AFL High Performance Internship

Are you currently studying Exercise Science, Sports Science or High Performance Sport? This is your chance to join an elite AFL club as Essendon Football Club look to appoint 2x High Performance Interns to ‘Don the Sash’ and join our AFL team based at The Hangar, Melbourne Airport.

About us

The Essendon Football Club – “The Bombers” – are a professional sporting organisation in the Australian Football League, home to several teams, including AFL, AFLW, VFL, VFLW and Wheelchair Football programs. But we’re more than the game. At Essendon, unity binds us. We firmly believe that our strength comes from standing together as One Club, embracing our rich diversity, and uniting around a shared purpose. Our passion fuels every kick, every play, and every decision.

The essence of the Essendon legacy is deeply woven into the fabric of the Australian sporting calendar, through significant events such as the ANZAC Day and Dreamtime clashes, underscoring our commemoration and connection to national identity. Our heritage sets us apart, shaping our ethos and inspiring our journey. We strive to be better every day, pushing the boundaries and relentlessly pursuing excellence. But amidst the intensity of competition, respect remains paramount. We care about our impact on others, whether it’s our teammates, opponents, or our community. When we ‘Don the Sash’, we do so with unity, passion, excellence, and respect guiding our every move, Always Striving toward our next triumph on the premiership stage.

About the role

Reporting to our Performance Analyst (Sports Science), students will have the opportunity to learn the core skills of being a Strength and Conditioning Coach and a Sports Scientist in elite Australian football. This involves:

• Structuring, facilitating and coaching strength, power and conditioning sessions;
• Being involved in the return to play process following injury;
• Testing and monitoring of athlete health and fitness;
• Data collection and interpretation using technologies such as Catapult OpenField (GPS), the VALD strength testing suite and GymAware; and
• Data analysis, visualisation and reporting using programs such as Excel and R

Internship Program Details

• Placement Commencement Date: Monday 10th November 2025
• Placement Duration: 2026 AFL season
• Days Per Week: 1 – 2 days per week
• Hours Per Day: 3 – 6 hours per day
• Work Location: The Hangar, Melbourne Airport

About you

Currently studying an Exercise Science related degree and in your 2nd year or later, you will be passionate about sport and want to be involved within an elite sporting club. You’ll have a genuine commitment to personal growth and development, with a strong desire to learn and succeed in a team environment.

You’ll be a self-starter who has excellent organisational skills and a passion for sport, athletic development/strength & conditioning, and sports science.

What we offer you

• The opportunity to complete Exercise and Sports Science Australia (ESSA) and Australian Strength and Conditioning Association (ASCA) placement hours;
• Involvement in real work and projects to help practice your skills and gain valuable work experience in a dynamic and fast paced environment;
• Mentors to provide you with feedback, support, and career advice;
• Opportunities to build your professional network while working with and learning from industry leaders and experts in their field; and
• Exposure to an elite sporting environment, being part of one of Australia’s largest and most successful AFL clubs.

Please keep reading…

Research shows that while men apply to jobs when they meet an average of 60% of the criteria, women and other marginalised folks tend to only apply when they check every box. So, if you think you have what it takes, but don’t necessarily meet every single point above, please still get in touch. We’d love to have a chat and see if you could be a great fit. 

We pride ourselves on creating an environment of shared spirit of passion, innovation, and inclusivity. As an Equal Opportunity employer, we firmly believe that diversity and inclusion is an important part of how we do business. We are united in upholding our Club-wide values and are consistently setting the benchmark both on and off the field as we strive to win our next premiership. And we wouldn’t be an elite footy club if we didn’t celebrate. All of our win’s matter, on and off the field, we love to reward and recognise our people from monthly barbecues to tickets to the Crichton Medal and Brownlow.

To Apply

To apply, please submit a cover letter along with your resume and latest academic transcript.

Applications close Sunday 14th September.

With our commitment to promoting and protecting the safety and wellbeing of children and young people in our care, we undertake several screening processes to ensure this commitment is upheld. This includes ensuring all of our people hold a valid Working with Children Check and a satisfactory criminal history record check.

All applications will be treated with respect and confidentiality, including timely responses.