Sports Analyst & Data Scientist

Placements24; Polokwane; Hybrid; ZAR 600,000 - 1,000,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Remote work

Professional development

Attend industry conferences

Job summary

Placements24 is seeking a highly analytical Sports Analyst & Data Scientist to join a remote team. You will analyze athlete performance, fan engagement, and market trends to drive strategy in the Leisure & Sports domain.

The role requires advanced modelling, data visualisation, and collaboration across coaching, management, and marketing teams. Remote work and cutting-edge analytics tools are offered.

Qualifications

• Master’s or Ph.D. in statistics, data science, mathematics, computer science or a related quantitative field.
• Proven experience as a Data Scientist or Analyst with a portfolio of analytical projects.
• Strong proficiency in Python or R and data manipulation libraries (Pandas, NumPy).
• Expertise in statistical modeling, machine learning algorithms, and data visualization tools such as Tableau/Power BI.

Responsibilities

• Collect, clean, and analyze large datasets related to athlete performance, team statistics, and fan behavior.
• Develop predictive models and statistical analyses to identify trends and actionable insights.
• Create reports and visualizations to communicate findings to technical and non-technical stakeholders.
• Collaborate with coaching staff, management, and marketing to apply data-driven recommendations.
• Stay current with data science and sports analytics advancements.
• Contribute to data infrastructure and reporting tools to support ongoing analysis.

Skills

Python

R

Data analysis

Problem solving

Education

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

Tools

Pandas

NumPy

Tableau

Power BI

Job description

About the Role

Our client is looking for a highly analytical and technically proficient Sports Analyst & Data Scientist to join their remote team. This role will leverage advanced data analytics and statistical modelling to provide insights that drive strategic decisions within the Leisure & Sports domain. You will analyze performance metrics, scout data, fan engagement statistics, and market trends to identify opportunities for improvement and competitive advantage. This is an exciting opportunity for a data-driven individual passionate about sports to make a tangible impact on performance and strategy from anywhere.

Key Responsibilities

• Collect, clean, and analyze large datasets related to athlete performance, team statistics, and fan behavior.
• Develop predictive models and statistical analyses to identify trends, patterns, and actionable insights.
• Create comprehensive reports and visualizations to communicate complex findings to both technical and non-technical stakeholders.
• Collaborate with coaching staff, management, and marketing teams to apply data-driven recommendations.
• Stay current with the latest advancements in data science, machine learning, and sports analytics techniques.
• Contribute to the development of data infrastructure and reporting tools to support ongoing analysis.

Requirements

• Master’s or Ph.D. in Statistics, Data Science, Mathematics, Computer Science, or a related quantitative field.
• Proven experience as a Data Scientist or Analyst, with a portfolio demonstrating analytical projects.
• Strong proficiency in programming languages such as Python or R, and experience with data manipulation libraries (e.g., Pandas, NumPy).
• Expertise in statistical modeling, machine learning algorithms, and data visualization tools (e.g., Tableau, Power BI).
• Excellent analytical and problem-solving skills with meticulous attention to detail.
• A genuine passion for sports and an understanding of sports data is essential for this role operating remotely from Polokwane (or anywhere).

Benefits

• Highly competitive salary and remote working arrangement.
• Opportunity to work with cutting-edge data analytics tools and methodologies.
• Contribute to strategic decision-making in the high-growth sports industry.
• Professional development support and opportunities to attend industry conferences.
• Collaborative environment focused on innovation and impact.