Sports Engineers

Sports engineers conduct research, solve problems, and develop products in a wide range of sports (e.g., baseball, golf, soccer, tennis, motorsports) and practice areas based on their educational background, level of experience, and employer. For example, sports engineers with a background in electrical engineering work to design and develop Internet of Things–smart helmets that incorporate communication and electronic sensing devices that help athletes improve their performance. Engineers with a background in mechanical engineering help develop customized football helmets for athletes at different playing positions. These helmets better protect players from concussions and other injuries. Engineers with backgrounds in biomedical and electrical engineering develop wearable technology such as fitness trackers and smartwatches. “This technology can help athletes to track their heart rate, distance traveled, and other metrics, and can be used to provide valuable insights into their training and performance,” according to Catapult, a sports performance analytics company.

Sports engineers with a background in civil engineering help design or redesign sports stadiums, while those with training in automotive engineering help design and modify race cars to improve gas mileage, aerodynamics, and other performance aspects. Others design hydronic heating systems for the National Football League that are used to warm the turf during wintry conditions. Engineers with backgrounds in robotics and advanced artificial intelligence are developing robot athletes. Other sports engineers develop performance and safety standards, design coaching and training tools, analyze the impact of sports surfaces on performance, and conduct research to improve the fan experience at games.