Footwear Materials Designer

Integrated Resources, Inc ( IRI ); Beaverton (OR); Hybrid; USD 85,000 - 125,000; Full time

Job summary

Jordan Brand is seeking a Lead Footwear Materials Designer to shape innovative material concepts for the Kids + Core teams. You’ll collaborate with design, color, and material partners to push the boundaries of performance and storytelling while aligning with sustainability goals.

You will translate consumer insights into compelling material narratives, develop 3D samples and 2D tech packs, and present concepts to stakeholders across design, product management, and merchandising.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Design or related field with 2 years’ related experience in lieu.
• 5+ years’ experience designing and developing footwear/products.
• Ability to translate consumer insights into product solutions and narratives.
• Experience in technical footwear design and creating 2D tech packs.
• Prototyping by hand and building 3D samples is a plus.
• Strong presentation and storytelling skills.

Responsibilities

• Create concepts and developments for Kids + Core Footwear materials.
• Collaborate with design, color, and material teams to push material narratives.
• Develop new materials and methods for future Jordan products.
• Present insights and seasonal concepts to groups of any size.

Skills

Footwear design

Adobe CS

2D tech packs

3D design

Hand prototyping

Presentation skills

Trend analysis

Sustainable design

Education

Bachelor’s degree in Design

2 years’ experience in lieu

Tools

Adobe InDesign

Illustrator

Photoshop

Keynote/PowerPoint

CAD software

Job description

Location: Beaverton, OR (Hybrid – 4 days/week)

Duration: 12-month contract

WHO YOU’LL WORK WITH

As a Lead Materials Designer in client KIDS + CORE FOOTWEAR DESIGN, you’ll work closely with your design partners in product design, color design, and graphic design. You will also work cross-functionally with your technical and material development partners, product management and merchandising teams. This role reports directly to the Design Director, Color + Materials Kids + Core, client Brand.

WHO WE ARE LOOKING FOR

We’re looking for an exceptional Lead Footwear Materials Designer to combine their experience, creative problem-solving abilities, and creativity to help create the future of Jordan Footwear Materials. The category you will be working in is the Kids + Core Footwear team. This is a creative and collaborative partnership space that draws in our youngest athletes, drives energy, and helps fuel the brand. Our consumers are fearless and want products that match their attitude and style. They’ll 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 strong narrative and emotive storytelling and by pushing the edges of sustainable footwear material design.

• Bachelor’s degree in Design, art or related field;. 2 years’ additional experience crafting innovative products in lieu of a degree or equivalent combination of education, experience or training
• 5+ years’ experience designing and developing innovative footwear and other products
• Passion for Design
• Knowledge of form, color, materials, human factors, trend, related to elevating the consumer experience
• Ability to translate consumer knowledge and insights into product solutions and narratives
• Fearless, calculated risk taker
• Experience in technical footwear or apparel design
• Experience building 3D samples and crafting mockup samples by hand
• Ability to present new insights or seasonal concepts to small and large groups
• Proficient in creating and editing files using Adobe InDesign, Illustrator, and Photoshop skills.
• Adobe Creative Suite is a plus
• Must be able to build accurate 2D technical drawings (tech packs)
• Cobbling and prototyping skills are a plus
• 3D design program experience is a plus
• Solid knowledge of manufacturing processes and materials
• Knowledge and experience with sustainable design and manufacturing are a plus
• Experienced with presentation programs: Keynote, PowerPoint, Acrobat, etc.

WHAT YOU’LL WORK ON

You will be creating concepts and developments on a range of material designs for the KIDS + CORE FOOTWEAR DESIGN segments of Jordan. You will work on elevating new technologies that influence brand-new models, as well as on seasonal narratives elevating existing materials for our classics and iconic products. Your goal is to aim for product excellence by partnering with key stakeholders cross-functionally on the product creation process, pushing the boundaries when it comes to new materials and new methods of making, and helping bring the vision for the future of client Kids + Core products to life.