Sports Science Researcher (Summer Internship)

Support the applied research and product validation work behind Output Sports’ performance technology. As a Summer Intern – Sports Science Researcher, you will help evaluate the validity and practical application of our IMU system across key testing domains including velocity-based training, jump testing, reactive strength index, mobility, and balance.

Role Overview
Based in the Nova UCD office in Dublin between June & August, this 2-3 month internship offers the opportunity to work at the intersection of sports science, biomechanics, and product innovation within a fast-growing sports technology company. You will contribute to research projects designed to assess the concurrent validity of Output Sports IMU technology against gold-standard systems such as force plates and Linear Position Transducers.

This role is ideal for someone with a strong academic grounding in sports science or a related discipline, and a genuine interest in applied research, athlete testing, and performance technology. You will gain hands-on exposure to research design, data collection, analysis, and cross-functional collaboration in a live R&D environment.

Your Responsibilities

• Assist in the design and execution of research protocols evaluating Output Sports IMU validity across velocity-based training, jump testing, reactive strength index, mobility, and balance assessments.
• Support and conduct athlete testing sessions comparing Output Sports IMU outputs with gold-standard systems including force plates and Linear Position Transducers.
• Ensure accurate setup, calibration, and synchronization of all testing and measurement systems.
• Organise, clean, and preprocess datasets to support robust analysis.
• Assist with statistical comparisons between Output Sports IMU outputs and criterion device measures such as mean barbell velocity, jump height, and flight time.
• Contribute to reliability and validity analysis, including correlation, ICC, and Bland–Altman methodology.
• Maintain clear and accurate records of testing protocols, participant data, and session logs.
• Work closely with product and engineering teams to share feedback on device performance, usability, and research findings.
• Support the preparation of internal reports, presentations, and research-led white papers for wider business and marketing use.
• Stay informed on emerging trends in sports science, biomechanics, wearable technology, and performance analytics.

You are curious, detail-oriented, and motivated to apply sports science in a practical product-focused environment. You enjoy working with data, testing protocols, and performance technology, and you are keen to develop your research and analytical skills in a fast-moving company setting.

Requirements

• Currently pursuing or recently completed a Bachelor’s degree in Physiotherapy, Sports Science, Biomechanics, Kinesiology, Exercise Physiology, or a related field.
• Strong understanding of resistance training movements such as squat, bench press, and countermovement jump.
• Interest in sports technology, biomechanics, and performance analysis.
• Strong attention to detail and ability to follow standardised testing protocols.
• Clear communication skills and ability to work effectively as part of a team in a lab or performance environment.
• Strong organisational skills and the ability to manage time across multiple testing sessions.

Desirables

• Familiarity with Output Sports technology.
• Experience working with force plates, Linear Position Transducers, motion capture, or wearable technology.
• Understanding of velocity-based training principles.
• Experience using data analysis tools such as Excel or R.
• Basic knowledge of statistical methods commonly used in sports science research.
• Previous exposure to athlete testing, strength and conditioning environments, or lab-based research.

Core Competencies

• Eagerness to learn and adapt to new technologies.
• Precision and consistency in data collection.
• Strong organisation and data management skills.
• Analytical mindset with an interest in research methodology.
• Collaborative approach across research, product, and performance teams.
• Proactive attitude with a high level of attention to detail.