Cognitive Performance Specialist

Medcentrek LLC is seeking an experienced Cognitive Performance Specialistto function as integrated members of the Maneuver Center of Excellence (MCOE) Holistic Health and Fitness (H2F) Implementation Team (HIT).

Background: The Holistic Health and Fitness (H2F) System is the Army’s primary investment in Soldier readiness and lethality, optimal physical and non-physical performance, reduced injury rates, improved rehabilitation after injury, and increased overall effectiveness of the Total Army. The system empowers and equips Soldiers to take charge of their health, fitness, and well-being in order to optimize individual performance, while preventing injury and disease. Highly trained, disciplined, and fit Soldiers build cohesive teams. Our teams are strongest when we ensure each individual Soldier's performance is optimized. To accomplish this, the Army is creating a cultural change to Soldiers’ perceptions of training for the demands of close combat. All Soldiers must view their health and fitness as a critical requirement for membership in the Profession of Arms. The H2F System provides a unified and holistic vision with an effective implementation strategy in order to improve the Army’s culture of health and fitness. Investing in health and fitness benefits our Soldiers and their Families. It also ensures the sustainment of an agile and adaptive Army, ready to provide the Nation with a professional, lethal, and decisive force that will win against any adversary. In addition to the contracted AT, SCC, and CPS, the HIT Team will generally consist of the following Government personnel: H2F Program Director (PD), Chaplain, Physical Therapist (PT), Registered Dietitian (RD), and Occupational Therapist (OT).

Objectives: The HIT is a mobile interdisciplinary team that will introduce, standardize implementation, and train the Army’s new Holistic Health and Fitness (H2F) System to Brigade-based interdisciplinary H2F Performance Teams whose focus is optimizing Soldier readiness and performance. The contract employees shall support a uniformed rollout of H2F to the Total Army by 1) collaborating with BDE-based H2F Performance Teams and 2) interacting with Army leaders of H2F resourced BDEs and installations. The HIT will conduct implementation site visits to support up to 128 H2F resourced BDEs at 28 Army installations across the U.S. and in Europe and the Pacific. The contract employees will work as part of the HIT to develop a comprehensive implementation plan to standardize indoctrination of newly H2F resourced BDEs, reinforcing doctrine, sharing best practices, and using lessons learned to improve the H2F system. The HIT will also support virtual implementation efforts to other brigades (BDE) in the Active Duty (COMPO1), National Guard (COMPO 2), and Reserve (COMPO 3) components.

The CPS will use their knowledge, skills, abilities, and expertise in cognitive skills training, mental resiliency, and other cognitive performance related functions to communicate H2F doctrine, lessons learned, and best practices.

Location: The contract employees will be assigned to MCOE, Fort Eustis, and will travel with the HIT team to various military installations, both within (CONUS) and outside the continental United States (OCONUS), to conduct H2F implementation and standardization. Anticipated travel will be approximately 25 to 50 percent of the time. The contract employees function to standardize H2F practices across the Total Army and to increase readiness, military manpower and reduce medical attrition. The HIT will utilize Army-specific functional fitness training programs, in accordance with Field Manual (FM) 7-22, Holistic Health and Fitness, and while meeting each BDE’s Program of Instruction (POI) requirements.

: The contractor shall conduct business during normal business hours, typically between the hours of 8 AM to 5 PM, but may vary to between 6 AM and 7 PM based on mission requirements, Monday thru Friday, except Federal holidays or when the Government facility is closed due to local or national emergencies, administrative closings, or similar Government directed facility closings. For other than firm fixed price contracts, the contractor will not be reimbursed when the government facility is closed for the above reasons. Hours worked for any two-week period shall not exceed 80 hours.

The Cognitive Performance Specialist (CPS) shall:

· Possess a Doctoral degree in Psychology, Human Performance, Kinesiology, Counseling, Counseling Psychology, Coaching Education, or Exercise Science, and/or Sport Sciences with a specialization in Sport Psychology.

· Possess a license as a psychologist with a proficiency in sports psychology as recognized in Division 47 of the American Psychological Association, or Certification as a Certified Consultant through the Association for Applied Sport Psychology (CC-AASP), or Certified Mental Performance Consultant (CMPC), or Board Certified Sport Psychologist through the American Board of Sport Psychology (ABSP).

