Fanatics - Principal Data Scientist - Machine Learning

About Us :

Fanatics is building a leading global digital sports platform.

We ignite the passions of global sports fans and maximize the presence and reach for our hundreds of sports partners globally by offering products and services across Fanatics Commerce, Fanatics Collectibles, and Fanatics Betting & Gaming, allowing sports fans to Buy, Collect, and Bet.

Through the Fanatics platform, sports fans can buy licensed fan gear, jerseys, lifestyle and streetwear products, headwear, and hardgoods; collect physical and digital trading cards, sports memorabilia, and other digital assets; and bet as the company builds its Sportsbook and iGaming platform.

Fanatics has an established database of over 100 million global sports fans; a global partner network with approximately 900 sports properties, including major national and international professional sports leagues, players associations, teams, colleges, college conferences and retail partners, 2,500 athletes and celebrities, and 200 exclusive athletes; and over 2,000 retail locations, including its Lids retail stores.

Our more than 22,000 employees are committed to relentlessly enhancing the fan experience and delighting sports fans globally.

Key Responsibilities :

- Lead Inventory and Pricing Optimization Initiatives : Design and implement predictive and prescriptive models to optimize inventory placement, demand forecasting, pricing optimization, clearance models etc.

- Advanced Modeling & Machine Learning : Apply techniques such as time series forecasting, probabilistic modeling, optimization algorithms (e.g., MIP), and reinforcement learning to solve inventory and pricing-related problems.

- Cross-functional Collaboration : Partner with stakeholders across supply chain, merchandising, and technology to align machine learning/analytics initiatives with business goals and operational constraints.

- Innovation & Thought Leadership : Identify emerging trends and technologies in supply chain and pricing optimization; evaluate and prototype novel and pragmatic solutions to complex problems.

- Mentoring & Leadership : Provide technical mentorship to other data scientists and contribute to the overall impactful growth of the organization.

- Effective Communication: Have effective communication skills to convey complex quantitative analyses, analytic methodologies, and findings in a clear, concise, and actionable manner

- Operational Impact : Translate data insights into actionable recommendations that directly influence decisions around inventory planning, replenishment, and distribution.

What We're Looking For :

- PhD or Masters degree in a quantitative field from a reputed college (e.g., Operations Research, Statistics, Computer Science)

- 10+ years of industry experience in data science, with a strong focus on inventory, pricing and supply chain optimization

- Deep understanding of inventory theory, supply chain planning, stochastic modeling, forecasting and optimization techniques

- Proficient in Python, SQL, and one or more optimization libraries (e.g., Gurobi, Pyomo)

- Strong background in ML model development and experience in implementing large models in production.

- Experience with large-scale data platforms (e.g., Spark, Snowflake, Databricks)

- Strong business acumen with the ability to communicate complex technical ideas to non-technical Qualifications :

- Experience in retail, e-commerce, or manufacturing supply chains

- Familiarity with WMS, and/or Network optimization tools (Optilogic, Llamasoft)

- Experience working in Agile or cross-functional product teams

- Prior experience leading technical teams or projects