Nike Innovation Lead

Performance Innovation Lab Sport Scientist

U.S. Soccer is establishing a Performance Innovation Lab at its new National Training Center in Fayetteville, Georgia. Funded in partnership with Nike, Inc., this initiative is designed to advance the science and practice of elite soccer performance across all 27 U.S. Soccer National Teams—from youth development through senior international competition. Nike is seeking an applied research and innovation specialist with a strong foundation in sport science and experience working in elite high-performance environments.

The ideal candidate will combine scientific thinking with practical delivery, contributing to applied research initiatives while supporting the development and operation of the Performance Innovation Lab at US Soccer's Arthur M. Blank National Training Center, as well as other Nike initiatives and sponsored athletes.

This role sits at the intersection of elite applied sport science and rigorous research, and given its location, will be embedded within U.S. Soccer's daily operations while maintaining a strategic research agenda that generates new knowledge for the federation, its athletes, and the broader U.S. soccer ecosystem. As a Nike position, the role will also support select non-soccer Nike initiatives and athletes who access the facility and Performance Innovation Lab, creating cross-sport research opportunities.

Primary Responsibilities:

The Sport Scientist—Researcher-Practitioner will operate across two interconnected domains:

Applied Research (approximately 50–60% of time)

• Support the design and execution of applied research projects aligned with performance priorities, including data collection, analysis, and interpretation
• Develop and maintain a multi-year research agenda aligned with federation performance priorities and Nike's innovation interests
• Build longitudinal datasets—including biomechanical profiles—spanning youth through senior levels across men's and women's programs
• Identify cross-team performance patterns, developmental benchmarks, and evidence-based recommendations for coaching and performance staff
• Pursue external collaborations with universities, research institutions, and sport science organizations to extend the reach and rigor of the research program
• Present findings to internal stakeholders, at professional conferences, and through peer reviewed publication

Practitioner Services (approximately 40–50% of time)

• Deliver biomechanical and performance science assessments to National Teams during training camps and residencies at the Arthur M. Blank National Training Center
• Develop standardized assessment protocols and normative databases that can be administered across all 27 teams, including by other qualified staff
• Support Integrated Performance Support and Sporting staff by providing evidence-informed insights contributing to training, loading, recovery, and performance optimization decisions
• Support select Nike-sponsored athletes from other sports who access the lab and campus, facilitating cross-sport data collection and innovation
• Female 360:
  Contribute expertise to the design and delivery of U.S. Soccer's Female 360 health assessments and initiatives, supporting a holistic, athlete-centered approach to women's health and performance
• Contribute to the development of a scalable service model delivered through the Performance Innovation Lab (e.g., testing, profiling, applied workshops, educational visits)
• Translate research insights into practical, actionable tools and recommendations for coaching and performance staff

Lab & Campus Innovation

• Support the procurement, commissioning, and ongoing execution of projects at the Performance Innovation Lab at the US Soccer Arthur M. Blank National Training Center
• Drive the "campus-as-lab" vision: identify opportunities to instrument training environments, integrate technology into daily operations, and turn routine activities into data collection opportunities
• Evaluate emerging technologies, methodologies, and tools for potential integration into the lab and broader campus infrastructure
• Establish data governance, quality assurance, and athlete data privacy protocols for all research…