2K · 21 hours ago
Senior Applied Scientist - NBA 2K
Novato, California, United States
Full-time
Hybrid
Mid, Senior Level
$140K/yr - $173K/yr
4+ years exp2K is a global video game company known for its influential titles, including NBA 2K. The company is looking for a Senior Applied Scientist to innovate and enhance player experiences through advanced machine learning and optimization models within the NBA 2K game.
Developer APIsPublishingSoftwareSportsVideo Games
Responsibilities
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
Qualification
Required
Master's 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
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
Benefits
Medical, dental, vision, and basic life insurance coverage
14 paid holidays per calendar year
Paid vacation time per calendar year (ranging from 15 to 25 days) or eligibility to participate in the Company’s discretionary time off program
Up to 10 paid sick days per calendar year
Paid parental and compassionate leave
Wellbeing programs for mental health and other wellness support
Family planning support through Maven
Commuter benefits
Reimbursements for fitness-related expenses
Company
2K is a development studio that develops and publishes sports-based video games. It is a sub-organization of Take-Two Interactive Software.
1001-5000 employees
H1B Sponsorship
2K has a track record of offering H1B sponsorships. Please note that this does not
guarantee sponsorship for this specific role. Below presents additional info for your
reference. (Data Powered by US Department of Labor)
Distribution of Different Job Fields Receiving Sponsorship
Represents job field similar to this job
Trends of Total Sponsorships
2025 (18)
2024 (11)
2023 (19)
2022 (15)
2021 (24)
2020 (19)
Funding
Current Stage
Late StageLeadership Team
Phil Dixon
Chief Operating Officer
Darrell Gallagher
SVP, Studio Head
Recent News
2025-11-19
Company data provided by crunchbase