Performance Readiness Specialist

CB Champions Blue, LLC; United States; On-site; USD 82,000 - 139,000; Full time

Job summary

Champions Blue LLC is seeking a Performance Readiness Specialist to oversee safe, efficient transition of injured football student-athletes from rehab to full participation. The role bridges Sports Medicine, S&C, Sports Science, and coaching to ensure athletes are prepared for football demands.

The position reports to the Director of Football Sports Performance and requires licensure/certification in physical therapy or athletic training, plus extensive experience in high-performance athletics

Qualifications

• Doctor of Physical Therapy (CAPTE-accredited) or athletic trainer with relevant credentials.
• 7+ years experience in collegiate athletics, professional sports, healthcare, or related environment.
• Experience leading performance coordinating services for highly competitive athletic programs preferred.
• Familiarity with sports science technology.
• Knowledge of 3D biomechanics as it applies to injury risk and return to play.
• Understanding of objective strength testing, incl. handheld and isokinetic dynamometry.

Responsibilities

• Lead football return-to-play coordination with ATs, physicians, S&C, sports science, and coaches.
• Design and progress individualized readiness plans based on injury type and performance data.
• Transition rehabilitation to progressive strength, power, and football-specific activities.
• Collaborate with Sports Medicine and Football S&C to align rehab, workload, and return-to-practice.
• Document plans, testing results, and communications per policy.

Skills

Clinical expertise

Interdisciplinary collaboration

Performance readiness

Education

Doctor of Physical Therapy

Bachelor's in athletic training

Job description

Champions Blue Job Posting Title: Performance Readiness Specialist
Requisition Number: R-000005960
Department Name: Room
Work Location: Joe Craft Center
Grade Level: 50
Salary Range: $81,640.00 - $138,798.00
Type of Position: Regular Position
Time Status: Full time
Equivalency Link https://hr.uky.edu/employment/working-uk/equivalencies
Shift: Flex (United States of America)

Job Summary

The Performance Readiness Specialist is a dual-credentialed professional (Doctor of Physical Therapy or Certified Athletic Trainer and Strength & Conditioning Coach) responsible for overseeing the safe, efficient, and performance-driven transition of injured football student-athletes from the athletic training room, through the weight room, and back to full football participation. This position serves as the primary bridge between Sports Medicine, Strength & Conditioning, Sports Science, and the Football Coaching Staff, ensuring each athlete is physically prepared to meet the demands of football prior to return to practice and competition. The Performance Readiness Specialist will report directly to the Director of Football Sports Performance while working in close collaboration with the Sports Medicine Staff, Sports Science Department, and Football Coaching Staff to support student-athlete health, safety, and performance while ensuring compliance with University, SEC, NCAA, and professional practice standards.

Essential Functions

Serve as the lead performance coordinator for football return-to-play cases, in collaboration with certified athletic trainers, team physicians, strength and conditioning personnel, sports science staff, and football coaches. Design, implement, and progress individualized performance readiness plans based on injury type, healing status, medical restrictions, training history, football position demands, and objective performance data. Transition student-athletes from rehabilitation-focused exercise to progressive strength, power, speed, agility, conditioning, contact preparation, and football-specific performance activities. Collaborate daily with Sports Medicine and Football Strength and Conditioning staff to align rehabilitation, workload, training, recovery, and return-to-practice activities. Establish, document, and monitor objective readiness benchmarks, including strength, power, range of motion, movement quality, asymmetry, workload tolerance, conditioning, and position-specific task performance. Use sports science technology and performance data to evaluate progress, identify residual deficits, inform training modifications, and support interdisciplinary return-to-play recommendations. Plan and supervise modified practice, controlled exposure, and graduated return-to-practice progressions consistent with medical guidance and coaching objectives. Communicate student-athlete status, restrictions, completed benchmarks, workload tolerance, and next-step recommendations clearly and promptly to authorized members of the interdisciplinary team. Coordinate position-specific testing and field progressions that reflect the physical and technical demands of football, including acceleration, deceleration, change of direction, repeated-effort capacity, and contact readiness when appropriate. Identify and address residual strength, mobility, conditioning, movement, or confidence-related limitations within the scope of the position to reduce re-injury risk and improve long-term durability. Maintain complete, timely, and confidential documentation of plans, testing results, progressions, communications, and participation status in accordance with departmental and institutional requirements. Participate in interdisciplinary case reviews, performance meetings, staff development, emergency planning, and other football sports performance activities as assigned. Perform other duties as assigned.

