Head Football Athletic Trainer

About UMass Amherst

The flagship of the Commonwealth, the University of Massachusetts Amherst is a nationally ranked public land-grant research university that seeks to expand educational access, fuel innovation and creativity, and share and use its knowledge for the common good. Founded in 1863, UMass Amherst sits on nearly 1,450-acres in scenic Western Massachusetts and boasts state-of-the-art facilities for teaching, research, scholarship, and creative activity. The institution advances a diverse, equitable, and inclusive community where everyone feels connected and valued—and thrives, and offers a full range of undergraduate, graduate and professional degrees across 10 schools and colleges, and 100 undergraduate majors. We believe every member of our university community can contribute to our ongoing success by striving for the highest level of excellence as we seek breakthrough solutions to mounting environmental, social, economic, and technological challenges in our world.

Job Summary

Under the direction of the Associate Director of Athletics for Sports Medicine, provide quality care to all student-athletes including prevention, evaluation, treatment and rehabilitation of injuries incurred in practice and games. Serves as the Head Football Athletic Trainer. Directs all functions of Sports Medicine for the Football Program.

Essential Functions

• Provide prevention, evaluation, recognition, treatment, diagnosis, referral and rehabilitation of injuries for Football student athletes.
• Serve as the primary medical contact and liaison between members of the coaching staff, student-athletes, parents, physicians, members of the student athlete health and welfare team, other allied health personnel, and sport administrators
• Maintain safe environment for student athletes to include decision making involving the ability of student athletes to safely return to practice or competition following an injury and/or illness and communicate participation status with the appropriate personnel
• Provide assistance to other staff members with the prevention, evaluation, treatment and rehabilitation of injuries for all student athletes.
• Provide non-traditional season coverage for field hockey student athletes.
• Provide athletic injury care coverage during all practice, strength and conditioning sessions, and competitions, both at home and away. The ability to perform these tasks includes but is not limited to being physically able to get to an injured student athlete on the field of play in a timely fashion, being physically able to get in a position to assess the student athlete’s injury in an acute situation (i.e. squatting, kneeling, bending, ability to lift 25-50 lbs., etc.), the ability to perform emergency protocols, provide appropriate hydration and monitor the safety of the environment in which the practice or game is taking place.
• Prepare and maintain appropriate athletic injury care records and reports as required utilizing the present computer programs for such purposes following all NCAA and NATA guidelines; compliance with all federal, state, university laws including FERPA and HIPPA; and the maintenance of the highest level of confidence in regard to the various confidential information that the sports medicine staff is exposed to in regards to student-athletes and coaches.

About UMass Amherst

The flagship of the Commonwealth, the University of Massachusetts Amherst is a nationally ranked public land-grant research university that seeks to expand educational access, fuel innovation and creativity, and share and use its knowledge for the common good. Founded in 1863, UMass Amherst sits on nearly 1,450-acres in scenic Western Massachusetts and boasts state-of-the-art facilities for teaching, research, scholarship, and creative activity. The institution advances a diverse, equitable, and inclusive community where everyone feels connected and valued—and thrives, and offers a full range of undergraduate, graduate and professional degrees across 10 schools and colleges, and 100 undergraduate majors. We believe every member of our university community can contribute to our ongoing success by striving for the highest level of excellence as we seek breakthrough solutions to mounting environmental, social, economic, and technological challenges in our world.

Job Summary

Under the direction of the Associate Director of Athletics for Sports Medicine, provide quality care to all student-athletes including prevention, evaluation, treatment and rehabilitation of injuries incurred in practice and games. Serves as the Head Football Athletic Trainer. Directs all functions of Sports Medicine for the Football Program.

