Executive Director, Research & Development (Basketball Operations)

Chicago Bulls; Chicago (IL); On-site; USD 250,000 - 400,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Healthcare

401(k) with employer match

Paid time off

Game tickets

Gym access

Job summary

Chicago Bulls are seeking an Executive Director of Research & Development to lead analytics, data science, and invention within Basketball Operations. This role directs data infrastructure, tools, and a high-performing team to translate insights into court-ready decisions.

The ideal leader combines deep quantitative expertise with strategic vision, exceptional communication, and a proven track record of building interdisciplinary teams that deliver tangible competitive advantages.

Qualifications

• Master’s or Ph.D. in Statistics, Data Science, Computer Science, Applied Mathematics, Operations Research, or equivalent practical quantitative research experience.
• High-stakes decision-making under uncertainty.
• Statistical modeling, forecasting, and probabilistic programming.
• Machine learning methods and model evaluation.
• Player-tracking/spatiotemporal data and video/computer-vision-derived features.
• Best practices in programming and AI agent integration.
• Generating insights from large data sets and distilling them into clear visualizations and communications for diverse audiences.
• Data engineering architecture to support research and rapid decision-making.

Responsibilities

• Provide strategic and operational leadership for the Bulls’ Research & Development department.
• Serve as a primary advisor to senior leadership on analytics insights.
• Recruit, develop, and retain a diverse, high-performing group of specialists.
• Scan research for competitive advantages and build processes to implement them.
• Set goals, priorities, and performance metrics for the R&D department.
• Lead buildout of predictive models and decision-support tools for player evaluation.

Skills

Strategic leadership

Data analytics

Team leadership

Communication

Project management

Education

Master's/PhD in Statistics/Data Science/CS

Tools

Python/R

SQL

Job description

Description

Executive Director, Research & Development (Basketball Operations)

The Executive Director, Research & Development will serve as a key member within Basketball Operations. This position is responsible for the leadership, strategic direction, and integration of all analytics, research and data-driven functions within the organization. Additionally, this position will structure and oversee the Bulls’ Research & Development department, direct the data infrastructure and systems that support the department, and serve as a primary advisor to Basketball Operations leadership on analytics insights.

We are seeking a strategic leader who combines technical expertise, intellectual curiosity, and a passion for basketball. The ideal candidate is an open-minded learner, an effective communicator and a collaborative leader who can guide both people and ideas. This individual will have the technical ability to lead advanced research and development initiatives while translating complex concepts into actionable insights for decision-makers across Basketball Operations. As a builder and innovator, they will foster an organizational culture that embraces analytics, identify opportunities for competitive advantage and establish the priorities, systems, and team needed to drive long-term success.

Leadership

• Provide strategic and operational leadership for the Bulls’ Research & Development department
• Serve as a primary advisor to senior leadership on analytics insights
• Recruit, develop, and retain a diverse, high-performing group of specialists, and build a team culture centered on curiosity, intentionality, and impact
• Continuously scan existing and emerging research for competitive advantages the organization can capture, and build the operational processes needed to put those advantages into practice
• Set clear goals, priorities, and performance metrics for the Research & Development department, ensuring alignment with organizational objectives
• Establish a structured process for project prioritization, balancing long-term research with short-term operational needs

Research & Deliverables

• Lead the buildout of predictive models and decision-support tools that inform how the team acquires, deploys, and develops players
• Surface new research directions, whether from existing data, newly acquired sources, or data synthesized across systems, and carry the most promising ones from concept through to a functional tool
• Partner with other leaders and departments to ensure that research outcomes translate directly into competitive advantages on the court

Systems & Technology Integration

• Direct the creation and evolution of internal data infrastructure, web applications, and workflows that enable advantage-seeking research and decision-making at scale
• Oversee engineering efforts to ensure clean data pipelines, intuitive user interfaces, and seamless integration across Basketball Operations
• Design and implement organizational strategies around the use of agentic tools in Research & Development, simultaneously balancing system reliability, decision-making accuracy, and security

Cross-Departmental Collaboration

• Partner closely with stakeholders across Basketball Operations including Coaching, Player Development, Performance, and Scouting to embed Research & Development outputs into day-to-day decision-making
• Facilitate regular communication and collaboration between Research & Development and coaching/on-court staff, ensuring research insights are practical, timely, and actionable
• Translate technical concepts into clear narratives and presentations for all audiences

Technical Qualifications

We are seeking candidates with experience in most of the following areas:

• Master’s or Ph.D. in Statistics, Data Science, Computer Science, Applied Mathematics, Operations Research, or equivalent practical quantitative research experience
• High-stakes decision-making under uncertainty
• Statistical modeling, forecasting, and probabilistic programming
• Machine learning methods and model evaluation
• Player-tracking/spatiotemporal data and video/computer-vision-derived features
• Best practices in programming and AI agent integration
• Generating insights from large data sets and distilling them into clear visualizations and communications for diverse audiences
• Data engineering architecture to support research and rapid decision-making
• Application development, product design, and data storytelling

Leadership Qualifications

• Demonstrated leadership experience managing technical or interdisciplinary teams
• Deep understanding of player evaluation, player development, and basketball decision-making
• Excellent communication, project/product management, and interpersonal skills
• Ability to thrive in a fast-paced, collaborative, accountable, and highly confidential environment
• Deep alignment with and promotion of the organization’s stated values and vision
• Strategic mindset with the ability to balance short-term demands with longer-term goals

Compensation

The base salary range for this role is $250,000 – $400,000 annually. This salary range is an estimate, and the actual salary will vary based on the applicant’s education, experience, skills, and abilities.

The Chicago Bulls offer competitive benefits and perks. Our full-time offerings include, but are not limited to:

• Healthcare, dental, and vision coverage
• 100% paid premium for basic employee life insurance and disability coverage
• 401(k) with employer match plus annual discretionary contribution
• Flexible spending account for healthcare and dependent care as well as commuter benefits
• Paid time off including vacation, sick, holiday, days of significance, and parental leave
• Complimentary home game tickets, parking, and gym access
• Complimentary snacks, lunch and dinner (if working games / events)
• Pet insurance

The Chicago Bulls offer workplace flexibility. Full-time remote work is not an option for this role, and interested applicants should be currently located in or prepared to move to the Chicagoland area. Must be available to work evenings, weekends, and holidays as required.

We are an Equal Opportunity Employer. We do not discriminate on the basis of race, religion, color, national origin, gender, sexual orientation, age, marital status, veteran status, disability, or any other status or characteristic protected by applicable federal, state, or local law.