Nhl Analytics Jobs (NOW HIRING)

Founded in 1917, the National Hockey League (NHL®) is the premier professional ice hockey league in the world, and one of the major professional sports leagues in the United States and Canada. With more than 1500 employees across the US and Canada, the NHL is a global sports and entertainment organization committed to building healthy and vibrant communities using the sport of hockey.

We are seeking an experienced Director of Software Engineering with strong expertise in API design and relational database modeling to join our team. You will be responsible for designing and implementing high‑performance backend services and RESTful APIs that power our consumer‑facing and internal applications. This role requires both technical excellence and leadership skills to mentor team members and drive architectural decisions.

Develop high‑performance, scalable backend services using Java.

• Write clean, maintainable, and well‑documented code.
• Design and implement caching strategies for optimal performance.
• Build robust error handling and logging mechanisms.
• Ensure proficiency in unit and integration testing.
• Deep understanding of native mobile and web multi‑tiered, distributed applications.

• Create comprehensive API specifications using OpenAPI/Swagger.
• Ensure API consistency, versioning strategies, and backward compatibility.
• Implement and integrate OAuth 2.0 and SAML‑based authentication.
• Establish and maintain API design guidelines and patterns for the engineering team.
• Leverage CDNs for API scale and optimization.
• Carefully craft API inputs/outputs to maximize CDN cache hit ratios.
• Utilize API testing frameworks to ensure reliability and performance.
• Experience with API performance monitoring and optimization.

• Mentor junior developers on API design principles and data modeling best practices.
• Participate in code reviews and provide constructive feedback.
• Lead technical design discussions and architectural decisions.
• Contribute to technical documentation and knowledge sharing.
• Collaborate with operational counterparts on observability metrics.

8+ years of backend development experience with at least 3 years focused on API design.

• Strong understanding of RESTful principles, HTTP protocols, and web standards.
• Proven track record of designing scalable, maintainable APIs.

• Experience with Apache Cayenne ORM framework.
• Experience with Agrest REST API framework.
• Knowledge of API gateway patterns and service mesh concepts.
• Experience with containerization and orchestration (Docker, Bamboo, Kubernetes).
• Experience with data processing and analysis frameworks like Apache Spark DataFrame API, DFLib.
• Familiarity with event‑driven architectures.
• Contributions to open‑source projects.
• Experience programming/scripting with Python.
• Experience with cloud platforms (AWS), S3, Kinesis, Dynamo.
• Experience with Apache Flink.

Bachelor's degree in Computer Science or related field, or equivalent practical experience.

• Java: Strong proficiency in Java development with experience building enterprise‑grade applications.
• MySQL: Hands‑on experience with MySQL (v. 8.0 and above), including performance optimization and query tuning.
• Data Modeling: Proven experience with relational database design and data modeling best practices.
• Git: Proficiency with Git version control, including branching strategies, merge conflict resolution, and collaborative workflows.
• Maven: Strong experience with Maven for build automation, dependency management, and project lifecycle management.
• Bamboo: Experience with Atlassian Bamboo for continuous integration and deployment pipelines.
• JAX‑RS: Expertise in building RESTful web services using JAX‑RS.
• Jackson API: Proficiency with Jackson for JSON processing and serialization.
• POJO: Experience working with Plain Old Java Objects and understanding of object‑oriented design principles.

• Excellent problem‑solving skills and attention to detail.
• Strong communication skills and the ability to work collaboratively in a team environment.

• Accountability
• Adaptability
• Communication
• Critical Thinking
• Inclusion
• Professionalism
• Teamwork & Collaboration

Time to Recharge: Utilize our generous Paid Time Off (PTO) to focus on your well‑being and ensure a healthy work/life balance. PTO includes paid holidays, vacation, personal and sick days, plus an extra day off for your birthday.

Health and Well‑Being: Comprehensive health benefits to employees and their eligible dependents effective on their first day with us – no waiting period. Minimal cost for medical, dental and vision coverage. Access to Employee Assistance Program (EAP) and digital wellness resources.

Childcare Leave: Primary caregiver up to 12 weeks of paid Childcare Leave at full pay following birth, adoption, or placement. Non‑primary caregiver up to 6 weeks of paid Childcare Leave within the first 6 months.

Retirement: Participate in the NHL’s Savings Plan which includes a 401(k) with pre‑tax and Roth options plus non‑elective employer contributions.

Hybrid Work Schedule: Flexible work locations and schedules for a majority of roles.

New Headquarters: State‑of‑the‑art offices at One Manhattan West in Hudson Yards with high‑tech conference rooms, dining options, and nearby attractions.

Commuting Benefit: Pre‑tax commuter benefit plan to offset travel costs.

Partner Rates: Exclusive savings on travel, consumer goods and services, plus the NHL Store.

Life at the NHL: Opportunities to join Employee Resource Groups, Tuesday Night Skate at Chelsea Piers, and a dynamic workplace culture encouraging authenticity.

$160-180K. Actual base pay will be determined based on experience, training, market demands, and geographic location.

Application Note: Please include a cover letter with your salary expectations. We thank all applicants for their interest; only qualified candidates selected for an interview will be contacted. NO EMAILS OR PHONE CALLS PLEASE.

We are an equal opportunity employer, and all qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, national origin, sex, sexual orientation, age, disability, gender identity, marital or veteran status, or any other protected class.