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Data Scientist

Who We Are

Founded in 2005, the 2K label includes some of the most talented game development studios in the world today including: Firaxis Games, Visual Concepts, Hangar 13, 2K Czech and Cat Daddy Games. Our world-class team of engineers, developers, graphic artists and publishing professionals are stewards of a growing library of critically-acclaimed franchises such as Battleborn, BioShock, Borderlands, The Darkness, Mafia, NBA 2K, Sid Meier’s Civilization, WWE 2K, and XCOM. 2K is headquartered in Novato, California and is a wholly owned label of Take-Two Interactive Software, Inc. (NASDAQ: TTWO).

2K develops and publishes interactive entertainment globally for console systems, handheld gaming systems and personal computers, including smartphones and tablets, which are delivered through physical retail, digital download, online platforms, and cloud streaming services. 2K publishes titles in today’s most popular gaming genres, including shooters, action, role-playing, strategy, sports, casual, and family entertainment.

Founded in 1996, Firaxis Games is a world-renowned game development studio with an unwavering mission to “build games that stand the test of time”. The name Firaxis, a fusion of “fiery” and “axis,” communicates the company’s dynamic development process that results in the creation of groundbreaking titles with unparalleled gameplay delivered to gamers around the world. Under the creative direction of industry legend Sid Meier, Firaxis has released dozens of hit games on multiple platforms and is recognized as an industry leader in game development.

What We Need

This person will report to the Game Science team within the Analytics department near San Francisco, where they will work with other data scientists and ML scientists who support Firaxis and the rest of the 2K portfolio. Embedding with Firaxis encourages better alignment with their priorities and a more direct path to communicating our results. Reporting into central Game Science provides career support, tools and process standards, and a team of fellow data geeks to draw from. This means that communication with studio personnel (typically top brass) is very important, the successful candidate needs to be empathetic, clear, rigorous, and aligned.

What You Will Do

• Analyze player gameplay and economy telemetry data to understand player behavior and suggest actions to improve the player experience
• Create in-game measurement and experimentation methodologies
• Work closely with the Game Applied AI team to understand deeply the performance of production Matchmaking, Promotions and Communications, Antifraud/toxicity, and Content Recommendations models
• Test acquisition, engagement, marketing, communication, and monetization strategies to improve performance
• Work closely with development teams to provide insights into game quality, difficulty, and fun
• Establish and distribute regular performance reports based on detailed telemetry and advanced models
• Present analysis findings in writing and via presentation (including for remote groups)

Who We Think Will Be A Great Fit

The ideal candidate must be able to see the underlying story in the data, build sophisticated or simple models depending on the situation, and develop a compelling communication to executives. We are looking for a solution oriented and creative problem solver; a self-starter with the passion and enthusiasm to drive results for meaningful change is critical for this role.

• MSc or PhD in Mathematics, Statistics, Economics, Computer Science, Data Science, Engineering, Sciences (or in another quantitative discipline)
• 4+ years of experience data mining & analytics, building models with large, complex, and multi-dimensional data sets
• Demonstrated expertise telling data-driven stories to those unfamiliar with analytics, helping such stakeholders become more data-driven in a very empathetic way
• Experience with predictive modelling techniques and accomplished in use of R or Python machine learning and related modules
• Experience in relational databases, SQL data carpentry. Experience with big data technologies such as Spark or NoSQL DBs a plus. We use Snowflake for our data warehouse
• Demonstrated expert communication, facilitation, and collaboration skills to effectively present, explain, influence, and advise within cross-functional teams
• Demonstrated ability to work independently, rapidly prototyping and testing new ideas with little guidance. Drive to solve problems, meet deadlines, and build whatever is necessary along the way
• Experience understanding the strengths and weaknesses of different modelling approaches and can effectively reason about when to apply different combinations and iterate

Bonus Points

• Video games industry experience and/or gaming familiarity helpful, ability to partner effectively with partner teams/companies (development studios) required