Strategic Football Fellow

Strategic Football Fellow

We are seeking a highly skilled and passionate Strategic Football Fellow to join our dynamic team as a summer intern, with top performers eligible for extension into a season-long internship based on performance and departmental priorities. As a Strategic Football Fellow, you will be responsible for supporting all aspects of the Dallas Cowboys Strategic Football Operations (SFO) Department as needed. Working closely with our coaching, scouting, and front office staff, the SFO Department analyzes and interprets data to provide data-driven insights and recommendations to help the team succeed. The ideal candidate possesses a deep understanding of football analytics, excellent statistical analysis skills, the ability to communicate insights to non-technical stakeholders, a keen eye for detail, and a track record of elite work ethic, humility, and professionalism.

Key Responsibilities:

Coordinate collection and reporting of wearable player tracking data for all practices and conduct detailed statistical analysis of performance data to identify patterns, trends, and key metrics that can enhance team performance. Lead the collection, cleaning, and validation of ad-hoc datasets used for football decision-making, including charting data from game and practice film. Contribute to the creation of reports, dashboards, data visualizations, and data engineering processes. Work with tracking data to develop internal metrics for advance scouting and player evaluation. Provide insights on player performance and talent identification based on statistical analysis. Assist the SFO Department in supporting the coaches, scouts, and front office staff to develop and implement data-driven strategies. This fellowship is 100% onsite and in-person and not remote. In addition to daily onsite responsibilities, the Fellow will also be expected to travel to select team and league events starting with Dallas Cowboys Training Camp in Oxnard, CA. If extended to a season-long internship, the role may travel to the NFL Combine in Indianapolis, IN, as well as industry conferences related to sports analytics and football operations.

Requirements:

Bachelor's or equivalent real-world experience in statistics, mathematics, computer science, economics, or a related field. Experience in football analytics or a related field preferred. Proven track record of using statistical modeling and data analysis to inform decision-making in a football or other sports context. Strong knowledge of databases (including SQL), statistical programming languages (e.g., R, Python) and data visualization tools (e.g., Tableau, PowerBI). Familiarity with football analytics concepts, tracking technologies (e.g., Zebra, Catapult), and data sources (e.g. PFF, SIS, NGS). Demonstrated ability to BOTH (or EITHER) develop, validate, and productionize statistical and machine learning models for sports decision-making – including linear/GLM frameworks, tree-based methods (e.g., XGBoost), and player tracking data modeling – AND/OR architect and maintain scalable, well-tested data systems using modern software engineering best practices – including version control, database design and normalization, testing, and DRY coding principles. Excellent communication and interpersonal skills, with the ability to present complex data and insights to non-technical stakeholders. Passion for football and a deep understanding of the game and its strategies. Eagerness to contribute to all areas of football operations, including non-technical tasks as needed. Demonstrated commitment to humility and continuous learning, with a track record of embracing feedback, adapting to new challenges, and leveraging a growth mindset to enhance personal development and organizational performance. Proven dedication to fostering team success through the protection, development, and empowerment of colleagues, demonstrating a collaborative mindset and a strong commitment to creating an environment of mutual growth and achievement. Flexible schedule with availability to work nights, weekends, and extended hours as needed.

Initial Application Requirements

Please submit a cover letter and resume. Please submit any supporting files (e.g. code/posters/research papers) that you are proud of that reflect your technical prowess (any subject, doesn’t have to be sports related).