Designer II, Core Studio Footwear Materials Design Expression

Nike Inc; Beaverton (OR); Hybrid; USD 65,000 - 105,000; Full time

Job summary

Nike Inc is seeking a Footwear Materials Designer to drive material innovation and storytelling for performance and lifestyle footwear. You will push concept development, build 3D samples, and translate consumer insights into compelling material narratives across multiple product lines.

You will collaborate with Core Footwear Product Design, Color Design, Graphic Design, and Marketing teams to deliver seasonal directions, while managing fast-paced timelines and budgets.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in textiles or related field or equivalent experience.
• 2–3 years of relevant design experience in Textile or Footwear Design.
• Ability to translate consumer insights into narratives and product executions.
• Understanding of sneaker, youth, and sports culture.
• Experience creating concepts and exploring new material innovations and technologies.
• Experience building mood boards and presentations for seasonal directions.
• Experience building 3D samples and hand-made mockups.
• Ability to present concepts to internal/external audiences.
• Collaborate with design and adjacent teams across functions.
• Proficient in Adobe Creative Suite (Photoshop, Illustrator, InDesign).
• Experience with 3D tools like Substance and AI-based concept creation.
• Able to manage multiple seasonal projects with tight deadlines.
• Design with sustainability in mind.

Responsibilities

• Work on a wide range of footwear product spanning performance and lifestyle for men and women.
• Create and curate technical material designs using current techniques and new ideas.
• Finalize tech packs and collaborate with manufacturers and athletes when needed.
• Partner with design teams to bring seasonal direction to life through materials.

Skills

Textile/Footwear design

Trend forecasting

Concept development

3D prototyping

Storytelling narratives

Presentation skills

Cross-functional collaboration

Sustainability minded

Fast-paced adaptability

Product creation understanding

Education

Bachelor’s degree in textiles or related field

Tools

Adobe Photoshop

Adobe Illustrator

Adobe InDesign

Substance 3D

AI generative tools

Job description

WHO WE ARE LOOKING FOR

We’re looking for an exceptional Footwear Materials Designer to combine their experience, problem solving abilities, and creativity to help create the future of Nike Footwear Materials. This role sits within Nike Core Footwear group – which covers Running, training, basketball, lifestyle and sandals at key competitive pricepoints for a global audience.

The ideal candidate needs to be a highly creative problem solver, with a strong trend right aesthetic vision who doesn’t settle for anything less than the best design and materials solutions, to meet the needs of the consumer at all stages of their movement and beyond. This person will be focused on elevating the consumer experience by creating materials that are performance and trend-relevant for a range of products, while driving an emotional connection to materials for the consumer through the use of narrative and storytelling.

• Bachelor’s degree in texiles or related field or Will accept any equivalent combination of education and experience.
• At least 2-3 years of relevant design experience exemplifying ability to push material design, and/or relevant experience in Textile Design or Footwear Design.
• Ability to translate consumer knowledge/insights to narratives and product executions.
• Understanding of sneaker, youth, and sports culture.
• Ability to create concepts and explore new Materials innovations and technologies and ideas
• Experience building inspiration/concept presentations, and mood boards for seasonal concepts and direction
• Experience building 3D samples and creating mockup samples by hand
• Participates in the communication and presentation of design concepts to internal and external audiences
• Collaborate and build interpersonal connections with design and adjacent functions
• Ability to create and edit files using Adobe programs including Photoshop, Illustrator, and InDesign
• Experience with 3D software tools, like Substance, for material renders and AI generative tools for concept creation
• Ability in participating in multiple seasonal projects with competing resources and deadlines
• Experience with product budgets and meeting targets
• Designing with sustainability in mind
• Ability and agility to think across multiple projects and work efficiently at a fast pace
• Understanding of the Footwear Product Creation process, a plus.
• Passion for Design.

WHAT YOU WILL WORK ON

Your day to day job will be working on a wide range of footwear product spanning performance and lifestyle for both men and women.

If this is you, you will be working on a range of technical and complex material designs using the latest techniques all the way to curating and elevating existing materials for refresh and collection models.

Your work encompasses concepting and ideating through to finalizing tech packs, as well as working with manufacturing partners, and at times communicating directly with athletes; the daily responsibilities of this role are wide ranging, challenging, and rewarding.

WHO YOU WILL WORK WITH

You will be partnering with the Nike Core Footwear Product Design, Color Design, Graphic Design, Digital Design and Marketing & Development teams in bringing to life the seasonal creative direction through Footwear Materials design and innovation. This role will report directly to the Materials Design Director, Core Footwear

.

We offer a number of accommodations to complete our interview process including screen readers, sign language interpreters, accessible and single location for in-person interviews, closed captioning, and other reasonable modifications as needed. If you discover, as you navigate our application process, that you need assistance or an accommodation due to a disability, please complete the Candidate Accommodation Request Form.