Designer II, Core Studio Footwear Materials Design Expression

Global Sports Jobs Limited; Pahokee (FL); On-site; USD 70,000 - 100,000; Full time

Job summary

Nike is seeking a Materials Designer within Core Footwear to help shape the future of footwear materials for running, training, basketball, lifestyle and sandals. You will partner with Design, Color Design, Graphic Design and Digital teams to translate creative direction into innovative materials.

Reports to the Materials Design Director, Core Footwear. Responsibilities include creating technical material designs, curating existing materials, and developing concepts through tech packs, ensuring

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in textiles or a related field or equivalent combination of education and experience.
• 2–3 years of design experience in Textile or Footwear Design or related field.
• Strong trend-right aesthetic vision and problem-solving ability.
• Ability to translate consumer insights into narratives and product executions.

Responsibilities

• Work on a wide range of footwear products for performance and lifestyle for men and women.
• Create technical and complex material designs using latest techniques.
• Curate and refresh existing materials for new collections.
• Concept and develop through to final tech packs.
• Create materials that are performance- and trend-relevant for various products.
• Drive emotional connection to materials through storytelling.

Skills

Adobe Photoshop

Adobe Illustrator

InDesign

Substance 3D

AI generative tools

Education

Textiles degree or related field

Tools

Substance

Photoshop

Illustrator

InDesign

Job description

About the Role

This role sits within the Nike Core Footwear group, which covers Running, training, basketball, lifestyle and sandals at key competitive pricepoints for a global audience. The Footwear Materials Designer combines experience, problem solving ability and creativity to help create the future of Nike Footwear Materials, working on a wide range of footwear product spanning performance and lifestyle for both men and women. The role partners with the Nike Core Footwear Product Design, Colour Design, Graphic Design, Digital Design and Marketing & Development teams to bring the seasonal creative direction to life through footwear materials design and innovation, and reports directly to the Materials Design Director, Core Footwear.

Key Responsibilities

• Work on a wide range of footwear product spanning performance and lifestyle for both men and women.
• Create a range of technical and complex material designs using the latest techniques.
• Curate and elevate existing materials for refresh and collection models.
• Concept and ideate through to finalising tech packs.
• Create materials that are performance and trend-relevant for a range of products.
• Drive an emotional connection to materials for the consumer through the use of narrative and storytelling.
• Work with manufacturing partners and, at times, communicate directly with athletes.
• Participate in the communication and presentation of design concepts to internal and external audiences.
• Collaborate and build interpersonal connections with design and adjacent functions.

Required Experience & Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in textiles or a related field, or any equivalent combination of education and experience.
• At least 2-3 years of relevant design experience demonstrating the ability to push material design, and/or relevant experience in Textile Design or Footwear Design.
• Highly creative problem solver with a strong trend-right aesthetic vision and a commitment to the best design and materials solutions.
• Ability to translate consumer knowledge and insights into narratives and product executions.
• Understanding of sneaker, youth and sports culture.
• Ability to create concepts and explore new materials innovations, technologies and ideas.
• Experience building inspiration and concept presentations and mood boards for seasonal concepts and direction.
• Experience building 3D samples and creating mockup samples by hand.
• Ability to create and edit files using Adobe programs including Photoshop, Illustrator and InDesign.
• Experience with 3D software tools, such as Substance, for material renders and AI generative tools for concept creation.
• Ability to participate 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.
• Passion for design.

Preferred Skills

• Understanding of the Footwear Product Creation process.