An Eye For A Gem

by UK Sport / EIS - 10.12.08

UK Sport has today launched a dedicated recruitment drive to unearth talented sport scientists who possess the essential skills, desire and will to support sports in unearthing and developing extraordinary talent for their World Class Programmes towards 2012 and beyond. 

The new positions will strengthen the UK World Class Talent Team and will present unique and exciting career opportunities for those looking to apply their scientific skills in assisting targeted sports sharpen their Talent Identification and Development models.

The new roles - Senior Talent Identification Scientist and Talent Identification Scientist - are required to drive the implementation of the 2009 – 2013 UK Talent Strategy.    Following on from the announcement last week regarding funding awards for the London cycle, the new positions are being created as a direct result of UK Sport’s decision to refocus some of its existing budgets for Talent Identification and Development over the next four years. This involves a centralisation of the funding available creating improved ‘economies of scale’ and driving greater technical support, ultimately impacting on sports. 

This new strategy was created by UK Sport following an extensive UK Talent Health check across our 26 Summer Olympic Sports.  It will provide greater technical leadership, support and guidance to targeted NGBs implementing their talent models towards 2012 and beyond. Chelsea Warr, UK Sports World Class Talent Manager and mastermind of the new 2009.2013 Talent Strategy says:

“The London 2012 Olympic Games provide both sport and UK Sport with the platform to deliver the most competitive Team GB there has ever been and probably ever will be. The target is to ensure a top four finish in the medal table, winning more medals across more sports than ever before.  This is an unprecedented time for the British elite sporting system and to be a part of it will be a once in a lifetime career opportunity.

“An analysis of the Olympic medal table at previous games  shows that more countries are winning the market share of gold medals.  One of the contributing factors is the proactive nature by which these countries identify and mobilise talent capable of becoming Olympic and/or World Champions.

“The new UK Talent Strategy will provide bespoke, ‘real world’ talent solutions in supporting targeted sports to hone their systems towards 2012 and beyond.  At its core, it’s about reducing the ‘luck factor’ by which exceptional talent is identified and promoted, and being smarter and sharper in our elite talent practices.

“These new Talent Identification positions present a once in a lifetime career opportunity for any young and ambitious sports scientists wishing to be involved in the journey towards 2012. As a result, we expect the attraction of these roles will be high, and we are eager to recruit exceptional, high energy, well skilled practitioners to support our targeted sports leading into 2012 and beyond”.

Employed by the English Institute of Sport (EIS), but overseen by the UK Sport Talent Manager, the positions will play an instrumental role in the success of the UK Talent Strategy and its effective execution in partnership with targeted sports. 

Natalie Dunman, Talent Identification Scientist and integral member of the UK Talent Team for the past 2 years spoke of her experiences and how she has embraced the career opportunity:

“I joined the UK Talent Team after completing the UK Sport Fast Track Practitioner Programme as a physiology intern within the English Institute of Sport (EIS).  The internship provided me with a great opportunity to build on my previous sports science experience and work in a high performance system, alongside other practitioners, elite coaches and athletes. Essentially, it was my awakening experience in getting to grips with what ‘performance impact’ really meant on the frontline. 

“As I’ve moved into the area of Talent Identification, my role has become much more niche. It’s about knowing how to fundamentally apply various disciplines within sport science to predict (within high probability) future Olympic and/or World Champions – so it’s certainly a challenge, but one I really enjoy.  UK Sport and the EIS have provided tremendous training and development opportunities to be up skilled in the area if identifying and promoting talent – meeting and visiting a number of world experts in different High Performance systems abroad.

“The role is unique and satisfying as you see daily, tangible outcomes. Nothing’s more pleasing than conducting mass TID assessment events and having the National Coach rubbing his/her hands together with delight - having noticed a ‘sparkling gem’ and thinking about what could be genuinely possible on the world stage.

“I’ve felt privileged to work with the TID athletes and National Coaches I have to date, and it’s going to get even more exciting leading into 2012. It’s a tremendous opportunity to work alongside some of the UK’s leading Olympic Coaches – and really feel like you are making a difference to their pursuit for medals. The softer skills, including the ability to build relationships and positively influence a range of stakeholders come into play daily.

“Like many jobs in High Performance sport its needs to be a passion – not just a job.  The role involves significant commitment, continual drive and plenty of hard graft.  But to be honest, no different from how coaches and athletes prepare to win in the Olympic arena. I’d recommend this type of job to any young, enthusiastic sports scientist looking to really make his/her mark in the UK elite sport system, and who’s up for the 2012 challenge”. 

To view the formal job descriptions and how to apply, please click on one of the roles outlined below:
1. Senior Talent Identification Scientist
2. Talent Identification Scientist

For additional information on the roles, we have specially prepared the following background information, to provide you with a ‘real-world’ insight into the jobs:

1. Background Information (Senior Talent Identification Scientist / Talent Identification Scientist )
2. The Day in the Life of a Talent Identification Scientist

The application process will be held open during the Xmas and New Year period. Applications will close on Friday 16th JANUARY 2009 with interviews scheduled for 2 – 6th FEBURARY 2009.

If you would like to read more about the exciting work of the UK Talent Team to date, please click here