Education Requirement

Doctor of Physical Therapy degree from a CAPTE-accredited program and; OR a bachelor's degree in athletic training or a related field from an accredited institution. Experience Requirement 7+ years experience in collegiate athletics, professional sports, healthcare, or related environment. Experience providing lead performance coordinating services for highly competitive athletic programs is preferred. Functional progression programming experience in a high-level sport environment - Familiarity with sports science technology Knowledge of 3D biomechanics as it applies to injury risk and return to play Thorough understanding of objective strength testing including handheld and isokinetic dynamometry An equivalent combination of education and experience may be considered. All experience must be paid and in the same related field. Part-time and PRN experience will be prorated based on hours worked per week. Volunteer work and internships for academic credit are not counted.

Certifications & Licensures

Current physical therapist licensure, or eligibility for licensure, through the Kentucky Board of Physical Therapy, current BOC certification as an Athletic Trainer with licensure, or eligibility for licensure, through the Kentucky Board of Medical Licensure. BLS/AED certification required. Must maintain all required certifications and licensure throughout employment.

Working Conditions

• A. Lifting, pushing, and/or pulling objects up to 50lbs: 3. Intermittent (10% - 50% of the time)
• B. Lifting, pushing, and/or pulling objects over 50lbs: 2. Occasional (<10% of the time)
• C. Standing or walking with objects up to 10lbs: 4. Regular (>50% of the time)
• D. Standing or walking with objects up to 25lbs: 3. Intermittent (10% - 50% of the time)
• E. Sitting at computer workstation for extended periods: 2. Occasional (<10% of the time)
• F. Risk of back injury from moving, lifting or positioning patients, equipment, or materials: 3. Intermittent (10% - 50% of the time)
• G. Repetitive motion: 3. Intermittent (10% - 50% of the time)
• H. Working at heights above 4 feet: 1. Never
• I. Working in confined spaces: 1. Never
• J. Risk of injuries from use of equipment on the job: 3. Intermittent (10% - 50% of the time)
• K. Job-related travel: 3. Intermittent (10% - 50% of the time)
• L. Loud noises: 2. Occasional (<10% of the time)
• M. Temperature extremes: 3. Intermittent (10% - 50% of the time)
• N. Hazardous chemicals and fumes including waste: 2. Occasional (<10% of the time)
• O. Radiation: 1. Never
• P. Burns: 1. Never
• Q. Cuts/Punctures: 2. Occasional (<10% of the time)
• R. Bloodborne/airborne pathogens: 3. Intermittent (10% - 50% of the time)
• S. Recombinant DNA or viral vectors: 1. Never
• T. Combative/violent people: 1. Never
• U. Animal handling (including carcasses): 1. Never
• V. Please specify other(s) and amount of exposure (i.e. Occasional, Intermittent or Regular): Athletic competitions, practices, travel, outdoor sporting events, and emergency response situations; Regular (>50% of the time).

Physical Demands

This position requires regular standing and walking throughout athletic training facilities, practice venues, competition sites, and travel locations; intermittent lifting, carrying, pushing, and/or pulling of equipment and supplies; repetitive motion associated with treatment, rehabilitation, documentation, and clinical activities; and intermittent exposure to injury response situations and medical emergencies. Responsibilities include providing direct patient care, supporting athletic participation and recovery, supervising staff activities, and accompanying teams during travel, practices, competitions, and related athletic events.

Our University Community

We value the well-being of each of our employees and are dedicated to creating a healthy place for everyone to work, learn and live. In the interest of maintaining a safe and healthy environment for our students, employees, patients and visitors, the University of Kentucky is a Tobacco & Drug Free campus. The University follows both the federal and state Constitutions as well as all applicable federal and state laws on nondiscrimination. The University provides equal opportunities for qualified persons in all aspects of institutional operations and does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, ethnic origin, religion, creed, age, physical or mental disability, veteran status, uniformed service, political belief, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, pregnancy, marital status, genetic information or social or economic status. Any candidate offered a position may be required to pass pre-employment screenings as mandated by University of Kentucky Human Resources. These screenings may include a national background check and/or drug screen. At the University of Kentucky, excellence isn't just something we pursue on game day. It's something we work toward every day in our work, culture and commitment to our student-athletes. Whether you're supporting operations behind the scenes, elevating our fan experience, guiding student-athlete development or driving innovation across our programs, we want to hear from you. We can't wait to see the impact we'll make together. Champions Blue LLC is a nonprofit public entity that serves as the holding company for UK Athletics. Champions Blue is designed to increase flexibility and enable UK Athletics to continue as one of the best in the country by finding new opportunities to generate additional revenue and more efficiently manage expenses. It is led by a Board of Governors and reports to the University of Kentucky Board of Trustees.