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Data Science Intern (PhD)

Riot's Data developers build tools to understand and delight our worldwide players using petabytes of data and state-of-the-art data processing technology. Handling the potential these data offer is a tremendous and complex task. As we continue delivering and scaling content to passionate gamers, our discipline has challenges and opportunities centered on crafting, building, and maintaining data products that support our growth. Whether you are a Data Scientist modeling game systems, a Data Engineer bringing scale and efficiency to systems, or a Data Architect organizing data in ways that make data products more player-focused and dependable, we need you to help push forward our “Player Experience First” goals.

Riot Data Scientists combine their wide technical expertise across data processing, automation, machine learning ("ML"), artificial intelligence ("AI"), and experimental design to inform decisions and develop data-powered products.

In your application, you will select which product you prefer to apply for:

League of Legends: As a Data Scientist Intern on the League Data Central team, you will work on a team that collaborates on multi-functional projects that range from in-game features to content design to infrastructure. In a world of high-volume and complexity, you will develop products that bring personalization, optimization, and scale to players. This role would report directly into the Data Science Manager for League of Legends.

Riot Data Products: As a Data Science Intern on Riot Data Products (RDP), you will help the team build machine learning solutions that equip Rioters with technology solutions that help them enhance the experience of players and Rioters. You will work with teams within Riot Data and across the organization on projects such as content recommendation, anti-cheat, player behavior evaluation, anomaly/fraud detection, and demand forecasting. Your work will contribute to the maturity of a common set of solutions used by teams across Riot.

Responsibilities:

• Work closely with game feature teams to optimize the way that we design and serve to players
• Partner with game designers and engineers to understand how they design and implement in-game features
• Implement ML solutions that are agnostic to domain/game and enable a diverse set of engineering teams to implement well understood and common frameworks/patterns

Required Qualifications:

• Currently enrolled in a Ph.D. program in statistics, engineering, computer science, artificial intelligence, or a related quantitative field (math, physics, etc.)
• Available to work full-time hours for 10-12 weeks at the indicated office during the summer (subject to change due to COVID-19 restrictions)
• Authorized to work in the U.S.
• Experience in machine learning techniques
• Experience in statistical modeling and optimization
• Experience processing data and build machine learning models using Python
• Experience with databases and SQL

Desired Qualifications:

• Experience collaborating with a product team to provide data solutions
• Experience productionalizing code into live systems
• Understanding of distributed systems and concurrent programming
• Familiarity with cloud computing basics on AWS (EC2, S3)
• Experience working with Linux operating systems
• Experience in reinforcement learning and deep learning, including frameworks such as Tensorflow or PyTorch
• Experience in Java, C++, or Scala
• Basic understanding of data warehousing, relational databases (e.g., MySQL), and distributed data processing or storage systems (e.g., Spark, Flink, Hadoop)
• Experience with version control systems. (We use Git)
• Experience in social network analysis, natural language processing, computer vision, or signal processing

For this role, you'll find success through craft expertise, a collaborative spirit, and decision-making that prioritizes your fellow Rioters, who are the customers of your work. Being a dedicated fan of games is not necessary for this position!

Applications Close January 10th 11:59pm PT and are reviewed on a rolling basis.

Our Perks:

Riot Internships are paid, and we offer relocation and housing support. Interns can also participate in our 401(k) plan. You can expect subsidized meals, in-game perks, and the ability to participate in our Play Fund, so you can broaden and deepen your knowledge of our players and community through games. The University Programs team also invites you to intern focused events so you can connect with your fellow interns and Rioters to make the most out of your experience.

Riot Games fosters a player and workplace experience that values teamwork embodied by the Summoner's Code and Community Code . Our culture embraces differences as a strength, and our values are the guiding principles for how we approach work. We are committed to putting diversity and inclusion (D&I) at the center of everything we do, and promoting a fair and collaborative culture where Rioters treat one another with dignity and respect. We encourage you to read more about our value of thriving together and our ongoing work to build the most inclusive company in Gaming .

It’s our policy to provide equal employment opportunity for all applicants and members of Riot Games, Inc. Riot Games makes reasonable accommodations for handicapped and disabled Rioters and does not unlawfully discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, national origin, age, handicap, veteran status, marital status, criminal history, or any other category protected by applicable federal and state law, including the City of Los Angeles’ Fair Chance Initiative for Hiring Ordinance relating to an applicant's criminal history.