Research Engineer (AI + Sports)

YinzCam, Inc.; Pittsburgh (Allegheny County); On-site; USD 120,000 - 160,000; Full time

Job summary

YinzCam, Inc. seeks Research Engineers to lead AI-driven video analysis and game analytics for premier sports experiences. You will work with CMU researchers to move innovations from prototype to production, publishing in top CV/ML venues and shaping fan experiences at scale.

Role combines rigorous research with product sensibility, requiring publication quality and strong engineering execution. Onsite in Pittsburgh, collaborating with CMU and sports teams.

Qualifications

• PhD in Computer Vision, ML, CS or closely related field.
• Strong publication record in top-tier venues (CVPR, ICCV, ECCV, NeurIPS, ICML, ICLR, etc.).
• Deep expertise in modern CV techniques: neural networks, object detection, segmentation, action recognition, optical flow, pose estimation.
• Proficiency in ML frameworks (PyTorch, TensorFlow) and modern deep learning practices.
• Strong software engineering fundamentals: Python, Java, AWS, SQL, Redshift, version control, testing, CI/CD.
• Demonstrated ability to implement complex systems end-to-end.
• Background in sports analytics, sports tech, or applied computer vision.
• Genuine enthusiasm for sports and AI.

Responsibilities

• Design and develop AI systems for real-time video understanding of live sporting events.
• Build robust computer vision pipelines handling real-world footage.
• Explore novel architectures in modern CV for sports problems.
• Develop AI systems to extract, aggregate, and interpret game data at scale.
• Create spatial and temporal analytics frameworks for insights from video and sensor data.
• Build analytics platforms scalable from single games to league-wide deployments.
• Translate video understanding into engaging fan experiences and real-time highlights.
• Ensure research outputs move through the full product development lifecycle.

Skills

Computer Vision

Machine Learning

Python

Java

AWS

SQL

CI/CD

PyTorch

TensorFlow

End-to-end deployment

Sports analytics

Education

PhD in Computer Vision / ML / CS

Tools

PyTorch

TensorFlow

AWS

SQL

Redshift

Job description

Description

YinzCam is seeking exceptional Research Engineers to lead the development of AI-driven video analysis and game analytics systems that power next-generation fan experiences in professional sports. This is a rare opportunity to conduct publishable research while building products that reach millions of fans in real time.

You’ll work at the cutting edge of computer vision and machine learning applied to sports, collaborating with leading academic researchers at Carnegie Mellon University while taking your innovations from prototype to production. This role demands both research rigor and product sensibility. We value publication records and engineering excellence equally. This is a full-time, onsite position based in Pittsburgh, PA.

Core Responsibilities.

Video Analysis & Computer Vision

• Design and develop AI systems for real-time video understanding of live sporting events (player detection, action recognition, spatial analysis, etc.)
• Build robust computer vision pipelines that handle challenging real-world footage (lighting, occlusion, multiple camera angles)
• Explore novel architectures and techniques in modern CV to solve sports-specific problems

Large-Scale Game Analytics

• Develop AI systems to extract, aggregate, and interpret game data at scale across multiple sports, teams, and seasons
• Create spatial and temporal analytics frameworks that surface actionable insights from video and sensor data
• Build analytics platforms that scale from single games to league-wide deployments

AI-Powered Fan Experiences

• Translate video understanding and analytics into engaging, intuitive experiences for millions of fans
• Collaborate on product features that leverage AI (real-time highlights, personalized stats, interactive visualizations, etc.)
• Ensure research outputs move through the full product development lifecycle

CORE GOALS.

• Publish Your Work: We intend to publish the work coming out of these research projects. Papers will be published in top-tier CV/ML venues and presented at conferences.
• Bridge Academia & Industry: Work directly with Prof. Priya Narasimhan (Carnegie Mellon University) and her research team to translate academic innovations into applied systems. Mentor CMU students, collaborate on research projects, and shape the next generation of sports AI researchers.
• From Research to Product: Own the path from prototype to production. You’ll participate in design reviews, handle real-world deployment challenges, and see your ideas impact actual fan experiences at scale.

Core Requirements.

• PhD in Computer Vision, Machine Learning, Computer Science, or a closely related field
• Strong publication track record in top-tier venues (CVPR, ICCV, ECCV, NeurIPS, ICML, ICLR, etc.)
• Deep expertise in modern computer vision techniques: neural networks, object detection, semantic/instance segmentation, action recognition, optical flow, pose estimation, or related areas
• Proficiency in ML frameworks (PyTorch, TensorFlow) and modern deep learning practices
• Strong software engineering fundamentals: Python, Java, AWS, SQL, Redshift, version control, testing, CI/CD
• Demonstrated ability to implement complex systems end-to-end
• Background in sports analytics, sports tech, or applied computer vision (industry, research, or both)
• Genuine enthusiasm for sports and AI
• Genuine enthusiasm for going beyond book learning, and to have ideas go into large-scale production