Designer 2 – Footwear (Performance)

Arc'teryx Limited; Portland (OR); On-site; USD 82,000 - 108,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Health & wellbeing

Professional development opportunities

Job summary

Arc’teryx is seeking a Designer 2 – Footwear to design innovative performance footwear in our Portland office. You will help develop seasonal products and contribute to a strong footwear DNA across form, fit, materials, and brand expression.

You will collaborate with PLM, Development, Materials, Merchandising, and Commercial teams while guiding visual storytelling and technical documentation. Travel nationally/internationally as needed.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree or equivalent industry experience in footwear design.
• 5+ years hands-on footwear or advanced product design experience.
• Strong understanding of footwear construction, materials, fit, tooling, and manufacturing processes.
• Proficient with Adobe Illustrator and able to create sketches, renderings, prototypes, and product documentation.
• Excellent collaboration, attention to detail, and ability to work across functions.

Responsibilities

• Create and execute performance footwear designs within seasonal timelines.
• Contribute to a clear footwear DNA across form, fit, function, materials, and branding.
• Support stage gates, reviews, seasonal handoffs, and product meetings with visual storytelling.
• Collaborate with PLM, Development, Materials, Merchandising, and Commercial teams to understand opportunities.
• Engage with athletes and guests to inform iterative design approaches.

Skills

Team player

Attention to detail

Planning

Problem solving

Decision making

Independent work

Collaboration across functions

Education

Bachelor’s Degree in Industrial Design, Product Design, Footwear Design, or equivalent

Tools

Adobe Illustrator

Job description

Your opportunity at ARC’TERYX:

As a Designer 2 – Footwear, you design innovative and resolved footwear solutions that are aligned with the Arc’teryx design vision and support the evolving needs of mountain athletes and guests. In this role, you will contribute to the creation and execution of seasonal footwear product, helping build a strong and ownable Arc’teryx footwear DNA across form, fit, function, materials, and brand expression. You bring your curiosity and passion for product to imagine, prototype, and refine relevant design solutions that balance technical performance, user needs, and commercial opportunity. You are an innovative problem solver with a focus on collaborative teamwork.

This role is based out of our Portland office and is expected to be performed on-location.

Meet your future team:

The Arc’teryx Footwear team creates innovative, technical product that exceeds the core mountain athlete’s needs in the outdoors. We are builders, problem solvers, and passionate outdoor enthusiasts. Fueled by curiosity, we take an immersive approach to identifying our athlete’s needs and build, test, and validate products that solve for real functional challenges. We are a passionate collective with a focus on collaborative teamwork and our vision is to redefine the industry.

If you were in the Designer 2 – Footwear role now, here are some of the core activities you would be doing:

• Creating and executing assigned performance footwear designs within seasonal timelines to complement existing collections and support future product opportunities
• Contributing to the build and evolution of a clear footwear design DNA that strengthens Arc’teryx’s point of view across form, fit, function, materials, and brand expression
• Supporting stage gates, internal reviews, seasonal handoffs, and product meetings with clear visual storytelling and resolved design work
• Partnering with PLM, Development, Materials, Merchandising, and Commercial teams to understand product opportunities and help build key product drivers
• Serving the mountain athlete and broader guest needs through research, observation, athlete input, and user-centered iterative design approaches
• Creating and visually conveying concepts, sketches, renderings, mockups, prototypes, and technical details to explore and prove new footwear ideas
• Providing detailed product initiations and tech pack information to Product Development, including spec drawings, patterns, fit direction, materials, colour, and construction information
• Collaborating with Development and factory partners to resolve fit, construction, material, and manufacturing challenges through the product creation process
• Coordinating with the Raw Materials team to source, develop, test, and apply materials appropriate to footwear performance and commercial needs
• Developing and maintaining a thorough understanding of Arc’teryx footwear materials, components, tooling, construction methods, and manufacturing techniques
• Collaborating closely with other designers to bring forward new and better toolbox solutions, including technologies, constructions, features, and materials
• Staying current with footwear, outdoor, material, and industry trends to help ensure Arc’teryx exceeds our athletes’ and guests’ evolving needs
• Assisting with current product design changes and addressing in-line production needs as required
• Contributing to the creation of a new footwear chapter for Arc’teryx, centered on product, process, team, and guest experience
• Helping build pinnacle footwear concepts and commercial product drivers that establish a distinct Arc’teryx footwear DNA in the market
• Working closely with development teams and innovation partners to challenge and evolve how new footwear ideas move from concept to production
• Collaborating with Arc’teryx athletes and industry representatives to gather insight and propose product solutions for future footwear needs

