Footwear Materials Technician (m/f/d)

Birkenstock; Köln; On-site; EUR 45,000 - 65,000; Full time

Job summary

BIRKENSTOCK is seeking a quality-focused professional to join our footwear QA team in Köln. You will evaluate prototypes, develop testing plans, and ensure compliance with international regulations while communicating requirements to suppliers and internal teams.

Ideal candidates have a degree in footwear technology or related field, plus experience in quality management and materials knowledge across textiles, leather, synthetics and adhesives.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s or higher in footwear tech or related field.
• Experience in quality management within footwear or apparel.
• Familiarity with testing methods and regulatory standards.

Responsibilities

• Evaluate footwear prototypes against quality standards and specs.
• Identify issues during development and propose corrective actions.
• Develop and coordinate testing plans for footwear and materials.
• Interpret lab reports and compare results to specs.
• Ensure compliance with international footwear regulations.
• Communicate quality requirements to stakeholders.
• Update quality standards, specs, and testing protocols.
• Monitor industry trends and regulatory developments.

Skills

Quality management

Testing plans

Regulatory compliance

Materials knowledge

Education

Degree in Footwear Technology

Materials Engineering

Job description

BIRKENSTOCK is a global brand which embraces all consumers regardless of geography, gender, age and income. The company is deeply footed on a family tradition of shoemaking that can be traced back to 1774. With around 7100 employees worldwide, BIRKENSTOCK is the largest employer in the German footwear industry. To ensure our quality standards, we produce over 95% of our products in Germany and source more than 90% of our materials and components from Europe. The BIRKENSTOCK Group is headquartered in Linz am Rhein and maintains several locations in Germany, as well as sales offices in Europe, North America, the Middle East and Asia.

YOUR SHOES TO FILL:

• Evaluate footwear prototypes and materials against quality standards and technical specifications
• Identify potential quality issues during development and recommend corrective actions
• Develop and coordinate testing plans for footwear and materials
• Interpret laboratory reports and evaluate results against specifications
• Support compliance with relevant international footwear and consumer product regulations
• Communicate quality expectations and technical requirements to relevant stakeholders
• Update quality standards, specifications, and testing protocols
• Monitor industry trends, testing methods, and regulatory development

YOUR WALK OF LIFE:

• Degree in Footwear Technology, Materials Engineering, Textile Engineering or a related field
• Professional experience in quality management within the footwear, sporting goods, or apparel industry
• Strong knowledge of materials like textiles, synthetics, leather rubber, EVA, PU, adhesives etc.
• Strong knowledge of construction and manufacturing processes, testing methods, and product development processes
• Experience with injection moulding is an advantage
• Experience working with international suppliers and manufacturing partners
• Fluent in English; German language is an advantage

WE OFFER:

BIRKENSTOCK offers you all the advantages of a successful, fast growing, global company: dynamic work environment, considerable design freedom, authentic and open corporate culture and excellent development opportunities.