Loughborough Sport Placements

Loughborough Sport is committed to the development of aspiring coaches and practitioners through elite sport in the UK. Supporting around 800 funded athletes, scholars, and first team athletes across a range of sports and athletic disciplines, we provide a unique environment to develop a range of skills within an interdisciplinary sports programme.

The successful applicant will gain practical applied experience in an elite sporting environment by supporting race day operation of the Loughborough Lightning Elite Women’s Team, as well as co-ordinating a breadth of coaching and sporting activities across the performance, development and AU cycling clubs. During the 1-year placement, there is an opportunity to build a portfolio of Continued Professional Development (CPD) and practical expertise, enhancing your employability within the sports development field.

What would I be doing?

Loughborough Cycling Academy Operations - focus through full year of placement

• Coordinating and organising squad nights alongside the team manager and coaching staff.
• Attending regular Intra Disciplinary Team (IDT) meetings with key cycling support staff, and other wider meetings across Loughborough Sport
• Oversee squad e-training sessions in the cycling performance hub, with opportunities to develop and manage an LU based e-racing team.
• Support the programme coaches with group-based delivery of technical sessions
• Working alongside the Programme Manager with identifying and recruiting key athletes to the programme, including virtual and in-person recruitment events.

Assistant DS at Race Days (Lightning & BUCS squads) - main focus through summer road season

• Assist the Programme Manager/DS with race planning, logistics and operations
• Support with analysis of race courses
• Driving team vehicles and riders to race venues in the UK and oversees.
• Set-up and pack-down of race infrastructure (gazebo, warm-up stations, food, timings)
• Provide support to riders pre-race and post-race (race briefing, debriefing, communication of information from team managers meeting.
• In-race support at feedzone and/or team car depending on race type.
• Support with race day media

AU / Development Squad Operations - focus through academic terms

• Support the AU committee and development captain to plan, co-ordinate, and deliver development training sessions which integrate with the performance cycling programme to facilitate a pathway between the two squads.
• Coordination of track bookings and logistics
• For the right candidate, there could be opportunities to lead on some squad based coached training sessions on the road and track. This role does not include 1:1 based coaching and training prescription.

What will I get out of this opportunity?

• Personal Development and Mentoring from the cycling programme manager and coaches
• Portfolio of CPD and practical expertise.
• Enhance your employability.
• Development of soft skills.
• Exposure to working within a high-performance cycling environment and landscape.
• Exposure to working with coaches and practitioners in an elite sporting environment.
• Exposure to a range of cycling disciplines and levels
• Opportunity to attend several sporting events as an ambassador of Loughborough Sport

What is Loughborough Sport looking for?

• To undertake this role, you must be a current student at Loughborough University.
• An interest in working in cycle sport, with some prior experience is required as either a rider or supporting role.
• An interest or experience in handling and processing data, with a keen sense of attention to detail.
• The ability to use programmes such as Microsoft Excel to collect and analyse data.
• The ability to communicate well, share knowledge simply and effectively.
• Innovative thinking and willingness to try things.
• Professional attitude and approach, respect for others.
• Flexibility to work during evenings and weekends when required.

Additional Details

• Paid stipend of £6,000 over 12 months
• Start date between 1st July – 15^th August.
• 37 hours per week for a minimum of 45 weeks
• Extensive evening and weekend work required.
• Diploma of Professional Studies running alongside placement year.
• Full, clean UK driving licence required (you do not require your own car)

How can I apply?
Please send a CV & Video Application to One Drive via the file request link below. It’s up to you how you choose to produce the video, the only stipulations are that it is no longer than 5 minutes and you answer all questions (with relevant detail) set out below:

Tell us about yourself:

• Name
• Your experiences in cycling
• Personal sporting interests
• Your career aspirations
• What do you think you are like as a person, how would others describe you?

Tell us why you would like to join us:

• Why you? Why Loughborough?
• Why are you interested in this role and what do you think you could bring to it?
• What skills do you have, or would like to develop, that make you a good candidate for the role?

File Request Link- UG Cycling Operations Placement Applications

Deadline for applications is Sunday 9^th June 2024 at 17:00pm & Interviews will take place on 12^th June 2024.

