Senior Basketball Researcher

Rip City•Tualatin, OR

13h

About The Position

Become a part of the team behind the team. The Portland Trail Blazers are seeking a strategic and analytically driven Senior Researcher to join our Basketball Operations team and help shape decision-making processes that support a championship-caliber NBA organization. As our Senior Researcher, you will blend technical expertise, advanced quantitative analysis, and strong communication skills to uncover actionable insights and translate complex data into clear, basketball-relevant recommendations. You will serve as a trusted partner to Basketball Operations leadership, collaborating across front office and coaching staff to influence and drive data-informed decisions.

Requirements

Experience working with large, complex datasets in an academic, professional, or sports environments; basketball or sports analytics experience preferred.
Demonstrated experience in applying statistical modeling, machine learning, and modern analytical frameworks (e.g., Python-based libraries) to solve complex problems and generate actionable insights.
Skilled in cleaning, transforming, and preprocessing large datasets using Python or similar scripting languages.
Experienced in writing and optimizing SQL queries within relational database environments.
Possess the demonstrated ability to influence decision-making and build trust across technical and non-technical stakeholders.
Strong intellectual curiosity and basketball acumen, with the ability to connect analytical findings to on-court impact, organizational priorities, and competitive advantage.
Possess strong communication and interpersonal skills, with the ability to translate highly technical concepts into clear, relatable insights for diverse audiences.
Comfortable presenting findings and recommendations to senior leadership.
Collaborative and team-oriented, with the ability to effectively partner across diverse groups and build strong working relationships.

Responsibilities

Design, develop, and validate analysis systems, predictive models, and quantitative tools that support strategic decision-making across Basketball Operations.
Translate complex findings into clear, actionable recommendations tailored to both technical and non-technical stakeholders.
Partner with scouting, player personnel, coaching, medical and performance teams to find opportunities where data and technology can create a competitive advantage.
Communicate insights through compelling presentations, visualizations, and storytelling that make data accessible and actionable.
Evaluate and implement emerging technologies and analytical approaches to continuously improve basketball intelligence capabilities.
Help shape and evolve the organization’s overall research philosophy, analytical processes, and long-term innovation strategy.