At Angel City, we are building a world-class organization that uses sport to drive to equity. Our vision is to create engaging and unique experiences that bring the purpose-driven mission of this Club to the world.
We are stronger together, have more impact together, and have more fun together!
Role Overview
The Sports Scientist will support the Director of Performance in the creation of a high-performance culture driven by an individualized player-centric approach and a focus on individual and team development through data governance and insight. This role is responsible for implementing and delivering best-practice data collection, performance testing, and analytical insight that enhances the performance environment for ACFC’s players and staff. This individual will deliver and enhance the club's performance data strategy to minimize the risk of injury and enhance individual and collective performance
Serving within a multi-disciplinary performance and medical team, the successful individual will be expected to effectively communicate daily with the high-performance staff regarding athlete testing, training and monitoring data. Furthermore, providing insight into the physical programming and target performance goals required to improve the profile, reduce the risk of injury occurrence, and enhance on-field performance and lead long-term athletic development pathway of Angel City players. All of the above should be guided by the objective use of data, research, and the use of various technologies to monitor progress & performance.
Responsibilities:
- Support the Director of Performance and the High Performance team in the design and delivery of a clear, transparent, and collaborative culture and soccer operations model.
- Work in close collaboration with the Performance Director to inform and support the delivery of the on-field periodisation plan, using performance and training load data to guide session demands, monitor alignment with the weekly structure, and adapt training in response to athlete readiness and competition schedules.
- Develop and oversee the delivery of athlete monitoring, performance profiling, training, and evaluation of all first-team players to ensure a clear, data-driven strategy is in place for all and that each player’s physical development requirements are tailored to their specific needs and priorities.
- Lead and oversee structured data collection processes, including athlete testing, GPS, wellness monitoring, and training load tracking, implementing rigorous quality control processes to ensure data validity, reliability, and integrity, enabling confident, evidence-based decision-making across the performance team.
- Integrate, analyze, and interpret performance data across health, wellness, training, and match contexts. In collaboration with the Director of Performance, lead the design and development of integrated reporting frameworks that combine these data sources, creating clear visualizations and alert systems to identify meaningful changes in player status and communicate actionable insights to inform training, performance, and return-to-play decisions.
- Collaborate with the Director of Performance and the High Performance team to support the design, delivery, and monitoring of individual physical programs (including off-season), ensuring alignment with performance objectives and long-term athlete development.
- Support the High Performance team in the planning and delivery of return-to-play (RTP) processes by providing data-driven insights from training load, monitoring, and testing data to guide athlete progression. Contribute to the design, implementation, and ongoing monitoring of RTP programs to ensure safe, effective, and performance-aligned reintegration into full training and competition
- Develop and deliver player-centric education and reporting, using clear visualisations to communicate performance, recovery, and physical development insights, enabling athletes to understand their progress and engage in informed decision-making around their training and health.
- Build and maintain effective working relationships across the High Performance, technical and operations staff, ensuring clear and consistent communication to support integrated decision-making. Work collaboratively with the multidisciplinary team to deliver excellent outcomes in an elite performance environment.
- Actively support, where possible, the wider community, commercial, and revenue-generating projects undertaken by the organization.
- Brings a team-first mindset, positively influencing the environment and contributing to a culture of trust, collaboration, and high performance.
- Enforce team rules and league rules applicable to players and coaching staff.
Requirements:
Essential
- Proven experience working in an elite or high-performance sport environment, ideally within professional female football or comparable team sports, for more than 3 years.
- Strong experience working with performance data systems, including GPS (e.g., Catapult), athlete management systems, and force/strength diagnostics (e.g., VALD), with the ability to ensure data governance, quality, validity, and reliability.
- Experience designing and developing reporting systems and visualisations (e.g., Power BI or equivalent), with the ability to communicate data effectively to a range of stakeholders.
- Detailed understanding of training load management and periodisation principles, with the ability to apply data insights to inform training design and decision-making.
- Proven experience in reviewing, implementing, and interpreting scientifically underpinned performance and monitoring assessments, with the ability to communicate insights effectively to inform decision-making across the performance team.
- Proficiency in data analysis and visualization tools (e.g., Excel, Power BI, or equivalent) with the ability to manage large data sets within data governance and data protection regulations.
- Strong understanding of soccer game models, sports science, and related disciplines, including their impact on athletic performance
- High level of organization and attention to detail, with the proven ability to operate effectively in a fast-paced, high-performance team environment.
- Excellent communication skills, with the ability to translate complex data insights into clear, actionable information for coaches, High Performance staff, and athletes.
- Demonstrated ability to build trust and influence within a multidisciplinary high-performance team, while taking ownership of key areas of responsibility. With a clear commitment to diversity and inclusion
Desirable
- Experience of working within the NWSL
- Certified Performance and Sport Scientist (CPSS) and the Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist (CSCS) qualification
- Experience as a Strength and Conditioning Coach or applied practitioner in an elite setting, with the ability to deliver on and off the field when required.
- Demonstrated commitment to continuous professional development and innovation.
- Experience of working with AMS (e.g., Kitman, etc.).
- Strong interpersonal skills, including empathy and the ability to build positive relationships with athletes.
- Strong commitment to personal development and training
Qualifications
- BSc/BA in Exercise/Sports Science (or a related discipline)
- MSc in Strength & Conditioning, Sports Science, Data Science, or a related discipline (strongly desired)
- CPSS and/or CSCS or UKSCA or equivalent
- Applied elite soccer experience, work within the elite female soccer space preferred
ACFC Perks & Benefits
- Fully funded comprehensive medical, dental, and vision coverage
- 401K plan
- Flexible PTO policy
- Paid Parental Leave
- Catered breakfast, lunch, snacks, and beverages
- Complimentary tickets to home games
Compensation
In addition to the benefits above, this role has a pay range between $100,000 to $110,000 annually.
Angel City believes in building a safe place for creative expression and celebrating that which makes us who we are; welcoming unique and personal backgrounds and experiences. We’re proudly building an inclusive Angel City team.