For any informal enquiries about the role, please contact Dave Nichols, Cycling Programme Manager, (D.Nichols@lboro.ac.uk)  

Loughborough Performance Sport is committed to the development of aspiring coaches and practitioners in elite sport in the UK. Supporting around 750 funded athletes, scholars, and first team athletes across a range of sports and athletic disciplines, we provide a unique environment to develop in a range of inter-disciplinary sports programmes.

This is an opportunity for aspiring practitioners to join our Performance Nutrition Team in supporting our Performance Programmes, alongside studying on a MSc Course.

The successful applicant will gain practical applied experience under the guidance of our experienced team. During the two years there is an opportunity to build up a portfolio of Continued Professional Development (CPD) and practical expertise, enhancing their employability within the nutrition field.  

What would I be doing?

• Support and lead performance nutrition provision to University athletes and teams, along with potential for ad-hoc projects across all sports and the Loughborough Sport commercial service.
• Lead in the development, implementation, and monitoring of practical nutrition strategies.
• Actively promote a food first approach to nutrition.
• Develop and lead tasks such as dietary analysis, workshops, hydration and recovery stations, season planning and athlete education.
• Act as an advocate for the Loughborough Sport Clean Sport Commitment.

Benefits

• The opportunity to learn alongside the Loughborough Sport Performance Nutrition team which will develop the skills, knowledge and experience required to deliver to elite coaches and athletes.
• Development of soft skills
• Develop an understanding and network of Performance Support practitioners (Strength & Conditioning, Physiology, Psychology, Sports Medicine, Performance Analysis and Performance Lifestyle) and performance coaches.
• Gain experience of working with at least 3 different Performance Programmes.
• Exposure to working with coaches and athletes in an elite sporting environment.
• Exposure to a range of sports, disciplines and abilities
• Regular Continual Professional Development (CPD) opportunities and mentorship from a member of the Performance Nutrition team.
• A stipend of £6,500 per year to support you while completing the placement.

Time Commitment

The Placement student will be expected to commit a maximum of 21 hours per week across the full year (October – September) to this role, these hours will be balanced alongside your studies. These hours will be variable and unsociable at times.

What are we looking for:

This role is only open to students who meet the criteria for the MSc in Physiology & Nutrition course at Loughborough University for 2024/2025 academic year. Once the applicant is successful, they will be required to transfer onto the part-time course.

The applicant should have a clear desire to work in performance sport as a performance nutritionist on completion of the placement. The behaviours that we strive for within the placement are high levels of passion, excellent organisation, and the ability to engage and integrate within a team of coaches, athletes and practitioners.

Application

Please produce a CV and Cover Letter along with producing an application video. It’s up to you how you choose to produce the video, the only stipulations are that it is no longer than 5 minutes and you answer all questions (with relevant detail) set out below.

1. Tell us about yourself.
2. Name
3. Your career aspirations after completing your MSc and how you believe the placement will help you on this journey?
4. Anything else you would like to share.
5. Explain your process and procedure when creating behaviour change in a male basketball player who is a second-year student struggling with poor recovery and low energy levels in the second half of the training week.

To apply, send your completed video along with a CV and Cover Letter to A.Shepherd2@lboro.ac.uk. Depending on compression, it may be an issue to email the video. If this is the case, we recommend using WeTransfer.

The application process will close at 9:00am on Friday 2 August 2024. Interviews will be held on Friday 9 August on campus at Loughborough University. The placement will officially begin on Wednesday 2 October 2024 but there are opportunities for shadowing / visits prior to this should the successful candidate wish to.

For informal enquiries to A.Shepherd2@lboro.ac.uk or 07597 397 771.

Loughborough Sport Physiology Placement – 2 positions available

Starting October 2024 - Duration 2 years

Location - Loughborough University

Loughborough Performance Sport is committed to the development of aspiring coaches and practitioners in elite sport in the UK. Supporting around 500 funded athletes, scholars, and first team athletes across a range of sports and athletic disciplines, we provide a unique environment to develop in a range of multi-disciplinary sports programs.

This is an opportunity for an aspiring practitioner to join our team of Physiology professionals in delivering support to our Performance Programmes and commercial customers. The successful applicant will gain practical applied experience under the guidance of experienced practitioners.    During the two years there is an opportunity to build up a portfolio of Continued Professional Development (CPD) and practical expertise, enhancing their employability within physiology. All this will be achieved whilst completing an MSc part-time at Loughborough University.

