First Team Data Scientist

Kick It Out; Wales; On-site; GBP 30,000 - 50,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading sports organization in the United Kingdom is seeking a First Team Data Scientist to support data-driven decision-making within the football department. The role focuses on match analysis, data visualization, and collaboration with coaches. Candidates should have a STEM degree, experience with large data sets, and proficiency in Python and SQL. This role includes full-time hours and requires flexibility for match schedules.

Benefits

25 days holiday plus bank holidays

Cycle to Work Scheme

Private Medical Insurance

Discounted Club Merchandise

Qualifications

• BSc degree in STEM is preferred.
• Experience with data visualization tools required.
• Familiarity with SQL databases.

Responsibilities

• Support match analysis with data.
• Build and update KPIs.
• Design data visualizations for first team.

Skills

Experience of handling and manipulating large data sets

Understanding of data science in football

Knowledge of football event data

Data visualization experience using Python

Comfortable with SQL

Education

STEM degree

Masters in Data Analytics or similar

Tools

Tableau

Python

SQL

Job description

Overview

JOB TITLE: First Team Data Scientist

DEPARTMENT: First Team Analysis Department

SALARY: Depending on Experience

BENEFITS:

• 25 days holiday, plus bank holidays
• Cycle to Work Scheme
• Private Medical Insurance & Health Cash Plan
• 2 x Complimentary home match tickets
• Discounted Club Merchandise
• Enhanced Family Leave Payments

RESPONSIBLE TO: Head of Data

KEY RELATIONSHIPS:

• 1st Team Performance Analysts
• First Team Coaching Staff

CONTRACT: Full Time (40 hours)

WORKING HOURS: The role requires an individual who can perform such hours as necessary to complete their roles and responsibilities. The position will involve working irregular hours (e.g., Evenings/Saturdays/Sundays/Bank Holidays) based around team schedules.

The Role

This role will be responsible for the day-to-day use of data within the First Team Football Departments. Embedded within the First Team Analysis department, this role will foremost support the first team coaches and analysts with the match analysis cycle of opposition, individual, team performance and training analyses through the use of data. Additional responsibilities of this role will be to support the use of data across the wider football department including Sports Science, Medical and Recruitment.

Role Responsibilities

• Be an integral part of the club's use of data across the match analysis cycle, providing data support and reporting across each of the following areas: Opposition Analysis, Live Match Analysis, Post Match Analysis, Monitoring of team, opposition and individual performances
• Build and update bespoke club specific KPIs
• Trend analysis across the league and the wider footballing world, reporting on findings and comparisons with the first team
• Keep up to date with the latest developments in football analytics and drive the club's use of data to stay at the forefront of this space
• Design and build data visualisations for the use of first team analysts and coaches
• Attend all home matches supporting live match analysis with data as well as remote support for away matches
• Contribute to ongoing projects and research
• Support the use of data across the football department in Analysis, Coaching, Medical, Sports Science & Recruitment
• Perform ad-hoc analyses as required

Skills / Experience

• STEM degree (Preferred)
• Experience of handling and manipulating large data sets for data analysis
• Understanding of how data science can be applied in a professional football setting
• Knowledge of & experience using football event data (Statsbomb, Opta, WyScout etc.)
• Comfortable interacting with databases using SQL
• Data visualisation experience using Python and BI Tools such as Tableau (preferred) or PowerBI
• Experience of a programming language, preferably Python and accompanying packages such as pandas, numpy and football/sport specific packages like matplotlib, PySport, MPLSoccer, Kloppy etc.
• Experience of presenting to audiences that do not possess data/technical backgrounds
• Proficient using Mac OS and/or Windows OS & software including; Keynote, Numbers, iBooks, Microsoft Office (Excel, Powerpoint, Word)

Desirable

• Masters in Data Analytics, Data Science, Computer Science or similar
• Experience of retrieving and handling data from APIs
• Experience handling Tracking Data (Second Spectrum, TRACAB, GPS etc.) with the ability to extract practical insights
• Experience with football data analysis software (Catapult Matchtracker or Hudl Insight)
• Full UK driving license & access to vehicle

Safeguarding & Welfare

The Company is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people involved in activities and event at the Company. As part of the Company's recruitment and selection process any offers of work involving working in regulated activity with children are subject to a satisfactory enhanced DBS Disclosure and barred list check (depending on the level of supervision, frequency, and nature of contact with children).

EQUALITY, DIVERSITY & INCLUSION STATEMENT Swansea City AFC strives to ensure it provides an environment where everyone's rights, dignity and individual worth is respected and takes a zero-tolerance approach to any form of discrimination. Equal Opportunity is an integral part of our recruitment and selection process, and we welcome applications from all individuals who feel they meet the core requirements of the role.