The Nike Sport Research Lab (NSRL) is a multidisciplinary team of researchers, innovators, and scientists who lead with science to make athletes* measurably better. We believe athlete* data is the foundation of the future of human performance and are looking for a visionary leader to shape that data future.

WHO WE ARE LOOKING FOR

As Director of Data Science, you will define the long-term vision for how athlete data—from biomechanics to neuroscience, in-lab to in-field—can transform the way athletes* train and inspire the next generation of footwear and apparel innovation.

This is a unique opportunity for a strategic leader with deep data science expertise who understands human movement research and can create a fast-paced path within a corporate environment. You will set the vision, lead the team and portfolio of work to achieve it, and ensure that Nike’s athlete data capabilities not only serve research but also drive tangible impact for athletes, the business, and product innovation.

WHAT YOU WILL WORK ON

• Set the Vision & Portfolio

  • Define and communicate a bold vision for how data powers athlete* performance and product innovation.

  • Lead and prioritize a portfolio of projects that bring that vision to life.

  • Anticipate future trends in sports science, relevant technology, and AI/ML.

• Lead & Inspire the Team

  • Manage and mentor a team of data scientists with ML and computer vision expertise.

  • Build a culture of rigor, creativity, and collaboration.

  • Provide clarity and direction, ensuring the team’s analytics and research connect to real-world athlete and business outcomes

  • Define and manage Key Performance Indicators and budget.

• Drive Analytics & Insight

  • Support teams across the NSRL with analytics and data science expertise as needed.

  • Connect complex, diverse data sets (biomechanics, physiology, product performance, consumer data, etc.) and run advanced statistical analyses to extract insights.

• Build Infrastructure & Standards

  • Partner with internal and external data and technology providers to design the infrastructure, platforms, and tools needed to scale athlete data capabilities.

  • Establish common data taxonomy and standards across the NSRL to ensure consistency and interoperability.

WHO YOU WILL WORK WITH

• Influence & Partner Across Nike

  • Work across Nike functions to ensure athlete data is valuable, trusted, and effectively applied.

  • Translate findings into actionable recommendations for researchers, product innovators, and business leaders.

  • Present compelling stories to senior leaders to drive alignment and decision-making.

ABOUT YOU

• A visionary strategist who can also execute with precision.

• An innovator energized by charting new paths and building scalable solutions, with the patience needed to do so in a corporate environment.

• A proven people leader with experience managing teams and portfolios of projects.

• Experience in human movement research with the ability to translate science into practical applications.

• Skilled in analytics, statistical methods, and integrating complex data sets to uncover insights.

• Fluent in the technology and tools to inform evolution of the athlete* data foundation.

• Collaborative and influential, comfortable operating across research, business, and technology domains.

WHAT YOU BRING

• Bachelor/Master/PhD degree in Statistics, Computer Science, Mathematics, Sports Science or related field or equivalent combination of education and experience

• 8+ years in data science or a related field, with at least 5 years of leadership experience (preferably in a research or innovation setting dealing with human performance, movement and/or wellness data).

• Demonstrated success in setting a vision, defining a portfolio of work, and delivering results.

• Expertise in advanced analytics, machine learning, statistical modeling, and algorithm development.

• Strong communication skills.

• Experience with sport-science data (biomechanics, physiology, or performance data) strongly preferred.

• Proficiency with modern data science tools and frameworks (Python, R, TensorFlow, PyTorch, etc.).

We offer a number of accommodations to complete our interview process including screen readers, sign language interpreters, accessible and single location for in-person interviews, closed captioning, and other reasonable modifications as needed. If you discover, as you navigate our application process, that you need assistance or an accommodation due to a disability, please complete the Candidate Accommodation Request Form.