Academy Medical & Performance Practitioner

Key Responsibilities

• Establish an effective medical program tailored to San Diego FC student-athletes
• Provide first aid, injury assessment, treatment, rehabilitation, and reconditioning for San Diego FC student athletes
• Liaise efficiently with all key stakeholders about each student athlete's physical status
• Design and implement rehabilitation programs
• Lead field-based and gym-based return-to-performance progressions
• Support strength and conditioning, speed development and injury prevention initiatives
• Utilize objective testing to inform return-to-play decisions
• Maintain a line of communication with team physicians regarding athlete health care and recommended treatment/rehabilitation for all injuries
• Assist coaching staff in evaluating and implementing sport-specific conditioning programs and methods to enhance player performance and prevent injuries
• Communicate with student athletes and stakeholders about the care and treatment of injuries, providing guidance and support
• File all necessary reports associated with athletic injuries and/or incidents, maintaining accurate and up-to-date records
• Maintain a daily treatment log to track the progress of rehabilitative treatments and monitor student athlete health
• Create a safe playing environment by monitoring and controlling environmental risks, such as field conditions and weather-related concerns
• Ensure sufficient medical stock is up to date to ensure that each team is equipped with appropriate medical equipment and supplies for both training and competition
• Support the residential program in line with that of the wider Academy Footballing Department
• Collaborate with the Head of Nutrition and Head of Mental Performance to ensure holistic care and development of student athletes
• Support research and innovation initiatives

Qualifications

• Minimum four (4) year bachelor’s degree
• Preferred Master’s degree in a health-related field
• Board-certified (BOC) athletic trainer with state licensure
• Certification by the National Athletic Trainers Association OR Doctor of Physical Therapy (DPT)
• CPR certification. HIPAA compliant Course and Health Information
• Experience 3+ years’ experience in elite soccer, relevant sport environment and with youth athletes
• Experience supporting growth, maturation and long-term athlete development
• Experience in soccer player rehabilitation and manual treatment
• Experience with different travel schedules (time zones) and climate conditions (heat, cold, altitude)
• Strong understanding of sports medicine, rehabilitation and athletic development
• Excellent communication and relationship-building ability with athletes, families, and multidisciplinary staff
• Understanding of long-term athlete development principles
• Knowledge and experience utilizing and integrating medical technologies
• Experience of medical data management systems to ensure the secure and efficient collection, storage and front-end utilization
• Strong medical knowledge and its application to soccer
• Strong organizational and time management skills
• Bi-lingual (Spanish/English) or multi-lingual skills is a plus