The Loughborough Sport Physiology team directly supports 4 Performance Programmes (athletics, swimming, cycling and triathlon), and also has a commercial arm.  On the commercial side we provide support to a wide range of sports and athletes.  The main client groups we work with are endurance runners, triathletes, cyclists and motorsports, with athletes ranging from novices to professional sports people and world record holders.  You can find out more about what we do on our webpage.

Physiology Placement Roles (1 with Cycling, 1 with Triathlon)

Year 1

• Support 2^nd year MSc placement student in the provision of physiology support to the University Triathlon/Cycling Performance Programme.
  • Assist with tasks such as performance testing, training load monitoring, environmental physiology projects and seasonal planning.
  • Develop good relationships with coaches and other staff within the sport, as well as other practitioners to enhance the provision of support
  • Contribute to development of educational resources for athletes and coaches
• Support the work of the commercial arm of the service – assisting in the delivery of running and cycling physiology assessments with a wide range of customers, environmental chamber work and any other related project work.
• Potential for ad-hoc projects with other Performance Sports programmes.
• Take part in a structured CPD programme with the physiology placement team

Year 2

• Lead the delivery of physiology support to the University Triathlon/Cycling Performance Programme
  • Contribute to the whole triathlon/cycling performance planning process as part of the interdisciplinary team working with triathlon/cycling
  • Design and deliver the physiology element of support as laid out in the triathlon/cycling performance programme. This will likely include elements such as:
    • Physiology testing, training load monitoring, environmental physiology projects, seasonal planning, bespoke support with individual athletes.
  • Develop good relationships with coaches and other staff within the sport, as well as other practitioners to enhance the provision of support
• Contribute to mentoring year 1 MSc placement student
• Contribute to other work of the service including the commercial service when appropriate, including the opportunity to undertake extra, paid work for the commercial service.
• Take part in a structured CPD programme with the physiology staff team and contribute to the delivery of CPD to the 1^st year placement students.

Outcomes

• Development of skills and experience in a BASES-accredited laboratory, overseen by a BASES accredited physiologist
• Opportunity to undertake BASES Supervised Experience if desired
• Development of field-based physiology assessment and practice techniques
• Exposure to working with coaches and athletes in an elite sporting environment
• Develop experience working with an interdisciplinary team of Sports Science and Medicine practitioners

Benefits

• You will receive a stipend for the duration of the two years, which will be based on meeting the programme fees for each year
• A unique personal development plan, focused on clear aims and objectives with the goal of developing the Placement Physiologist into a competent practitioner
• A variety of CPD opportunities across all Sports Science and Medicine disciplines

It is expected that the Physiologist will use this opportunity:

• To attend BASES Supervised Experience workshops if registered for SE
• To attend and present at the annual BASES Student conference
• To have regular reviews with the relevant leading practitioners
• To actively engage in opportunities for development and in conjunction with the relevant lead practitioner, develop and follow a structured individualised CPD plan

Time Commitment

The Placement Physiologist will be expected to commit a minimum of 21 hours per week to this role. These hours will be variable and unsociable at times.  You will be expected to communicate with your supervisor and any practitioners you are working with to ensure that your placement does not impact on your ability to attend lectures and other requirements of the MSc course.

Person Specification:

This role is only open to students that have a place confirmed on the MSc Physiology & Nutrition of Sport & Exercise course at Loughborough University for 2024/2025 academic year. Once the applicant is successful, they will be transferred onto the PT pathway.

Please note that in switching to the part-time route, you would not be eligible for any scholarships or bursaries which may have been agreed for full-time study.  Also changing to part-time may affect your student loan, and you may be eligible for Council Tax. 

The applicant should have a clear desire to work in performance sport as an applied physiologist on completion of the placement.  Qualities we are looking for include excellent communication skills, a desire to learn and develop, and an ability to engage and integrate within a team of coaches, athletes and practitioners.

Application

To apply, please send your CV with covering letter explaining your experience within applied physiology/sports science and what you can bring to the role to the Physiology Team: sportscienceservices@lboro.ac.uk

As part of the application process, we would also like you to produce an application video. 

It’s up to you how you choose to produce the video, the only stipulations are that it is no longer than 5 minutes and you answer all questions (with relevant detail) set out below. 