Essential Functions

• Provide prevention, evaluation, recognition, treatment, diagnosis, referral and rehabilitation of injuries for Football student athletes.
• Serve as the primary medical contact and liaison between members of the coaching staff, student-athletes, parents, physicians, members of the student athlete health and welfare team, other allied health personnel, and sport administrators
• Maintain safe environment for student athletes to include decision making involving the ability of student athletes to safely return to practice or competition following an injury and/or illness and communicate participation status with the appropriate personnel
• Provide assistance to other staff members with the prevention, evaluation, treatment and rehabilitation of injuries for all student athletes.
• Provide non-traditional season coverage for field hockey student athletes.
• Provide athletic injury care coverage during all practice, strength and conditioning sessions, and competitions, both at home and away. The ability to perform these tasks includes but is not limited to being physically able to get to an injured student athlete on the field of play in a timely fashion, being physically able to get in a position to assess the student athlete’s injury in an acute situation (i.e. squatting, kneeling, bending, ability to lift 25-50 lbs., etc.), the ability to perform emergency protocols, provide appropriate hydration and monitor the safety of the environment in which the practice or game is taking place.
• Prepare and maintain appropriate athletic injury care records and reports as required utilizing the present computer programs for such purposes following all NCAA and NATA guidelines; compliance with all federal, state, university laws including FERPA and HIPPA; and the maintenance of the highest level of confidence in regard to the various confidential information that the sports medicine staff is exposed to in regards to student-athletes and coaches.
• Schedule and oversee athletic clearance and post season exit physical examination process performed by physicians at the University Health Service for applicable sports programs. As part of clearance physicals, perform baseline concussion testing for each student athlete assigned.
• Ensure oversight and follow through on any items discovered during evaluations deemed to require follow up.
• Oversee the operation of the football sports medicine facility to insure appropriate function, maintenance, and accurate inventory control.
• Provide direct supervision of football assistant and certified intern (03) athletic trainers. Responsible for the hiring, mentoring, educating, and facilitating communication with coaches and other staff.
• Provide supervision of undergraduate student athletic trainers and have oversight of the selection process. Serve as preceptor for graduate athletic training students
• Communicate to student athletes and coaches the department’s health insurance policies.
• Ensure that all insurance procedures including pre-authorizations are followed prior to referring student athletes to providers outside of the UMass system.
• Coordinates the disposition of medical bills incurred by student-athletes as well as the medical insurance for our student-athletes with direct supervisor, Compliance Office, and Business Office.
• Maintain injury statistics, time loss documentation and daily injury reports for yearly injury trend tracking.
• Tracks all football medical expenditures.
• Assist in the development and integration of sports medicine policies and procedures as they relate to the operation of athletic training services for football, including EAP‘s and game day EMS.
• Coordinate yearly spine boarding in-service and training with Amherst Fire.
• Understands responsibilities with respect to conflicts of interest and behaves in ways consistent both with law and with university policy.
• Contributes toward creating a positive and respectful workplace defined by personal and professional competence, integrity, and collaboration.
• Understands and contributes to implementation of departmental and institutional goals for achieving non-discrimination and creating a respectful, inclusive environment that is supportive of diversity.
• Uses access to sensitive and/or not yet public university related information only in the performance of the responsibilities of position and exercises care to prevent unnecessary disclosure to others.
• Understands responsibilities with respect to Title IX, Clery, and other compliance requirements.
• Demonstrates capacity, skill and willingness to engage students and contribute to student success.
• Serves on Department, School and University committees.
• Attends conventions, conferences, clinics, etc., consistent with Department policy as approved by the Sr. Associate Athletic Director for Internal Operations and Director of Athletics.
• Required to work long hours, weekends, and holidays as schedules dictate.
• Responsible for strict adherence to NCAA, conference, and University rules and regulations.
• Perform other duties as assigned or required to meet Department, Executive Area/Division, and University goals and objectives.
• Contribute to the development of an environment for team members and student athletes that is healthy, safe, equitable and culturally diverse.
• Assist in the selection and fitting of protective equipment, including special taping, pads or braces.
• Create a reflective workspace environment where crisis reporting is clear and systematic, and significant event analyses are undertaken as required; communicate medical network needs.

Other Functions

• Performs other duties as assigned.

Minimum Qualifications (Knowledge, Skills, Abilities, Education, Experience, Certifications, Licensure)

• Required to have a bachelor’s degree from an accredited athletic training curriculum (based on Massachusetts license requirements).
• 5 years of intercollegiate and/or professional athletic training experience required.
• Previous Division I intercollegiate and/or Professional Football athletic training experience required.
• Previous rehabilitation experience required.
• Must have and maintain N.A.T.A. (National Athletic Trainers Association) certification.
• Must have and maintain Professional Rescuer C.P.R. (Cardio-Pulmonary Resuscitation) certification.
• Must meet requirements to obtain and maintain a Massachusetts State license for athletic trainers.
• Ability to foster and maintain working relationships with various University departments.
• Ability to improve working knowledge of athletic injury care.
• Ability to successfully complete the administrative tasks of the position.
• Ability to communicate effectively with coaching staff, strength and conditioning staff, team physicians and administrators regarding injury and participation status of football student athletes.
• Ability to work long hours, weekends and holidays as game and practice schedules dictate.
• Meets physical, health and emotional stability standards of the position.

Preferred Qualifications (Knowledge, Skills, Abilities, Education, Experience, Certifications, Licensure)

• Master’s Degree from accredited athletic training curriculum (based on Massachusetts license requirements)

Physical Demands/Working Conditions

• Meets physical, health and emotional stability standards of the position
• Extended periods of standing
• Nights, weekends and holidays required
• Attendance at all sport assigned practice and games required
• Flexible and variable hours depending on the demands of the position
• Carrying, lifting, pulling, pushing, repetitive movements, bending, travel to other campuses, reaching, sitting, twisting and lifting.
• Must be able to lift 25-50 pounds.

Work Schedule

Flexible and variable hours depending on the demands of the position.

Salary Information

Level 28

PSU Hiring Ranges

Special Instructions to Applicants

Along with the application, please submit a resume. References will be checked at the finalist stage. Please be prepared to provide contact information for three (3) professional references.

The University of Massachusetts Amherst welcomes all qualified applicants and complies with all state and federal anti-discrimination laws.

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