Return to Play Specialist

University of Arkansas Fayetteville • Fayetteville, AR

10d

About The Position

The Return to Play Specialist is responsible for designing, implementing, and managing individualized return-to-play (RTP) programs for injured football student-athletes. This position plays a critical role in bridging the gap between sports medicine rehabilitation and full athletic performance, ensuring student-athletes safely and efficiently return to practice and competition. The role requires daily collaboration with athletic training, strength and conditioning, sport science, and football coaching staff to ensure alignment, accurate communication, and evidence-based decision-making throughout the RTP process. Regular, reliable and non-disruptive attendance is an essential job duty, as is the ability to create and maintain collegial, harmonious working relationships with others.

Requirements

• Bachelor's Degree from an accredited institution of higher learning
• At least two years of prior experience within a collegiate football program at Division 1 level and/or NFL experience
• At least two years of experience coordinating or supporting return-to-play programming at the collegiate or professional level, preferably in football
• CSCS (NSCA) and/or SCCC (CSCCa) certification
• Working knowledge of NCAA rules and Intercollegiate Athletics
• Knowledge of evidence-based return-to-play guidelines (NCAA, NFL, IOC, consensus statements)
• Proficient in Microsoft Excel, Word, and PowerPoint skills
• Excellent communication skills and ability to work within a multidisciplinary performance team
• Strong communication skills with the ability to clearly translate complex medical and performance concepts to coaches and student-athletes
• Strong organizational and documentation skills
• Ability to develop, implement, and track individualized return-to-play progression plans
• Ability to collaborate effectively with athletic trainers, strength coaches, sport scientists, and football staff

Nice To Haves

• Advanced coursework or certification in sport science, performance rehabilitation, or load management
• Experience working with GPS systems and other athlete-monitoring technologies
• Extensive knowledge of football-specific movement patterns, positional demands, and common injury mechanisms
• Experience with objective testing batteries and data-driven decision making for RTP clearance

Responsibilities

• Designing, implementing, and managing individualized return-to-play (RTP) programs for injured football student-athletes.
• Bridging the gap between sports medicine rehabilitation and full athletic performance, ensuring student-athletes safely and efficiently return to practice and competition.
• Daily collaboration with athletic training, strength and conditioning, sport science, and football coaching staff to ensure alignment, accurate communication, and evidence-based decision-making throughout the RTP process.
• Regular, reliable and non-disruptive attendance is an essential job duty
• Ability to create and maintain collegial, harmonious working relationships with others.

Benefits

• university contributions to health, dental, life and disability insurance
• tuition waivers for employees and their families
• 12 official holidays
• immediate leave accrual
• choice of retirement programs with university contributions ranging from 5 to 10% of employee salary

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time