Color Designer

Nike; Beaverton (OR); Hybrid; USD 70,000 - 110,000; Full time

Job summary

Nike’s Beaverton-based team is seeking an experienced Color Designer to craft compelling color stories and product executions for footwear. You will collaborate with Design, Product Management, Development, and Materials to deliver market-right color solutions that elevate the Jordan brand.

Responsibilities span color design, trend research, timing management, and documentation, with mentorship of junior designers and a strong emphasis on teamwork and culturally resonant storytelling.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Design or related field.
• 5+ years of color design experience, preferably in footwear, apparel, or consumer products.
• Strong understanding of color theory, color application, and storytelling.
• Experience in a product creation process from concept through commercialization.
• Strong collaboration and communication skills.
• Proficiency in Adobe Creative Suite (Illustrator, Photoshop).
• Ability to manage multiple projects and deadlines.

Responsibilities

• Create and execute color designs for footwear products.
• Develop seasonal color stories, palettes, and product-specific color solutions.
• Partner with Design, Product Marketing, Development, and Materials teams throughout the product creation process.
• Review samples and communicate revisions to ensure color accuracy and execution.
• Finalize color specifications and support products through commercialization.
• Research color, consumer, cultural, fashion, and lifestyle trends.
• Translate insights into innovative color solutions for future products.
• Manage color timelines and deliverables.
• Create and maintain line art, color specifications, CAD file organization and related product documentation.
• Coordinate materials and color application across product lines.
• Ensure all milestones and deadlines are met.
• Share expertise and best practices with teammates.
• Support and mentor junior designers when needed.
• Contribute to a collaborative and creative team environment.

Skills

Color design

Collaboration

Communication

Color theory

Storytelling

Project management

Education

Bachelor's degree in Design

Tools

Adobe Illustrator

Adobe Photoshop

Job description

Work options: Hybrid

Onsite: Mon-Thurs

Title: Color Designer

Location: Beaverton, OR

Duration: 6-month contract

NIKE, Inc. does more than outfit the world's best athletes. It is a place to explore potential, obliterate boundaries, and push the edges of what can be. We look for people who can grow, think, dream, and create. Our culture thrives by embracing diversity and rewarding imagination. We seek achievers, leaders, and visionaries - people who bring skill and passion to a challenging, constantly evolving game.

Jordan Design is where creative possibility meets purpose. It's a place for builders, boundary-breakers, and vision-setters - people who move with conviction, think originally, and create work shaped by real experience and cultural depth.

Our team thrives when imagination, discipline, and collaboration come together. We look for designers who bring their full creative voice, understand the communities that inspire us, and are driven to shape the future for the next generation of Jordan athletes and fans.

About The Role

Jordan Design is looking for an experienced Color Designer to help create compelling color stories and product executions across footwear. This role partners closely with Design, Product Management, Development, and Materials teams to deliver market-right color solutions that elevate the Jordan brand. This role contributes to AJ1, Retro, and DNA (New Creation)

Key Responsibilities

WHAT YOU WILL WORK ON

Product Color Design

• Create and execute color designs for footwear products.
• Develop seasonal color stories, palettes, and product-specific color solutions.
• Partner with Design, Product Marketing, Development, and Materials teams throughout the product creation process.
• Review samples and communicate revisions to ensure color accuracy and execution.
• Finalize color specifications and support products through commercialization.

Creative & Trend Research

• Research color, consumer, cultural, fashion, and lifestyle trends.
• Translate insights into innovative color solutions for future products.
• Contribute to seasonal color direction, merchandising strategies, and product journeys.

Product Execution

• Manage color timelines and deliverables.
• Create and maintain line art, color specifications, CAD file organization and related product documentation.
• Coordinate materials and color application across product lines.
• Ensure all milestones and deadlines are met.

Team Contribution

• Share expertise and best practices with teammates.
• Support and mentor junior designers when needed.
• Contribute to a collaborative and creative team environment.

What You Bring

Required Experience, Education & Skills

Required

• Bachelor's degree in Design, Color Design, Industrial Design, Fashion Design, or related field.
• 5+ years of color design experience, preferably in footwear, apparel, or consumer products.
• Strong understanding of color theory, color application, and storytelling.
• Experience working within a product creation process from concept through commercialization.
• Strong collaboration and communication skills.
• Proficiency in Adobe Creative Suite (especially Illustrator and Photoshop).
• Ability to manage multiple projects and deadlines simultaneously.
• Product Journey and Seasonal Organization

Preferred

• Footwear color design experience.
• Experience working with performance and/or lifestyle products.
• Knowledge of materials, finishes, special effects, and manufacturing processes.
• Experience creating seasonal color strategies.
• Familiarity with Nike product creation tools and systems.
• Understanding of Jordan Brand, sneaker culture, and consumer trends.