Major League Lead Strength & Conditioning Coach

Washington Nationals; Washington (District of Columbia); On-site; USD 135,000 - 175,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Medical, dental, vision, life and AD&D

Short- and long-term disability

Flexible spending accounts

401(k) and pension plan

Complimentary Nationals tickets

Employee discounts

Free onsite fitness center

Job summary

Washington Nationals are seeking a Major League Lead Strength & Conditioning Coach to design, execute, and progress individualized development programs for Major League players.

You will work with Physical Development leadership, Major League coaches, Medical, Nutrition, and Sports Science to connect each player's development to on-field goals. The Head Coach translates assessments into actionable programming and oversees the S&C staff throughout the season.

Qualifications

• Proven track record in leadership roles within baseball or a high-performance environment.

Responsibilities

• Lead individualized strength, power, movement, speed, and conditioning programming across the offseason, Spring Training, and regular season.
• Use player assessments and performance information to guide programming progressions and regressions.
• Partner with Major League skill coaches to align physical development with performance goals.
• Lead daily physical preparation and training while adjusting to schedules, travel, and recovery.
• Coordinate offseason plans and communication with players and outside providers to maintain development continuity.

Skills

Leadership

Coaching

Communication

Strategic thinking

Interpersonal skills

Bilingual Spanish

Education

Bachelor's Degree in Exercise Science / Kinesiology

Master’s Degree preferred

CSCS certification

Tools

1080 Motion Devices

VALD Ecosystem

GymAware

Job description

Our Vision

To become baseball’s highest performing organization — defined by our relentless pursuit of excellence, strengthened by our connection, and fueled by our positive energy.

• Joy. We want to be around people that like to have fun. We remain optimistic through the ups and downs, we enjoy the process, and we share in something bigger than ourselves.
• Humility. We don’t have all the answers. We lead with curiosity, listen generously, and seek growth from every experience — especially the tough ones. We have gotten over ourselves.
• Integrity. We do the right thing, even when it’s hard. We act with honesty, accountability, and respect for our teammates and ourselves. We treat the custodian like the king.
• Competitiveness. We embrace challenges and thrive in high-stakes environments. We prepare relentlessly. We are energized by the idea of keeping score.

Our Core Values

• Joy. We want to be around people that like to have fun. We remain optimistic through the ups and downs, we enjoy the process, and we share in something bigger than ourselves.
• Humility. We don’t have all the answers. We lead with curiosity, listen generously, and seek growth from every experience — especially the tough ones. We have gotten over ourselves.
• Integrity. We do the right thing, even when it’s hard. We act with honesty, accountability, and respect for our teammates and ourselves. We treat the custodian like the king.
• Competitiveness. We embrace challenges and thrive in high-stakes environments. We prepare relentlessly. We are energized by the idea of keeping score.

Position Summary

The Washington Nationals are seeking a Major League Lead Strength & Conditioning Coach to lead the design, execution, and progression of individualized physical development programs for Major League players.

This role will work closely with Physical Development leadership, Major League coaches, Medical, Nutrition, and Sports Science to connect each player’s physical development to their highest leverage on-field goals. The Head Coach will translate assessments and performance information into actionable programming, oversee the Major League S&C staff, and establish a training environment where players believe physical development drives performance.

This position requires strong coaching and leadership skills, clear communication, and the ability to help players build physical capacity, improve performance, and sustain availability throughout the season.

Primary Responsibilities

Programming & Player Development

• Lead individualized strength, power, movement, speed, and conditioning programming across the offseason, Spring Training, and regular season.
• Use player assessments, training responses, and performance information to guide programming, progressions, and regressions.
• Partner with Major League skill coaches to align physical development with each player’s performance goals and integrate lifting, conditioning, and on-field workloads.
• Lead daily physical preparation and training while adjusting to player needs, competition schedules, travel, and recovery.
• Coordinate offseason plans and communication with players and outside providers to maintain continuity of development.

Assessment & Collaboration

• Implement organizational testing standards and use objective information to identify physical needs, monitor adaptations, and evaluate whether programming is producing the intended results.
• Collaborate with Sports Science and R&D to turn workload and performance data into practical training decisions.
• Partner with Medical and Rehab S&C to integrate physical development into rehabilitation and ensure clear transitions back to the Major League training environment.
• Work with Nutrition to align fueling, body composition, and recovery strategies with physical development goals.
• Document and communicate player priorities, progress, programming adjustments, and barriers in a timely, actionable manner.

Leadership & Training Culture

• Lead, develop, and provide regular feedback to the Major League S&C staff.
• Build a demanding, positive training environment with consistent standards for preparation, effort, and execution.
• Build player trust and ownership by clearly connecting training to individual goals and on-field performance.
• Partner with Physical Development leadership to improve organizational programming, assessment, and coaching practices.

Qualifications

• Proven track record in leadership roles within baseball or adjacent high-performance Able to foster a high challenge / high support environment, where teammates are challenged, yet energized and empowered to work alongside them.
• Experience designing and coaching individualized physical development programs in professional baseball or a comparable high-performance environment.
• Demonstrated ability to build teams, lead through ambiguity, and operate with both humility and conviction.
• Strategic thinker with strong communication, interpersonal, and decision-making skills.
• Deep alignment with and promotion of the organization’s values and vision.
• Bachelor's Degree in Exercise Science, Kinesiology, or Related Field is required (Master’s Preferred)
• CSCS certified with the ability to become RSCC certified through NSCA
• CPR/AED/First Aid
• Experience using a variety of sport science devices such as 1080 Motion Devices, VALD Ecosystem, GymAware, etc
• Bilingual (Spanish) is preferred.

Compensation

The projected annual salary for this position is $135,000-$175,000. Actual pay is based on several factors, including but not limited to the applicant’s: qualifications, skills, expertise, education/training, certifications, and other organization requirements. Starting salaries for new employees are frequently not at the top of the applicable salary range.

Benefits

• Medical, dental, vision, life and AD&D insurance
• Short- and long-term disability insurance
• Flexible spending accounts
• 401(k) and pension plan
• Access to complimentary tickets to Nationals home games
• Employee discounts
• Free onsite fitness center

Equal Opportunity Employer

The Nationals are dedicated to offering equal employment and advancement opportunities to all individuals regardless of their race, color, religion, national origin, sex, age, marital status, personal appearance, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, family responsibilities, matriculation, political affiliation, genetic information, disability, or any other protected characteristic under applicable law.