Football Research & Development Intern

49ers; San Francisco (CA); On-site; USD 21,252 - 30,269; Part time

Job summary

A professional football team is seeking a Football Research & Development Intern for a 10-week internship starting July 2026 in San Francisco. This role provides hands-on experience and exposure to various departments within the NFL front office, including Scouting and Coaching. Applicants should have a background in statistics or data science and be proficient in programming languages such as Python or R. The intern will gain insight into the workings of an NFL team and participate in significant projects related to football analysis.

Qualifications

• Proficiency in statistical programming languages for data analysis.
• Experience with various statistical and machine learning techniques.
• Ability to translate complex data into actionable insights.

Responsibilities

• Complete a project aligned with individual interests.
• Participate in Scouting and R&D activities.
• Engage in film review to improve understanding of football.

Skills

Logical reasoning

Communication skills

Ability to write clean code

Data analysis

Time management

Knowledge of sports data

Education

Bachelor’s degree in statistics, data science, mathematics, or relevant field

Introductory understanding of football

Tools

Python

R

SQL

Microsoft Office Suite

Git

Job description

Career Opportunities: Football Research & Development Intern (6801)

This is a 10-week internship (starting July 2026) in which the Football R&D Intern will take a data driven approach to support one of three verticals within the Front Office of the San Francisco 49ers: Coaching, Player Personnel, or future Research & Development avenues. This is meant to be a hands‑on experience for students/young professionals who are entering the workforce to gain valuable insight into an NFL front office, and as such will be exposed to a variety of different events on the football calendar, including but not limited to: Report Day, Training Camp Practices, and Roster Cut‑Down day. This is intended to be a role that starts in July and goes through the end of Training Camp (end of August). The intern will report to the VP of Research & Development, but outside of the focus area of their project they will be gain exposure to other groups within the Front Office including Scouting, Football Administration, Football Systems, and Coaching.

Responsibilities and Duties:

The intern will be assigned a single project to complete during their 10-week engagement. The project will be aligned with the individual’s interests, career aspirations, and educational training. At the end of the internship, the completed work will be presented to stakeholders within the Front Office, including the General Manager and Assistant General Managers. In addition to this, the intern will participate in Scouting and R&D happenings, such as group meetings and trainings. Lastly, the intern will be expected to participate in film review to better their understanding of the game of football.

Required Abilities and Skills:

• Ability to use logic and reasoning to evaluate information to determine how it should be best interpreted.
• Ability to produce clear, concise work product from open ended assignments.
• Ability to achieve planned objectives through completing relevant tasks and focus.
• Ability to write clean, reproducible, and well‑documented code.
• Ability to create a relationship of trust and loyalty by delivering accessible, efficient, and reliable services and products for stakeholders.
• Strong communication skills and ability to translate complex data into actionable insights.
• Sees the value of assignments and seeks new & additional opportunities to contribute while maintaining focus on the task at hand; works efficiently, proactively and completes assignments in a timely fashion.
• Has a strong desire to expand knowledge of the game of football, working in an NFL front office, and quantitative methods for analyzing sports data.

Education and Experience:

• Introductory understanding of the game of football.
• Have a bachelor’s degree in statistics, data science, mathematics, economics, or equivalent quantitative degree OR
• Be entering their final year of their undergraduate degree in a relevant field
• Proficiency using statistical programming languages for data analysis, model building, and visualization (Python or R preferred, others accepted).
• Experience with SQL and Microsoft Office Suite. Introductory knowledge of Git and/or cloud computing environments a bonus.
• Experience with various statistical and machine learning techniques, as well as rationale for chosen methods.

Physical Demands and Work Environment:

The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this position. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the functions.

The employee will be sitting in a typical office environment most of the time and may be exposed to outdoor weather conditions.

The employee is frequently required to sit, use hands or fingers, handle or feel objects, tools, or controls and reach with hands and arms. The employee is regularly required to talk or hear. The employee is occasionally required to stand, walk and lift and/or move up to 25 pounds. Specific vision abilities required by this position include close vision, distance vision, and the ability to adjust focus.

This position requires the ability to work extended hours and/or weekends.

Travel:

0% of local travel time expected for this position.

Compensation:

$18.70 per hour

The company is an Equal Opportunity Employer, drug free workplace, and complies with ADA regulations as applicable. All duties and responsibilities are essential functions and requirements and are subject to possible modification to reasonably accommodate individuals with disabilities. The requirements listed in this document are the minimum levels of knowledge, skills, or abilities.