What Are the Different Types of Sports Scientist Jobs?

Jobs as a sports scientist are not limited to a specific set of careers or a single degree or field of study. The majority of these positions are held by people who have focused their disciplines — such as nutrition, statistics, or psychology — on sports. Athletic training and kinesiology are the most common undergraduate degrees and fields of study for sports scientist jobs in the United States. In the United Kingdom, there is a growing number of undergraduate multidisciplinary programs known as “exercise science.” Ph.D.s in exercise physiology and doctors who have completed sports medicine residencies are among those with graduate degrees in sports science.

Sports scientist jobs can be divided into five different subgroups based on their focus. Although any sports-related position requires a multidisciplinary and holistic approach, these usually focus on one area, such as instructive, treatment, research-oriented, dietary, and descriptive job types. A bachelor’s degree is frequently assumed to be the minimum educational preparation required to qualify as a “scientist.”

Exercise kinesiologists, fitness instructors, and personal trainers are examples of instructive sports scientists who have received adequate training in a sports-related field. These people work with athletes to create exercise programs that are appropriate for their sports and fitness levels. This is a position that is sometimes held at the team level, especially in professional sports.

Due to both game-related and overuse injuries, treatment-oriented sports scientist jobs are the most plentiful in the field. These positions range from athletic trainers who provide treatment immediately after an injury to physical therapists who work with an athlete weeks later to rehabilitate the injured area and return the athlete to pre-injury performance levels. In the interim, a sports medicine physician may assess and prescribe treatment. Sports psychologists are available to work with athletes if they need help with performance anxiety or other issues.

Exercise physiologists studying the effects of various factors on performance to research physicians investigating strength rehabilitation on a cellular level are all examples of research-related sports scientist jobs. An athlete’s diet may or may not be included in research. Dieticians and nutritional physiology specialists are examples of nutritional sports scientists. These experts create meals, recipes, and allowable supplements to help athletes perform at their best. Whether through statistics or kinesiology specializing in biomechanical aspects of motion, descriptive sports scientist jobs provide a subject-specific picture of an athlete’s performance.