Department: Performance Nutrition

Job Title: Performance Dietician

Reports to: Director, Player Performance and Health

POSITION OVERVIEW:   

This role will lead performance dietetics and nutrition encompassing culinary services, inclusive of food and supplement purchase and utilization.  The optimal candidate will develop the Los Angeles Lakers’ fueling philosophy and educational curriculum, overseeing all culinary services in addition to providing direct care to the athletes on the Los Angeles Lakers (LAL) and South Bay Lakers (SBL) rosters.  The Performance Dietician will collaborate with the Los Angeles Lakers Performance, Medical, and Coaching staff to help the organization achieve best in class performance dietetics and nutrition.

Duties and Responsibilities:

• Collaborate with sports performance team to establish player plans including setting goals and measuring progress throughout the entirety of the competitive season.
• Design and implement year-round basketball specific fueling programs for Lakers athletes, communicating with their home chefs as asked to coordinate meals.
• Evaluate, motivate and educate athletes on the LAL and SBL rosters in regard to their progression toward goals established by the Lakers Organization.
• Document progress reports on the active roster and injured list in Smartabase
• Travel with the LAL team as needed and the SBL team once/season.
• Coordinate travel menus with Top Notch, Team Hotels, Delta and Travel Coordinator. 
• Communicate expectations for set-up and flow of meals at hotels, arenas and in-flight.
• Approve menus from executive chef for UHTC and Crypto.com Arena, ensuring fueling needs, food preferences, & allergies are taken into account for each athlete and coach.
• Meet regularly with performance, medical, and coaching staff to ensure effective communication and unified message for nutrition throughout the organization.
• Coordinate all meals for the LAL team in accordance to the Los Angeles Lakers fueling philosophy and best practices in performance nutrition and the approved budget.
• Advise the travel meals for the SBL team to achieve best practices in performance nutrition.
• Oversee culinary staff and set up at UHTC including quality of service, professionalism, efficiency and effectiveness, including menu development, scheduling, presentation and food quality.
• Assess and analyze dietary habits, body composition, hydration practices and energy balance of players throughout the season and adjust fueling habits to enhance athletic performance and organizational goals.
• Advise athletes on individualized nutrition strategies based on energy systems and recovery needs throughout the season to maximize energy utilization and health.
• Integrate with performance, coaches, strength and conditioning staff, sports medicine staff to ensure a comprehensive approach to training, nutrition and recovery.
• Implement injury nutrition protocols throughout the recovery process from acute and chronic injuries.
• Establish and implement body composition testing protocols to assess lean mass changes throughout the competitive season.
• Order and disperse NSF and Informed Sport certified supplements according to the Los Angeles Lakers fueling philosophy and allocated budget.
• Create systems to educate and monitor supplement use and protocols by LAL and SBL athletes to ensure effectiveness and safety.
• Identify upcoming trends or limitations specific to basketball and the NBA that require adjustment to the nutrition education curriculum.   
• Stay up to date on research as it pertains to professional basketball and clinical dietetics.

EDUCATION

• Bachelor’s degree in Nutrition, Exercise Science, Kinesiology, Sports Nutrition, Food Science, Dietetics or related field (required)
• Master’s or Doctoral degree (preferred)

CREDENTIALS AND CERTIFICATIONS

• Registered Dietitian (RD) in good standing with the Commission of Dietetic Registration (CDR) (required)
• Certified Specialist in Sports Dietetics (CSSD) (preferred).  

DESIRED EXPERIENCE AND EXPERTISE

• Leadership in the field of dietetics
• Food service management in professional sports
• Performance nutrition program development
• Clinical management of professional athletes

The pay range for this role is $165,000 to $185,000 annually. Actual compensation packages are based on several factors that are unique to each candidate, including but not limited to skill set, depth of experience and certifications

 We are an equal opportunity employer and all qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, national origin, sex, sexual orientation, age, disability, gender identity, marital or veteran status, or any other protected class.