Fitness Specialist - Ames, IA

FOX Rehabilitation • Ames, IA

21h

About The Position

FOX Rehabilitation is hiring a Fitness Specialist to lead group exercise and personal training for older adults at a Senior Living Community in Ames, Iowa. The role is part-time, approximately 3–6 hours per week, with an opportunity to grow the caseload and hours. The Fitness Specialist serves as the primary wellness professional embedded in the community, delivering evidence-based fitness programming through group classes, individual personal training, and partner training sessions.

The schedule currently includes group exercise classes on Monday at 10:30 a.m., Tuesday at 11:00 a.m., and Wednesday at 10:30 a.m. The specialist builds resident engagement and wellness-program participation, develops a training client base, and works with FOX's therapy team to support referrals as patients transition out of rehabilitation. The role also involves educating residents and families about wellness programming and traveling to patient residences and additional communities as the territory grows.

FOX Rehabilitation describes itself as a clinician-operated practice focused on meaningful relationships, evidence-based care, and abolishing ageism. The position offers work in senior living communities and homes, potential telehealth or virtual-care components, and collaboration with physical therapists, occupational therapists, speech-language pathologists, and other fitness specialists.

Requirements

• Bachelor's degree in Exercise Science, Kinesiology, or Exercise Physiology; or certification as a personal trainer through a nationally accredited organization; or prior fitness-training experience with willingness to obtain a CPT certification.
• Experience or strong interest in working with older adults in a proactive, wellness-focused setting.
• Comfort presenting and educating residents and families about wellness-program benefits.
• Ability to travel between Senior Living Communities and patient residences as needed.
• Current CPR certification.
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office and responsiveness to email, Teams, text, and phone.
• Basic computer skills for documentation and scheduling.
• Ability to perform CPR; provide moderate to maximum assistance with patient transfers and bed mobility; and reposition a bed-bound patient independently.
• Ability to stoop, sit, bend, pull, climb, reach, kneel, crouch, climb stairs, and stand for extended periods.
• Ability to perform prolonged intense physical exertion, including running, lifting, and stretching, and repetitive upper-extremity movements.
• Fit to drive for the House Calls setting.
• Ability to meet the stated medium strength classification: exert 25–50 pounds of force occasionally, 10–25 pounds frequently, and up to 10 pounds constantly.
• Ability to talk and hear regularly, with close vision and the ability to adjust focus; frequently stand, walk, use hands to feel, and reach with hands and arms.

Nice To Haves

• Personal trainer certification through ACSM, NSCA, NASM, ACE, or ISSA.

Responsibilities

• Lead group exercise classes and provide one-on-one and partner training for older adults.
• Grow the wellness program by building resident engagement, increasing group-class participation, and developing a personal-training client base.
• Build relationships with FOX Physical and Occupational Therapists and Speech Language Pathologists to support wellness referrals.
• Explain wellness-program benefits to residents, family members, and power-of-attorney contacts.
• Travel to patient residences for house-call sessions and to additional communities as the territory grows.
• Document and schedule services using basic computer skills.

Benefits

• Potential telehealth or virtual-care components that may expand flexibility and access.
• Opportunity to autonomously drive growth of FOX Wellness.
• Collaborative, interdisciplinary work environment.
• A community-based practice supporting independence, wellness, and longevity.
• A culture that invests in employee growth and values provider-driven decision-making.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Part-time