Senior Applied Scientist NBA 2K
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Job Location:
Novato, CA - USA
Monthly Salary:
Not Disclosed
Posted on:
30+ days ago
Vacancies:
1 Vacancy
Job Summary
Who We Are
2K is headquartered in Novato California and is a wholly owned label of Take-TwoInteractive Software Inc. (NASDAQ: TTWO). Founded in 2005 2K Games is a global video game company publishing titles developed by some of the most influential game development studios in the world. Our studios responsible for developing 2Ks portfolio of world-class games across multiple platforms include Visual Concepts Firaxis Hangar 13 CatDaddy Cloud Chamber 31st Union HB Studios and 2K SportsLab. Our portfolio of titles is expanding due to our global strategic plan building and acquiring exciting studios whose content continues to inspire all of us! 2K publishes titles in todays most popular gaming genres including sports shooters
action role-playing strategy casual and family entertainment.
Our team of engineers marketers artists writers data scientists producers thinkers and doers are the professional publishing stewards of 2Ks portfolio currently includes several AAA sports and entertainment brands including global powerhouse NBA 2K renowned BioShock Borderlands Mafia Sid Meiers Civilization and XCOM brands; popular WWE 2K and WWE SuperCard franchises TopSpin 2K25 as well as the critically and commercially acclaimed PGA TOUR 2K.
At 2K we pride ourselves on creating an inclusive work environment which means encouraging our teams to Come as You Are and do your best work! We encourage ALL applicants to explore our global positions even if they dont meet every requirement
for the role. If youre interested in the job and think you have what it takes to work at 2K we encourage you to apply!
What We Need
The Applied AI Team within 2Ks Product Organization is seeking a Sr. Applied Scientist to contribute to the continued innovation behind our flagship title NBA 2K. This team builds production-grade algorithmic systems that directly shape the player experience. Our work spans core areas such as:
- Matchmaking
- In-game experience personalization
- Player engagement
- In-game economy
- Content optimization
- Fraud detection
We combine techniques from machine learning statistics operations research and economics and partner closely with engineering game design and LiveOps to bring AI-driven decisioning to life across the game.
What Youll Do
- Research build and deploy advanced machine learning and optimization models to improve gameplay and player engagement.
- Work across areas like matchmaking ranking systems personalization and in-game economy modeling.
- Collaborate with game development LiveOps tech and data engineers and product managers to scope high-impact problems and deliver solutions.
- Lead technical discussions advocate for best practices in model development and deployment and ensure scientific rigor.
- Stay informed on state-of-the-art techniques evaluate their applicability and lead efforts to integrate promising methods into our systems.
What Will Make You a Great Fit
We are seeking a hands-on senior scientist who combines deep technical expertise in machine learning with strong product sense and a track record of delivering high-impact production-ready solutions. You are comfortable leading projects independently and thrive in a collaborative fast-moving environment.
Requirements:
- Masters or Ph.D. in a quantitative field such as Computer Science Statistics Applied Math Physics Operations Research or a related discipline.
- 4 years of experience in applied science machine learning or data science roles including experience deploying ML models in production environments.
- Strong background in machine learning (traditional and/or deep learning) statistical modeling and experimentation.
- Proficiency in Python and SQL; experience with distributed computing (e.g. Spark).
- Working knowledge of ML frameworks like scikit-learn PyTorch TensorFlow and pipeline tools for model training and deployment.
- Demonstrated ability to own projects end-to-end and deliver measurable business value.
- Excellent communication skills with the ability to explain complex ideas to both technical and non-technical audiences.
Preferred Qualifications (Helpful but Not Required):
- Experience with discrete optimization reinforcement learning recommender systems and simulation-based modeling.
- Familiarity with production ML infrastructure including cloud services (AWS) containerization and model orchestration/serving.
- Knowledge of the gaming industry and experience working with game-related AI solutions.
- Interest in basketball and a willingness to engage with video games as products.
#LI-Hybrid
Required Experience:
Senior IC
Key Skills
- Laboratory Experience
- Mammalian Cell Culture
- Biochemistry
- Assays
- Protein Purification
- Research Experience
- Next Generation Sequencing
- Research & Development
- cGMP
- Cell Culture
- Molecular Biology
- Flow Cytometry
About Company
2K publishes titles in today's most popular gaming genres, including shooters, action, role-playing, strategy, sports, casual, and family entertainment.
