Job Posting: Sydney Blue Sox Baseball Analytics & Associate Scouting Intern
Just to be clear, there are two separate positions here.
Position: Sydney Blue Sox, Baseball Analytics Intern
Location: Various locations throughout US, with a preference for Chicago
Overview:
We are seeking volunteer data analysts to help further develop our baseball information systems. These analysts will work directly with the Director of Baseball Analytics, who is based in Chicago. This position is on a volunteer basis and has no set work requirements; however, recommendations will be given on merit.
Job Responsibilities:
- Complete ad-hoc database queries and analysis.
- Design and develop new models for player analysis.
- Collect data to support various research projects.
- Write reports to support findings from collected data.
- Perform other duties pertaining to baseball research.
Qualifications:
- Currently seeking or have obtained a Bachelor’s degree in a Computer Science or related field.
- Strong understanding of current baseball research and data structure.
- Experience with SQL, R and/or Python.
- Self-starter with a drive to succeed in baseball.
- Ability to chart pitches.
Compensation and Duration:
This position is not compensated.
If interested, please email a resume and cover letter to the Blue Sox, and specify which job you’re applying for in the subject line.
…
Position: Sydney Blue Sox, Associate Scouting Intern
Location: Various locations throughout US
Overview:
We are seeking volunteer scouts across the nation to help us scout prospective players. The scouts will attend minor league, independent and collegiate games on their own discretion, unless requested by management. This position is on a volunteer basis and has no set work requirements; however, recommendations will be given on merit.
Job Responsibilities:
- Provide reliable analysis on player skillsets.
- Give recommendations in regard to player acquisition.
- Develop an expertise on the player base in your area.
Qualifications:
- Knowledge of traditional scouting methods.
- Can reliably fill out scouting reports without the need for additional training.
- Professional scouting experience is preferred, but not required.
- Self-starter with a drive to succeed in baseball.
- Ability to chart pitches.
Compensation and Duration:
This position is not compensated.
If interested, please email a resume and cover letter to the Blue Sox, and specify which job you’re applying for in the subject line.
Paul Swydan used to be the managing editor of The Hardball Times, a writer and editor for FanGraphs and a writer for Boston.com and The Boston Globe. Now, he owns The Silver Unicorn Bookstore, an independent bookstore in Acton, Mass. Follow him on Twitter @Swydan. Follow the store @SilUnicornActon.
“Job Posting”… “Job Responsibilities”…”specify which job you’re applying”… “This position is not compensated.”
It says there’s no work requirements and that rec’s get sent on merit. Sounds like one of those “you get out what you put in” jobs.
Sounds like one of those “internships” that clearly violates FLSA requirements.
My advice to job seekers: don’t do unpaid internships.
My advice to those offering these jobs: either offer a job or don’t offer a job. If you’re trying to help young people out, offer to let them shadow you at your job. If you’re going to have them work, then you can pay them.
I find it odd that they want qualified scouts and statisticians, but don’t want to pay them. As someone on the fringes of both of those arts, this seems like a good way to practice and get into it, but they don’t seem willing to deal with people who aren’t already professionals. This is weird.
Chris, please apply! We’re looking for people like you. My first swing at posting a job, so forgive the wording.
Advice for future attempts: Pay people.
We can’t, the MLB won’t let us. Every non-essential position, which doesn’t include myself, is a volunteer position in the ABL under the MLB’s non-profit designation. Hell, even if we could, we don’t have the money anyways.
Rather than have someone move to Australia for nothing, like I did, or move across the US for minimum wage or less, this gives people looking for their first shot in baseball a nice job with little to no change in their everyday life. If it’s not for you, then don’t apply, but we’re doing just fine with sourcing candidates.
Bah, typed that out wrong. I was trying to say that I don’t get paid either.
Pay your freaking interns! it’s the law
You mean I get to work for free. Sign me up.
What’s the email to apply?
Just hover over “the Blue Sox” in the article.
“Every non-essential position, which doesn’t include myself, is a volunteer position in the ABL under the MLB’s non-profit designation.”
That… can’t possibly be right. There is no rule that prevents non-profits from paying people, even if they aren’t deemed essential. See: every university in America.
It’s how the league operates. It has a history of financial problems in the past iteration of the league and, given that the MLB has a large ownership stake in the league, I’m sure they don’t want to have that happen again.
Go ahead and look on the MLB careers website. The rest of these types of positions are designated as volunteers who have to move to Australia and work full-time for free. It’s what I did. Only about 5 FO positions are paid.
Anyways, I’m trying to be as open as possible about this opportunity and the ABL. This is a fairly unconventional opportunity for most. I’m hoping that, at the very least, this combined with the EW podcast and any future press will give some awareness that there’s live baseball on YouTube in the winter.
Yeah…Because the mlb can’t afford extra expenses no matter how trivial. They are so impoverished that they need billions of dollars worth of stadium financing, tax subsidies and federal monopoly exemption. With such needs they obviously can’t be bothered with paying entry level employees for those working to expand the brand reach to new markets.
Fuck you, pay me.
A little late to the thread, but I only have about 3 months exposure to analytics, particularly the Sabermetrics 101 course. Would I be considered a candidate?
I started with a fairly limited technical background. Go ahead and apply. At the very least, we’ll have you on a technical track to contribute if you’re too far behind.