Postdoc Accelerating Innovations in Team Sports

Team sports like football, field hockey and handball are characterized by activity patterns that are intermittent (running alternated with walking) and consist of changes of direction in reaction to the ball, team members and opponents. To be successful, teams develop a playing style to beat the opponent. Furthermore, an outstanding ball control is needed to pass and receive the ball and execute a game strategy. These skills are needed when players are put under pressure during game situations. Taken together, physical, tactical, technical, and mental skills determine winning of games, leagues, and tournaments.
With further advancements in technology and AI, we propose to develop a shared national knowledge agenda with focus on Team Sports. This collective knowledge agenda for team sports will serve as a strategic roadmap, fostering sustainable collaboration among universities, sports organizations, local and national government bodies, and industry stakeholders. This will lead to two innovative pilots in Team Sports in the next 2 years.

- Recently obtained a PhD degree in human movement sciences, sport and exercise sciences, data science, or computer sciences. (or approval of reading committee expected within 2025).
- Research expertise in one or more of the scientific domains of sports and human performance and injury prevention.
- Preferably experienced in working in elite sports or other high-demand environments including irregular work hours that align with training and matches.
- Excellent statistical, computational, and analytical skills.
- Excellent programming skills, e.g., in MATLAB, Python and/or R-software.
- Experience with supervision of students at bachelor and master level.
- Demonstrated ability to collaborate with external stakeholders, such as sports organizations, policymakers, and industry partners, to translate research into practice in areas such as interventions, training, policy, and advisory roles.
- Teamplayer and demonstrable organizational qualities and communication skills.
- Language proficiency: Fluency in Dutch and English.

The Postdoc position is 24 months after appointment. Expected starting date at the latest September 1st, 2025. Based on a full-time appointment, at the level of Postdoc, the salary will be a maximum of € 5.669,- gross per month (scale 10). The exact salary will depend on the applicant’s qualifications and relevant experience. In addition, the UMCG will offer you 8% holiday pay, and 8.3% end-of-year bonus. The conditions of employment comply with the Collective Labour Agreement for Medical Centres (CAO-UMC).

The Postdoc in Team Sports will be appointed within the Department of Human Movement Sciences of the University Medical Center Groningen (UMCG) and the Faculty of Medical Sciences of the University of Groningen (UG). Research and education of the department is organized along three ‘Field of application’-lines: Sports, Rehabilitation and Healthy Aging. The successful applicant will join the Sports line. The Department offers the bachelor’s degree program Human Movement Sciences, two 2-year master’s degree programs, one in Human Movement Sciences (HMS) and one in Sports Sciences (SpS). Approximately 850 students, along with over 35 PhD students, form the heart of the ‘learning’ community in a stimulating academic and social environment. Our programs are ranked the best in their field over the past years
As the project will be embedded in Team Sports the Postdoc will be based two to three days per week at the training locations of the participating national teams. These locations may include Arnhem (National Sports Center Papendal), Rotterdam, Amsterdam and/or the Hague, depending on the teams participating in the pilots. During the project, the Postdoc will join the team at the Sports Science Center Papendal where other experts working in elite sports are available for knowledge exchange and discussion.

Postdoc in Team Sports (80 %)
The position of Postdoc focusses on data-driven innovations for Team Sports. Due to technological advancements, such as wearable sensor devices, automatic tracking systems, video-based motion analysis, and global positioning systems, large and diverse amounts of data are collected to measure and understand human performance (i.e. tactical decision-making) and injury prevention in Team Sports. Ultimately, the goal of this project is to implement scientifically sound innovations in two national team sports programs.