Head of Rehabilitation

WE’D LOVE FOR YOU TO JOIN US! San Diego Wave Fútbol Club is on a mission to build a world class home for players and fans. We are seeking a dynamic, forward-thinking individual to join our mission to share our story, win championships, increase, and delight our fans. We’re making memories and engaging our community through this beautiful game. Position Summary The Head of Rehabilitation is the senior rehabilitation leader responsible for the clinical management, rehabilitation, and return-to-performance pathway for all long-term and mid-term injuries. They will help lead the club's rehabilitation philosophy and day-to-day delivery of evidence-informed rehabilitation services, with the objective of maximizing player health, availability, performance, and long-term career durability while supporting the wider medical operations day to day. Working within an integrated Medical & Performance environment, the Head of Rehabilitation will oversee the assessment and rehabilitation of musculoskeletal injuries and conditions, develop individualized rehabilitation and return-to-play/return-to-performance plans, and coordinate the transition of injured players from medical care through performance pathways and ultimately back into full team training and competition. The position will work closely with the Director of Medical, Performance staff, Team Physician/Chief Medical Officer, Athletic Training staff, Nutrition, Mental Health, coaching staff, and external medical specialists. The successful candidate will combine exceptional clinical expertise with strong leadership, communication, organizational, and interdisciplinary collaboration skills. This person must be comfortable operating in a high-performance professional soccer environment where clinical decisions, player welfare, competitive demands, workload, and return-to-play considerations must be integrated thoughtfully and ethically. Responsibilities Lead the rehabilitation process for long-term, postoperative, and complex musculoskeletal injuries through comprehensive physical therapy evaluations and establishing individualized plans of careHelp establish and maintain the Club's rehabilitation philosophy, standards, clinical pathways, and evidence-informed protocols – including objective criteria and testing batteries to support clinical decision-making and progressionLead multidisciplinary meetings to update player status, review injury processes, evaluate impact and effectiveness of implemented programs, and roundtable player needs with core staff and determine next phases at regular and timely intervalsManage any offsite or specialist care included/required in the RTP ProcessProgress players through clearly defined stages of rehabilitation from acute injury through unrestricted training and competition, in alignment with the club’s RTP philosophyPerform evidence-based, objective testing using available technology and apply appropriate clinical interpretation of test dataFrequent and productive collaboration with the performance staff to optimize the rehabilitation process and coordinate transitions of rehabilitative careIdentify barriers to rehabilitation progress and proactively modify treatment plansCoordinate postoperative rehabilitation with surgeons and external medical providersLead sharing of quality and relevant soccer research to high performance staff at periodic intervals – (i.e. In-service)Assist with the delivery of activation, injury prevention, recovery and gym-based gym-based strength and conditioning sessions as requiredCreate holistic plans that include monitoring any changes in mental, psychological, nutrition status, and physical health of the Players during their rehabilitation and discuss with/refer to appropriate Team Staff as indicatedComply with OSHA standards regarding blood-borne pathogensProvide up-to-date physical therapy evaluation, plan of care, progress notes, and discharge notes maintained in the League’s EMR systemDemonstrate interpersonal skills required to work effectively with other High Performance Team members, Players, Coaches, other Team personnel and League staffMaintain professional liability insuranceComply with all League medical policies and protocolsAbide by all local, state, and federal laws and regulations specific to their profession, codes, and standards of their governing bodies, and all applicable League Rules and Team policies (e.g., informed consent, medication management, etc.)Attend all activities/meetings/programs as required by the LeaguePerform other duties as assigned or required by the Club or League Qualifications & Requirements Minimum four (4) year college/university bachelor’s degreeDoctor of Physical Therapy degree (DPT)Minimum five (5) years’ experience as a physical therapist since receiving licensureMinimum three (3) years’ experience in a similar role in a team sports environment leading RTP for elite-level athletes (i.e. Collegiate, Professional, Olympic)State license in California or ability to be licensed in a timely mannerIn good standing with California or current state licensure boardCPR + AED certification in Basic Life SupportResidency TrainedBoard-certified as a Sports Clinical Specialist (SCS) Strong understanding of the physical and medical demands of soccerAbility to work extended, non-traditional, and variable hours, including evenings, weekends, holidays, and travelAbility to maintain strict confidentiality regarding player medical informationPassion for the success of Women’s Professional Sports Preferred Additional recommended/preferred certifications: Orthopedic Clinical Specialist (OCS), BOC Certified Athletic Trainer (ATC), Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist (CSCS), Corrective Exercise Specialization (NASM-CES) and/or Performance Enhancement Specialization (NASM-PES)Experience working with professional or elite female athletesExperience with soccer-specific rehabilitation and return-to-performance programmingExperience working with VALD Performance technologyExperience collaborating within a multidisciplinary high-performance environmentBilingual communication skills – English, Spanish, PortugueseExperience working with international athletes and complex travel schedules If you meet the above qualifications and are ready to take on the challenge of leading our professional soccer club to success, we want to hear from you. Please submit your resume and cover letter detailing your relevant experience and why you are the ideal candidate for the position. APPLY TODAY Our people are our club. We believe different backgrounds and experiences bring new ideas and perspectives. We encourage talented candidates from underrepresented and underserved backgrounds to apply. We’re excited to welcome new members of our team who share our passion. 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.