Postdoctoral Associate (Postdoctoral Associate - UF Sports Analytics Lab)

Postdoctoral Associate • Gainesville, FL

1d • $60,000 - $70,000 • Onsite

About The Position

The UF Sports Analytics Lab in the Department of Sport Management , College of Health & Human Performance, at the University of Florida invites applications for a full‑time Postdoctoral Associate in Sports Analytics . The anticipated start date is July 1, 2026 . This 12‑month position focuses primarily on applied on ‑ field performance analytics in collaboration with Florida Gators Athletics, with additional projects in business and operations analytics as needs arise. The Postdoctoral Associate will work closely with the Lab Director to support multiple varsity teams and the Athletic Director’s staff and to help manage a large cohort of student analysts (approximately 40 undergraduate and master’s students). The appointment is renewable annually for up to a total of three years , contingent upon satisfactory performance, continued need, and availability of funding.

Requirements

• PhD in statistics, data science, business analytics, sports analytics, operations research, computer science, or a closely related quantitative field, earned by July 1, 2026.
• Proficiency in R and Python for data analysis and modeling.
• Working knowledge of SQL and relational databases.
• Experience with cloud computing environments (e.g., AWS, GCP, or Azure).
• Demonstrated use of GitHub or similar tools for version control and collaborative code development.
• Evidence of high‑quality research (e.g., publications, preprints, reports, or comparable outputs).
• Strong written and oral communication skills.

Nice To Haves

• Experience providing analytics or performance analysis support to college or professional teams, sport organizations, or athletic departments.
• Experience supervising or mentoring student analysts or research assistants.
• Familiarity with sport‑relevant methods such as analysis of tracking data, player and team evaluation metrics, win probability and decision models, scheduling/optimization, or injury and workload models.
• Experience with modern data engineering and analytics tools (e.g., APIs and ETL/ELT workflows, dashboarding tools such as Shiny/Dash/Power BI, CI/CD or automated pipelines).
• Experience working with sensitive or restricted data and knowledge of data governance and ethics in sport.

Responsibilities

• Design and implement applied sports analytics projects for UF varsity teams and the Athletic Director’s office, with an emphasis on on‑field performance (e.g., player and team evaluation, game strategy, scouting, workload and injury risk, practice planning).
• Contribute to sport business and operations analytics projects as needed (e.g., ticketing, fan engagement, and scheduling).
• Build and maintain data pipelines and models using R , Python , SQL , and cloud computing resources, following best practices for reproducible research and version control ( GitHub ).
• Supervise and mentor undergraduate and masters student analysts working on projects across multiple teams and units.
• Communicate findings clearly to coaches, staff, and other stakeholders, and contribute to publications, presentations, and grant proposals emerging from lab projects.
• Lead and co‑author scholarly publications and conference presentations arising from lab projects, in collaboration with the Lab Director and student analysts.
• Support the educational mission of the lab through mentoring and occasional guest lectures or workshops in sports analytics (no formal classroom teaching load) or courses related to sport performance analytics if needed.

Benefits

• Postdoctoral Associates at UF are eligible for a comprehensive benefits package, including health, dental, and vision insurance options; retirement programs; and paid leave, subject to FTE and program rules.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Education Level: Ph.D. or professional degree