Performance sports scientist

As a performance sports scientist, your duties will depend on the type of organisation you work for. You could:

• analyse training and competition data to identify areas for improvement
•  design development plans to improve individual and team performance
•  help people improve their health through exercise and fitness
•  investigate how health and fitness can be used to prevent or treat medical conditions like diabetes, heart disease or cancer
•  take part in research projects
•  advise on the design and manufacture of sports equipment

• knowledge of biology
• knowledge of psychology
• the ability to work well with others
• to be thorough and pay attention to detail
• maths skills
• excellent verbal communication skills
• excellent written communication skills
• the ability to think clearly using logic and reasoning
• to be able to use a computer and the main software packages confidently

You can get into this job through a university course.

You could work with universities, schools and colleges, large sporting organisations, local authorities and the NHS. It's also possible to become self-employed or work in a related career area, like sports development or performance testing and research.

You could also apply for accreditation through The British Association of Sport and Exercise Sciences in a number of areas, including:

• sports psychology
•  clinical physiology
•  exercise and rehabilitation
•  high performance sport

This offers professional recognition of your experience and expertise. A further option is to seek Chartered Scientist status.