· Have a minimum of five years of demonstrable accumulated experience (recent experience preferred) as a mental performance coach or sport psychology practitioner with individual athletes and groups of athletes at the levels of NCAA Collegiate, Olympic, professional sports, and/or Service Members in the accompanying, respective settings.

· Previous experience within the military environment preferred.

· Have the ability to read, write, and speak English to effectively communicate with Soldiers, staff and other CPSs.

· Be able to teach effectively in an indoor classroom and field training setting, presenting both standardized instruction and creative workshops.

· Have experience in developing course content of similar scope and complexity.

· Have experience and ability to obtain the desired learning outcomes through delivery of well facilitated and engaging instruction.

· Demonstrate sufficient initiative, interpersonal relationship skills and social sensitivity such that they can relate to a variety of Soldiers from diverse backgrounds.

· Have the ability to operate a personal or Government computer utilizing Microsoft applications, such as Word, Excel, MS Teams.

· Be capable of properly lifting and manipulating loads or weights up to 45 pounds and capable of meeting physical demands of training in all types of weather with Soldiers including the ability to hike over rough terrain, function in austere environments to observe Soldier training evolutions and to train, educate, coach, and mentor.

· Participate in Government-based education and in-service training as mandated by the local installation. Mandatory Government training will comply with requirements established in this PWS.

· Participate in continuing education programs to meet the requirements for their license or certification renewals. The CPS shall not attend licensing/credentialing continuing education training during duty hours unless mandated by the Government and approved by the HIT PD. The Government is not responsible for CPS continuing education costs. Elective continuing education opportunities occurring on the installation may be extended to the CPS as non-billable time.

· Maintain current certification/licensing requirements as required by the contract.

· Not have been convicted of a felony.

Specific Tasks:

The Contractor shall understand and communicate necessary actions required to establish and administer effective cognitive enhancement education and tailored training programs designed to maximize cognitive performance, team cohesion, and task specific performance of BDE personnel. The CPS shall complete the specific tasks in the PWS. CPS shall perform services IAW the Association for Applied Sport Psychology or the American Board of Sport Psychology Scope of Practice.

· Collaboratively work with interdisciplinary HIT and BDE H2F Performance Teams to:

· Educate and train beneficial approaches to Soldier readiness and care in a holistic, interdisciplinary fashion.

· Ensure understanding of the importance of the Soldier as an integrated member of the BDE and how by providing care within the brigade area and sustaining direct contact with other members of the brigade enhances unit cohesion.

· Teach how to establish influence and build beneficial relationships to further advocate for the H2F team and promote to unit leaders the best approaches to unit readiness.

· Participate in in-person or virtual pre-implementation planning meetings with the HIT and BDE representatives to prepare cognitive performance specific plan based on unit assessment for the implementation site visit. Disseminate prerequisite information/tasks for BDE leaders and the BDE H2F Performance Team. Tasks may include, but are not limited to, pre-briefs with unit representatives, unit data analysis, content verification, and BDE culture/history review.

· Based on needs assessment of unit, create additional or modify existing H2F implementation content. Content to be approved by Government prior to use.

· Attend implementation site visits with the HIT to deliver standardized H2F implementation plan, and to optimize the BDE H2F Performance Team’s execution within the framework of the unit’s training/operational schedule, battle rhythm, and culture.

· Participate in post-implementation meetings with the HIT and BDE representatives to reinforce, supplement, and clarify H2F System standards and practices following the implementation site visit.

· Participate in virtual H2F implementation and support programming to support COMPO 1/2/3 units.

· Participate in periodic meetings with the HIT PD and other HIT team members to provide a report on H2F System implementation efforts related to physical training program and recommendations/feedback on to enhance Soldier/unit progression. Report shall be furnished IAW local policy.

· Track and document summary questions, concerns, and comments from discussions and sessions held with BDE H2F Performance Teams and BDE leaders and recommend opportunities for H2F System improvement to the Government.

· Educate and train tactics and strategies necessary to develop and execute cognitive enhancement programs IAW FM 7-22 Holistic Health and Fitness.

· Provide recommended instruction and guidance to the BDE leadership and H2F Performance Teams on cognitive enhancement programs to optimize specific performances IAW FM 7-22 Holistic Health and Fitness.

Pay: $115,000.00 - $125,000.00 per year

Benefits:

• Relocation assistance

Work Location: In person