at nike.com/careers * If you have a body, you’re an athlete.
Why Work With Us
At NIKE, Inc., your dedication fuels the future of sport. There is a sense of pride that comes from representing an iconic brand and shaping its future. Here, we treat every day as a new opportunity to push boundaries, ask tough questions and share whole-hearted convictions. We are a team – united by the belief that anything is possible.
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