What are the responsibilities and job description for the Team Operations - Performance Scientist position at Nashville Soccer Club?
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Position Title: Performance Scientist
Department: Team Operations- High Performance
Reports to: Director of High Performance
POSITION OVERVIEW
The Performance Scientist supports player availability and performance by leading sport science data operations, monitoring, reporting, and applied insights that inform training, recovery, and return-to-performance decisions. This role reports directly to the Director of High Performance and works in close collaboration to define the path forward for key initiatives. The Performance Scientist will be provided autonomy to determine the best execution plan, while ensuring alignment with coaching, performance, and medical priorities.
RESPONSIBILITIES
- Own end-to-end sports science data operations (collection, QA/QC, documentation, and governance) across performance data streams.
- Lead training and match monitoring systems (e.g., STS) and related technologies (GPS, heart rate, VALD, 1080 and others), ensuring reliable workflows and clean outputs.
- Build and maintain dashboards, models, metrics, and reports that track workload, readiness, and physical performance across the season.
- Deliver clear, actionable insights to coaches, performance/medical staff, and players (including real-time training feedback when needed).
- Plan and execute performance testing and assessment protocols (field and gym-based); maintain benchmarks and individualized targets.
- Collaborate with Athletic Development and Medical on activation, strength/regeneration, and end-stage return-to-performance support as needed.
- Partner with analytics and scouting on performance questions tied to player evaluation, transactions, and projections.
- Lead integration of second team and academy performance data into centralized systems, standards, and reporting.
- Ensure compliance with all MLS medical manual requirements and club policies and procedures.
KEY DELIVERABLES
- Readiness/availability updates aligned with training plans and performance/medical direction.
- Stakeholder dashboards and reports with clear KPI definitions and refresh cadence.
- Testing battery execution and reporting with benchmarks, targets, and action steps.
- Multi-squad integration outputs (first team/second team/academy) using shared standards and longitudinal tracking.
MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS
- Master’s degree in Exercise Science or related field.
- Certified Performance and Sport Scientist (CPSS).
- Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist (CSCS).
- Minimum 2 years experience in an elite sport environment.
- Demonstrated proficiency with GPS systems, heart rate, force plates, and current performance technologies.
- Experience in a coach-facing role explaining monitoring outputs and real-time GPS results.
- Proficiency in R, Python, and Power BI for data analysis and reporting.
- Current CPR/AED certification (or ability to obtain promptly).
PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS
- Experience querying cloud databases and supporting automated/real-time reporting (e.g., SQL, ETL, APIs).
- Comfortable conversing in Spanish.
- Experience scaling sport science systems across multiple squads (first team second team academy).
- Strong data QA habits and reproducible workflows (e.g., documentation, version control).
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.