Cleveland Browns · 3 days ago
Performance Science Research Fellow
76 Lou Groza Boulevard, Berea, OH, USA
Full-time
Onsite
New Grad
$45K/yr - $50K/yrThe Cleveland Browns are seeking a highly motivated Performance Science Research Fellow for a two-year fixed-term position focused on advancing how training load is quantified, analyzed, and reported in American football. This role is designed for early-career professionals with strong quantitative, sports science, or performance analytics backgrounds who are interested in applied research within a high-performance professional sport environment.
GamingSporting GoodsSportsSports Leagues and Teams
Responsibilities
Design, implement, and refine methods for quantifying training load in American football players, integrating internal and external workload metrics
Support the development of positional- and role-specific workload profiles and benchmarks
Contribute to the development and maintenance of decision support systems that integrate data from multiple domains (e.g., strength & conditioning, performance testing, workload, medical/injury, and schedule context) to inform daily and long-term planning
Lead and/or support applied research projects focused on: Training load quantification and modeling in American football. Relationships between workload, performance, and injury risk. Practice design and periodization strategies informed by data
Perform advanced statistical analysis and modeling (e.g., mixed models, time-series analysis, machine learning, simulation) to address performance-related questions
Assist with additional performance, research, and analytics duties as assigned, including ad hoc analyses and cross-departmental projects that support evidence-informed decision-making
Evaluate existing and emerging technologies (e.g., wearables, tracking systems, neuromuscular assessment tools, computer vision) for their utility in capturing workload and performance-related data
Assist in designing and implementing validation and reliability studies for new hardware and software solutions
Collaborate with vendors, internal IT, and data infrastructure teams (where applicable) to support data integration, storage, and access
Participate in interdisciplinary case discussions related to player management, integrating data-driven insights into holistic decision-making processes
Present findings and recommendations to technical and non-technical stakeholders in clear, concise formats (dashboards, slide decks, written briefs)
Assist with on-field and training facility data collection during practices, games, and workouts (e.g., ensuring tracking systems are functional, managing athlete devices, verifying data capture)
Support daily and weekly data processing routines, including data cleaning, merging, and verification across multiple systems
Contribute to the continuous improvement of internal data pipelines, documentation, and standard operating procedures related to performance monitoring
Qualification
Required
Master's degree in Exercise Science, Biomechanics, Kinesiology, Sport Science, Data Science, Statistics, Engineering, or a closely related field required
Demonstrated experience in applied performance science, sports analytics, or related research (e.g., thesis, publications, or significant projects)
Proficiency with statistical, analytical, and data querying tools (e.g., R, Python, SQL, MATLAB, or similar)
Experience working with large, multi-dimensional datasets (time-series, tracking data, force plate data, etc.)
Strong understanding of workload concepts (e.g., external load, internal load, acute/chronic ratios, density and distribution of load) and their application to team sports
Demonstrated ability to work collaboratively within an interdisciplinary high-performance team
High level of professionalism, integrity, and discretion when handling confidential player and organizational information
Ability to work a flexible schedule, including evenings, weekends, and travel as dictated by team activities and research needs
Preferred
Enrollment in, or strong interest in pursuing, a PhD in a related discipline preferred
Familiarity with sports science technologies commonly used in elite sport, such as GPS, LIDAR and/or RFID player tracking systems (e.g., Zebra, Catapult), Accelerometers/IMU's, dynamometers, force plates, optical tracking, Athlete management systems and data visualization platforms (e.g., Tableau, Power BI, R Shiny)
Benefits
May be eligible to apply for PhD opportunities that may include access to reduced tuition or scholarship opportunities, subject to acceptance and program-specific criteria.
Company
Cleveland Browns
Cleveland Browns is a professional football team in the NFL, and is playing in the North Division of AFC.
Founded in 1946
51-200 employees
Funding
Current Stage
Growth StageLeadership Team
Paul DePodesta
Chief Strategy Officer
Recent News
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