Are you our next Designer 2 – Footwear?

• You have a Bachelor’s Degree in Industrial Design, Product Design, Footwear Design, or equivalent industry experience
• You have 5+ years of hands‑on experience designing footwear or technically advanced product
• You have a strong understanding of footwear construction, materials, fit, componentry, tooling, and manufacturing processes
• You are able to create clear sketches, renderings, mockups, prototypes, technical drawings, and product documentation
• You are proficient with Adobe Illustrator and other design tools used to communicate footwear concepts and specifications
• You have strong attention to detail and can contribute to a cohesive collection of footwear products
• You are an excellent team player with the ability to take direction, work independently, and collaborate across functions
• You have strong planning, organizational, problem-solving, and decision‑making skills
• You are proactive in identifying the root cause of issues and seeking the best solutions with a commitment to doing what is rightYou remain flexible and adaptable when faced with ambiguity
• You balance autonomy and collaboration while contributing to breakthrough thinking and continuous improvement
• Your passion for your work is paralleled by your passion for getting outside and living it
• You have strong knowledge of Arc’teryx products and the activities Arc’teryx makes products for
• You have the ability to travel both nationally and internationally as required

Compensation

The salary range for this role is USD$82,000 - USD$108,000

Total Rewards

Most new team members join between the start and midpoint of the range, where you can contribute right away while continuing to grow your craft, your collaborations, and your impact at Arc’teryx. This range reflects market alignment and the scope of the role. Individual pay is determined by your skills, experience, and level of responsibility.

We’re committed to fair, equitable, and competitive pay, reviewed regularly to ensure internal alignment and market relevance. Transparency is part of how we follow through on our commitments and how we honour the value you bring to our team.

In addition to base pay, Arc’teryx supports people through benefits designed to sustain both work and life:

• Health & wellbeing - Extended health, dental, and vision coverage, including mental health support, fertility benefits, and a 24/7 Employee Assistance Program (EAP).
• Financial wellbeing - Immediately vested 401(k) retirement savings plan matching, eligibility for Arc'teryx Annual Incentive Plan and access to Employee Stock Purchase Program (ESPP), where applicable.
• Time & Flexibility - Paid time off, and No Wasted Day program (dedicated paid days to get outside & explore).
• Family support - Parental leave for birthing and non-birthing parents, including an option to ease the transition back to work.
• Growth, community & gear - Professional development opportunities, Arc'teryx Academies (outdoor skill-building events),Employee Belonging Councils, and access to employee discounts and Pro Deals (exclusive discounted pricing on gear).

*Eligibility for certain programs may vary by role.

Equal Opportunity

Arc’teryx is committed to actively creating and fostering a culture of inclusivity where voices are heard, people are seen, and values are respected. We care about the uniqueness of our applicants, employees, and guests, and we do so in a safe space fueled by curiosity and acceptance.

Creating an inclusive workplace is connected to our core value Do Right while also having the added benefit of helping make our business better. We believe inclusion helps us to create a healthier, happier workplace, drive creativity and innovation, and reflect the communities where we operate.

All applicants, employees, and guests can expect equality of opportunity and fair treatment in alignment with our values.

Leave it Better

We believe that the mountains transform us, that how we adventure matters, and that there’s always a better way.

Join us in creating positive change in ourselves, our communities, and the world.

Live it.Get out there - the mountains make us better

Disruptive evolution.In pursuit of better. Always.

Commit.We set bold objectives and see them through.