Data Developer Job at Sports Reference

Posted: October 12, 2017

LOCATION: Philadelphia/Interwebz

REPORTS TO: Sean Forman, SR President

JOB SUMMARY

Sports Reference LLC is searching for a data developer to join our current group of seven employees for work on our group of sites: Baseball-Reference.com, Basketball-Reference.com, Pro-Football-Reference.com, Hockey-Reference.com, and Sports-Reference College Football, College Basketball, and (someday) FBref.com.

This is a new position designed to support the four full-time software developers currently on staff. PLEASE NOTE: this is not a data science position. This position will not include the creation of visualizations and is not expected to include analysis of data or creation of new metrics.

ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS (In rough order of importance)

  • Maintain, update, and correct datasets for Sports Reference's existing websites. This might include.
    • Entry of league transactions, player contract details.
    • Writing tests that confirm the integrity of our data.
    • Researching original sources to verify data is correct.
    • Mainintaing datasets ranging from player name pronunciations and nicknames to 1959 college basketball stats.
  • Develop new datasets as needed for the sports we cover. (Much of this work will be in European Football.)
  • Maintain relevant content and data as season calendar progresses, from preparing for the upcoming season to wrapping up postseason awards.
  • Normalize and verify data for entry into databases.
  • Contribute to company discussions relating to new ideas, features or problems to be solved.
  • Complete special projects related to company objectives as time and skills allow.

QUALIFICATIONS and SKILLS

A qualified candidate will satisfy the following:

  • have a tremendous attention to detail and desire to find correct answers even when difficult to do so,
  • experience with data entry and data munging,
  • have a history of getting things done (and done well), and
  • love sports.
  • No degree is required, though we would likely view a Bachelor’s degree as some evidence of the ability to get things done.

A highly qualified candidate will be able to contribute with one or more of the following:

  • knowledge of a scripting language such as perl or python,
  • fluency in a foreign language,
  • extensive knowledge of World Football, and/or
  • knowledge of sabermetrics, apbrmetrics, puckmetrics, soccermetrics or pframetrics.

OTHER INFORMATION

  • Sports Reference is located in Philadelphia and, due to the nature of this work, preference will be given to candidates able to work in Philadelphia, but non-Philadelphia candidates will be considered. Please indicate in your cover letter if you are able to work out of our Philadelphia office.
  • This is a full-time job as a data developer.
  • Applicant is preferred to have a legal right to work in the United States. Please let us know in your application if you do not have the right to work in the United States. We'd have to look carefully at those cases.

Sports Reference is a small company with 7 employees (you would be #8), so your work will be highly visible and have a definite and immediate impact. Even though we are a small company, Sports Reference contributes to employee health care, dental care, retirement accounts, disability insurance, and salaries commensurate with your ability level and experience.

We will begin reviewing applications October 20th and will continue until the position is filled. To apply, please send a cover e-mail to [email protected] (our bug system) and attach an up-to-date resume in .pdf, .doc, or .txt form. Please use the subject "Data Developer - Your Name". Questions regarding the position may be sent to the same address above. As you progress through the process we will ask for multiple references.

Sports Reference LLC does not discriminate in employment decisions on the basis of race, color, national origin, gender, sexual orientation, religion, military service eligibility, veteran status, marital status, disability, membership in any other protected classes, or on the basis of sports franchise preferences.