1. Tell us about yourself - introduce yourself and tell us why you want this role
2. Give us an example or two of things you have done that demonstrate you possess the relevant skills and qualities for this role.
3. Explain the procedures and reasons for doing a VO₂max test – to an athlete, with no knowledge of sports science.

The application process will close 5pm Monday 29^th July 2024. Interviews (in person) will be held on Wednesday 21^st August. The placement will officially begin at the start of term; however there will be the opportunity to start sooner if desired.

Applications and enquiries to: sportscienceservices@lboro.ac.uk

Loughborough Performance Sport is committed to the development of aspiring coaches and practitioners in elite sport in the UK. Supporting around 750 funded athletes, scholars, and first team athletes across a range of sports and athletic disciplines, we provide a unique environment to develop in a range of inter-disciplinary sports programmes.

This is an opportunity for aspiring practitioners to join our team of Strength and Conditioning practitioners in delivering support to our Performance Programmes, alongside studying on a MSc Course. The successful applicant will gain practical applied experience under the guidance of our experienced team. During the two years there is an opportunity to build up a portfolio of Continued Professional Development (CPD) and practical expertise, enhancing their employability within Strength and Conditioning.

Placement Roles

• Support permanent S&C staff with the provision of strength and conditioning to squads and individuals with the potential for ad-hoc projects with other sports.
• Assist with tasks such as performance testing, training load and wellness monitoring, seasonal planning and periodisation, and athlete education.
• Develop good relationships with coaches and other staff within the sports, as well as other practitioners to enhance the provision of support.
• Contribute to development of educational resources for athletes and coaches.

Outcomes

• Development of skills and experience in an elite strength and conditioning environment.
• Exposure to working with coaches and athletes in an elite sporting environment.
• Develop experience working with an inter-disciplinary team of Sports Science and Medicine practitioners.

Benefits

• Stipend of £6,500 per annum, to support you to undertake the placement whilst studying.
• A unique personal development plan, focused on clear aims and objectives with the goal of developing the Placement Strength and Conditioning Coach into a competent practitioner.
• A variety of CPD opportunities across all Sports Science and Medicine disciplines.

It is expected that the successful applicant will use this opportunity:

• To develop skills relevant to achieving accreditation with the UKSCA.
• To have regular reviews with the relevant leading practitioners.
• To have a structured individualised CPD plan.

 Time Commitment

The Placement student will be expected to commit a maximum of 21 hours per week across the full year (October – September) to this role, these hours will be balanced alongside your studies on the Strength & Conditioning MSc course. These hours will be variable and unsociable at times.

What are we looking for:

This role is only open to students who meet the criteria for the MSc in Strength and Conditioning course at Loughborough University for 2024/2025 academic year. Once the applicant is successful, they will be required to transfer onto the part-time course.

The applicant should have a clear desire to work in performance sport as a Strength and Conditioning Coach on completion of the placement. The behaviours that we strive for within the placement are high levels of passion, excellent organisation, and the ability to engage and integrate within a team of coaches, athletes and practitioners.

Application

As part of the application process, we would like you to submit your current CV as well as produce an application video. 

It’s up to you how you choose to produce the video, the only stipulations are that it is no longer than 5 minutes and you answer all questions (with relevant detail) set out below. 

1. Tell us about yourself:
   a. Name
   b. Recent experience in a sporting environment
   c. Any other coaching experience
   
   
2. Tell us why you want to work in Strength & Conditioning?
   
   
3. Tell us about a time that you have had success when working with someone, to elicit a performance change.
   
   
4. What about you as a person would make an athlete want to engage with you?
   
   
5. Physically demonstrate, and give only the main coaching points for the following exercises (if you have access to a gym, please demonstrate with load, if not, bodyweight will suffice):
   a. Squat
   b. Romanian Deadlift/Stiff Leg Deadlift
   c. Copenhagen (With rationale for exercise utilisation)

6. Please give us the details of your most recent references that are available to contact. 

To submit your CV and Application Video, please upload via this File Transfer Request Link- MSc Part-Time Strength & Conditioning Placement Applications 2024-26

The application process will close 5pm Thursday 22^nd August 2024. Interviews will be week commencing Monday 2^nd September 2024.

Please send any informal enquiries to c.thorpe@lboro.ac.uk.