Role Overview
Lead daily sports science operations for Atlanta United FC's First Team and oversee sports science operations for MLS Next Pro and Academy teams while integrating performance data analytics with practical application to optimize player performance, injury risk reduction, and long-term athlete development. This role will be responsible for managing the sports science and performance analytics data structure associated with all of Atlanta United’s teams.
Required Skills and Experiences
- Bachelor’s degree in Exercise Science/Sports Science field required; Master’s or Ph.D. degree in Sports Science preferred
- Minimum of 3 years of professional or college experience, preferably with experience in MLS or other elite-level soccer organizations
- Certified Performance & Sports Scientist (CPSS) from the National Strength & Conditioning Association (NSCA) required
- Experience in utilizing sports science technologies such as GPS or player tracking devices, heart rate monitoring, force plate technology, and sprint profiling tools
- Demonstrated ability to communicate effectively using a variety of media with diverse audiences
- Proficiency in Microsoft applications and data visualization platforms required; familiarity with R, Python, or Tableau preferred
- English and/or Spanish language proficiency is essential, and Spanish/English bilingual skills are a plus. Additional languages – even better
Primary Responsibilities
- Manage daily GPS and heart rate monitoring systems for first team training
- Create standardized sports science testing protocols and reports for performance testing throughout teams at the club
- Create and distribute daily and weekly performance reports
- Collaborate with the analytics department on integrating performance data into club-wide data infrastructure
- Support return-to-play processes through objective data analysis and reporting
- Liaise with the High-Performance Director on technology vendor evaluation and implementation
- Liaise with the Head of Developmental Performance to collaborate in the build-out of the academy and MLS Next Pro data structure
- Bridge communication between Analytics and High-Performance departments
- Query data from existing Microsoft Azure SQL database for purposes of analysis and report generation
