Associate Director, Sport Nutrition - Football

Department:

UCF Athletics - Sports Medicine

 

Position is engaged in the administration, organization, and supervision of a progressive sports nutrition department, and manages meal operations / catering that supports the dietary and hydration needs of football student-athletes within UCF, Conference, and NCAA rules and regulations.

Responsibilities include, but are not limited to:

• Oversee and implement nutrition education for football student-athletes. Conduct regular high-performance meetings within football regarding the health and performance of football student-athletes. 

• Collaborate with sports medicine staff, dining services and football coaches providing nutrition education in group or individual sessions as needed. 

• Collaborate with sports performance staff providing evidence-based performance nutrition and supplementation to enhance training performance and recovery.  

• Collaborate with sports performance and sports medicine staff in medical nutrition therapy assisting with the management / treatment of medical conditions / diseases (sports and non-sport related). Includes regular communication with related University departments where appropriate. 

• Assist in the daily operations of a full-service training table (Garvy Nutrition Center) and football related fueling stations, to include engagement on the menu / catering available to football student-athletes in terms of quantity, quality and timing of food. 

• Engagement in the overall operation of Garvy Nutrition Center, including assisting the chef in planning, organizing, and managing of all meals served to enhance the nutritional content of recipes as well as the production techniques to better and more efficiently serve the student-athlete. 

• Maintain clean, disinfected, and organized football related fueling stations (and surrounding areas) at all times. Includes inventory management, stocking of stations, removing debris / spills, and cleaning stations / equipment, as well as identifying potential alternative or satellite fueling stations where appropriate. 

• Be committed to the profession and eager to learn. Maintain Registered Dietitian Credentials and Continuing Education through CDR (Commission on Dietetic Registration) and State Licensure. Keep current on performance nutrition research and other nutrition related trends (I.E., fad diet trends, supplements). 

• Research and educate / counsel football coaches / student-athletes / staff regarding appropriate / legal / NCAA compliant use of nutritional supplements, to include the regular evaluation of NCAA compliant products to be available / consumed by student athletes, as well as the identification of restricted and banned substances in compliance with NCAA rules and regulations. 

• Engagement in the supervision, daily management and onboarding of nutrition support staff, to include interns, work study students and volunteers. Manage dietetic intern programs if applicable per semester.

• Attend and collaborate with sports medicine, mental health, athletic training, and performance staff in Wellness Team meetings and high-risk case management team meetings to coordinate care for student-athletes and optimize health and performance outcomes.

• Participate in the daily on-site nutrition support operations during practices, training sessions, competitions, and team activities to optimize fueling, hydration, and recovery strategies. This includes the preparation, coordination, and distribution of pre-, intra-, and post-practice fueling for student-athletes.

• Conduct hydration assessments, sweat testing, and pre- and post-activity body weight measurements (weigh-ins/weigh-outs) to evaluate hydration status and guide individualized hydration recommendations.

• Collect, document, and interpret hydration and body weight data to monitor student-athlete readiness, recovery, and performance while collaborating with the multidisciplinary performance team.

• Participate in team travel and provide comprehensive nutrition support for home and away competitions, including gameday fueling, hydration, recovery nutrition, and sideline support for student-athletes.

• Coordinate all travel nutrition logistics, including but not limited to planning team hotel menus, catering, team meals, and recovery nutrition in collaboration with chefs, hotels, and food service partners.

• Assist in the development, implementation, and continuous improvement of departmental policies, procedures, and best practices to enhance operational efficiency, compliance, and quality of care.

Minimum qualifications:

• Master's degree in an appropriate area of specialization; or a bachelor's degree in an appropriate area of specialization and two (2) years appropriate experience.

• Active accreditation as a Registered Dietitian (RD) / Registered Dietitian Nutritionist (RDN) through the Commission on Dietetic Registration and license / certification eligible in the State of Florida (ANSI-Conference for Food Protection) within first 3 months of employment required.

 

Preferred qualifications:

• Minimum two (2) years of nutrition experience working with sports teams.

• Board Certified Specialist in Sports Dietetics (CSSD), and experience in sports sciences / sports performance coaching.

• Strong attention to detail and communication (written/verbal) skills.

Due to the nature/scope of Athletics and Athletics events, position may require work during evenings, weekends, and holidays, as well as the ability to stand / walk for extended periods of time and occasional travel.

As a staff member of UCF Athletics, the selected candidate will be a person of integrity and character who shares a commitment for customer service and knowing / complying with NCAA, Conference, and institutional rules as they apply to the UCF Athletics program.

Salary:

Negotiable

Please note that UCF Athletics operates as a Direct Support Organization (DSO) of the University of Central Florida, with different payroll and benefits than university employees. If interested in positions with the university, please click Here to visit their website.

As a proud member of the Big 12 Conference, our mission is to positively transform the lives of our students academically, athletically and personally through a nationally competitive intercollegiate athletics program that enhances the reputation and visibility of the university. We strive to be Florida's preeminent athletic program representing UCF and our community with distinction on the national stage as “Orlando's Hometown Team.”
 

UCF Athletics values our employees and working for us has its perks, including: 

• Benefit packages: Medical, Dental, Vision, Life Insurance, Supplemental Insurances, Flexible Spending & Health Savings Accounts, and Employee Assistance Program
• Wellness initiatives: UCF Athletics is recognized by Cigna Healthcare with the silver level Healthy Workforce Designation for our commitment to employee well-being and vitality through our benefits offerings, wellness platform and programming
• Paid time off for applicable positions, including annual and sick time off and paid holidays  
• Retirement savings options   
• Employee discounts, including tickets to many Orlando attractions   
• Tickets to UCF sporting events
• Education assistance   

To learn more about UCF and the Knights, visit our websites at ucf.edu and ucfknights.com.