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- Help people improve their health or sporting ability
- You'll need the ability to analyse physical and sporting performance
- You could work with universities, schools and colleges & large sporting organisations
DAY-TO-DAY DUTIES
- Work with sports coaches and sports therapists to improve the performance of individuals and teams
- Work with doctors to help people improve their health through exercise
- Work with hospitals and other health organisations in areas such as cardiac rehabilitation
- Take part in research projects
- Offer advice on the design and manufacture of sports equipment
DAY-TO-DAY ENVIRONMENT
You may work weekends and evenings to cover appointments with clients and you may have to work extra hours to complete research. You could work in an NHS or private hospital, on a sports field, at a research facility, in an office, at a client's business or at a fitness centre. Your working environment may be outdoors some of the time.
You'll need
This role would be ideal for someone with the ability to analyse physical and sporting performance, and the ability to apply scientific ideas and principles.
You'll need a degree in sport science, or a degree in a related subject like physical education, physiology or psychology, followed by a postgraduate qualification in sport science.
It's becoming common for sports scientists to already have or be working towards postgraduate qualifications like MRes, MSc or PhD.
Experience as fitness instructor, lifeguard, coach or through volunteering, for example with a sports club, may improve your career prospects.
You could join the British Association of Sport and Exercise Sciences (BASES) and work towards accreditation. You could also apply for Chartered Scientist status.
CAREER PROSPECTS
You could find work with universities, schools and colleges, large sporting organisations, public and private enterprises and local authorities. It's also possible to become self-employed or to work as a consultant. You could also move into a related career area, like sports development or performance testing and research.