Research Associate / Sports Biomechanist with Associated S&C / Physical Therapy Expertise

About the WHSP Institute

The Women's Health, Sports & Performance Institute (WHSP Institute) is dedicated to advancing female athlete health and performance, and features world-renowned sports medicine, science and research practitioners. Primarily supported by philanthropic funding from David and Jane Ott and the Wu Tsai Human Performance Alliance ( Joseph and Clara Tsai Foundation ), the WHSP Institute’s mission is to “Inspire, empower, educate and convene researchers, clinicians and the broader sports community to drive advancements in our understanding of female athlete health and performance.”

The Institute houses a state-of-the-art physiology laboratory, a research-grade strength and conditioning (S&C) high-performance gym with 3D biomechanical analysis capabilities, a teaching and research metabolic kitchen, and dedicated research space, and is co-located with its strategic partner WHSP Medical , a full-service sports medicine clinic. WHSP Institute is designed for tightly integrated clinical, performance, and translational research. Core research domains include sports endocrinology and hormonal health; sports nutrition and energy availability; performance optimization (training, biomechanics, and recovery); injury prevention and return-to-play; and mental health in sport, with a focus on female athletes across the lifespan. The Institute partners with leading universities, sports organizations, and governing bodies to deliver peer-reviewed science, clinician education, and field-shaping best practices. Along with these partnerships, the Institute already has a strong and existing national and international research collaboration network, with an existing scientific study portfolio.

Position Summary

The Research Associate / Sports Biomechanist (RA-SB) is a full-time position within WHSP. The primary focuses of the RA-SB are to develop and support clinical biomechanical assessment in patients and athletes, such as injury assessment and monitoring, and to support WHSP Institute research initiatives in biomechanics and related domains.

The RA-SB should be early-career (early post- MSc/PhD) researcher/technician with human biomechanical assessment experience in clinical care and/or research settings. Direct experience as a S&C coach, ideally with Certified Strength & Conditioning Specialist (CSCS) certification, and/or as a licensed Athletic Therapist (AT) or Physical Therapist (PT), together with significant experience driving biomechanics assessment with S&C coaches and associated AT/PT or allied health professionals, is highly preferred. WHSP anticipates developing a hybrid, integrated role aligned with the specific background of a highly-experience RA-SB who delivers both biomechanics patient/athlete assessment expertise and a S&C and/or an AT/PT background.

The RA-SB position requires excellent experimental and analytical skills in human biomechanics, ideally as these relate to female health and performance. The position requires the ability to interpret biomechanical results and translate them into athlete-/patient-centered training strategies. The RA-SB will be required to work effectively in a team as well as independently within clinical and training environments. The RA-SB will interact with the WHSP Institute research team as well with WHSP Medical practitioners including physicians, therapists, and nutritionists. The candidate must have strong analytical, communication, and team- and project-management skills. A key early (first 2 years) success factor in this position will be to assist in developing a biomechanics clinical assessment workflow, including some supported method development and athlete/patient facing reports.

Primary Administratively Report to: Dr. Trent Stellingwerff, Director of Research & Development, WHSP Institute

Secondary/Indirectly Report to: Dr. Kathryn Ackerman, MD, Executive Director, WHSP Institute

Key Responsibilities

• Develop and implement standardized clinical biomechanics assessment protocols for patients and athletes
• Conduct injury assessment, movement screening, and performance monitoring using biomechanical tools and technologies
• Assist in the development of an integrated biomechanics clinical workflow (first 1-2 years priority)
• Contribute to method development and validation of assessment tools and procedures
• Generate clear, athlete/patient-facing biomechanical reports to support training and clinical decision-making
• Collaborate with physicians, athletic therapists, S&C coaches, nutritionists, and allied health practitioners to inform care plans, and, if CSCS and/or AT/PT certified, integrate that expertise into the role
• Maintain and troubleshoot biomechanics laboratory and field-testing equipment
• Ensure data quality, integrity, and secure data management
• Assist in integrating clinical biomechanics insights into research initiatives, particularly in female health and performance
• Assist with study design, protocol development, data collection, and analysis as requested
• Contribute to research outputs (abstracts, manuscripts, reports, presentations)

Qualifications

Required:

• A degree in a relevant biomechanics-based field/laboratory (MSc or PhD) with at least 2 years of applied/clinician biomechanical experience.
• Demonstrated expertise in at least two of the following core areas: 1) female athlete research, 2) clinical biomechanics assessments, 3) research biomechanics, 4) human clinical outcomes research.
• Competence in biomechanics testing methods across a range of activities/sports, and ability to run a fully functioning applied and integrated biomechanics lab.
• Proven ability to work in clinical and research teams and deliver against timelines with technical rigor.

Preferred:

• Currently, or recent experience as, an S&C coach (especially around injury assessment and/or rehab with a Certified Strength & Conditioning Specialist (CSCS) certification
• Currently, or recent experience as, a certified/licensed Athletic Therapist and/or Physical Therapist (especially around injury assessment and/or rehab)
• Experience leading or coordinating research and/or industry‑academic studies.
• Familiarity with one or more of the following: S&C specific exercise testing, wearable/biomarker data, and data governance.

Role Logistics

• Location: Boston, MA (on-site position)
• Schedule: Full‑time, exempt
• Travel: Occasional domestic and international travel for study oversight, conferences

How to Apply:

Please submit to [email protected], referencing WHSP RA-SB in the subject line of your email:

• An academic-style CV
• A brief cover letter (<2 pages) describing your fit for the role and earliest available and feasible start date
• 2-3 key publications, and
• Contact information for 3 references.

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Equal Opportunity

WHSP Institute is an equal opportunity employer. WHSP Institute provides equal employment opportunities to all employees and applicants for employment regardless of race, color, ancestry, national origin, gender, sexual orientation, marital status, religion, age, disability, gender identity, results of genetic testing, or military service. National and international applicants welcome.

Pay: From $1.00 per hour

Benefits:

• 401(k)
• Commuter assistance
• Dental insurance
• Health insurance
• Health savings account
• Paid time off
• Vision insurance

Education:

• Master's (Required)

Experience:

• biomechanics: 4 years (Required)

Ability to Relocate:

• Brighton, MA 02135: Relocate before starting work (Required)

Work Location: In person