US Ski Team Seeks World Cup Wax/Ski Technician

Fasterskier; United States; Remote; USD 50,000 - 80,000; Part time

Job summary

The XC World Cup Wax/Ski Technician is a travel-intensive role supporting athletes on the World Cup circuit and major championships, integrating with the USA XC service team to deliver world-class wax and ski service.

The position requires love of XC skiing, strong communication, industriousness, and teamwork to push hard for the best skis for every athlete, including potential pre-season camp work and seasonal travel.

Qualifications

• Must be an expert level XC skier.
• 4-6 years of professional coaching and/or waxing preferred.
• Extensive travel is required for this role.
• Strong driving skills and ability to operate manual transmission.

Responsibilities

• Engage in supportive, empathetic, and frequent communication with athletes, coaches, service team members, and other USA staff.
• Work closely with athletes to select, manage, test, prepare, and maintain the ski fleets of assigned athletes as well as the team in general.
• Plan for the selection of skis for each assigned athlete, often outside of the period of employment.
• Stay current on SafeSport training.
• Learn the daily testing and working protocols of the USA Service team.
• Develop a personal travel schedule for the race season to support the team.
• Engage in long-term and short-term planning with the rest of the service team.
• Engage in the procurement of equipment and materials as directed by the Head of Service.
• Familiarize oneself with new technologies and developments in ski sport.
• Learn the complete operations of the wax truck and potentially obtain a commercial driver’s license.
• Engage in learning and operation of grinding system and related projects.
• Occasional support of camps and testing projects outside competition season.
• Frequent expense reporting under the guidance of the XC Program Director.
• Paying wax companies to avoid late invoices.

Skills

Waxing expertise

Travel planning

Athlete communication

Ski testing

Team collaboration

Tools

Excel

Job description

CLASSIFICATION

Seasonal, Part-time, Exempt

REPORTS TO

Cross Country Program Director and XC Head of Service

LOCATION

Remote

TRAVEL

Approximately 3-4/months a year (November - March)

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SUMMARY / OBJECTIVE

The XC World Cup Wax/Ski Technician is a travel-intensive position supporting athletes competing on the World Cup and at the Winter Olympics and Nordic World Championships.

The XC World Cup Wax/Ski Technician is responsible for providing world-class wax and ski service to the World Cup team by fully integrating with the USA XC service team. The XC World Cup Wax/Ski Technician must have a love of XC skiing and ski racing, be naturally curious, industrious, be a team player with good communication skills, and be willing to push hard to make the best skis possible for each athlete.

SUMMARY / OBJECTIVE

The XC World Cup Wax/Ski Technician is a travel-intensive position supporting athletes competing on the World Cup and at the Winter Olympics and Nordic World Championships.

The XC World Cup Wax/Ski Technician is responsible for providing world-class wax and ski service to the World Cup team by fully integrating with the USA XC service team. The XC World Cup Wax/Ski Technician must have a love of XC skiing and ski racing, be naturally curious, industrious, be a team player with good communication skills, and be willing to push hard to make the best skis possible for each athlete.

U.S. Ski Team wax truck during pre-season camp in Rovaniemi, Finland. (Matt Whitcomb)

ROLES & RESPONSIBILITIES

Athlete Experience

• Engage in supportive, empathetic, and frequent communication with athletes, coaches, service team members, and other USA staff.
• Work closely with athletes to select, manage, test, prepare, and maintain the ski fleets of assigned athletes as well as the team in general. Be available to help additional athletes needing support, as directed by the XC Program Director, XC Head Coach, or XC Head of Service.
• Plan for the selection of skis for each assigned athlete, often outside of the period of employment.
• Stay current on SafeSport training.

Operational Excellence

• Work with the USA XC Head of Service to learn the daily testing and working protocols of the USA Service team.
• Work with the XC Program Director and XC Head of Service to develop a personal travel schedule for the race season to support the team.
• Engage in long-term and short-term planning with the rest of the service team.
• Engage in the procurement of equipment and materials as directed by the Head of Service, occasionally outside of the period of employment.
• Familiarize oneself with new technologies and developments in ski sport.
• Learn the complete operations of the U.S. Ski & Snowboard wax truck, including the full set-up and take-down of the truck. Attainment of a commercial driver's license (class whatever it is) may be required.
• Engage in the learning and operation of our grinding system and associated projects.
• Occasional support of camps and testing projects outside of the competition season.

Financial Performance

• Frequent expense reporting under the guidance of the XC Program Director.
• Paying wax companies frequently to avoid invoices arriving after the season, as directed by the Head of Service.

USST athletes and coaches in the Torsby Ski Tunnel, August 2022. Back row, from left: Johnny Hagenbuch, Kevin Bolger, Finn O'Connell, JC Schoonmaker, Ben Ogden, and Walker Hall. Kneeling, from left: coaches Greta Anderson, Kristen Bourne, and Matt Whitcomb. (photo: François Faivre)

OTHER DUTIES

Please note this job description is not designed to cover or contain a comprehensive listing of activities, duties or responsibilities that are required of the employee for this job. Duties, responsibilities, and activities may change at any time with or without notice.

ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS

Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

• The ability to visually assess a testing or training venue to ensure athlete and staff safety.
• The ability to manage and use foresight when planning travel logistics and be willing and able to tackle travel challenges.
• Considerable lifting of heavy gear and baggage.
• Must be an expert level XC skier

COMPETENCIES & EXPERIENCE

• This position requires extensive travel.
• Must be detail and task oriented, goal driven, a strategic and tactical thinker and planner, and always positive and professional.
• Excellent communication skills. Written and verbal. Individually and in groups. Adults and under-18.
• Strong database skills (Excel/Sheets).
• Strong winter driving skills, and ability to operate manual transmission is imperative. If necessary, additional driving education may be required if requisite level is not met.
• Must be physically fit and capable of testing skis for a long period of time, and training with the athletes on some of their easy sessions as a method of communication and of testing observation.
• 4-6 years of professional coaching and/or waxing preferred.
• Foreign language skills are a plus.

U.S. Ski Team head coach Matt Whitcomb (right) and Julia Kern course-side during the 4 x 5 k mixed relay amidst the 2021-2022 World Cup Finals in Falun, SWE. (Photo: NordicFocus)