Lead Designer, Material Design NikeSKIMS

Nike; California, Los Angeles (MO, CA); On-site; USD 97,000 - 218,000; Full time

Job summary

An established industry player is seeking a Lead Materials Designer to innovate and elevate the consumer experience through unique material solutions. This role involves collaborating with a diverse team of professionals to create cutting-edge designs that resonate with consumers and push the boundaries of sustainable materials. You will be instrumental in shaping the future of a new product line, ensuring that every design tells a story and connects with the audience on an emotional level. If you are a creative problem solver with a passion for design and sustainability, this opportunity is perfect for you.

Qualifications

• 6+ years of experience in designing innovative footwear and products.
• Strong knowledge of materials, human factors, and consumer insights.

Responsibilities

• Create concepts and developments on material designs for NikeSKIMS segments.
• Collaborate with stakeholders to bring innovative product visions to life.

Skills

Problem-solving

Creativity

Technical footwear design

Photoshop

Illustrator

2D technical drawings

Cobbling and prototyping

3D design program

Sustainable design

Presentation skills

Education

Bachelor’s degree in Industrial Design

Tools

Keynote

PowerPoint

Acrobat

Job description

The annual base salary for this position ranges from $97,200.00 in our lowest geographic market to $217,700.00 in our highest geographic market. Actual salary will vary based on a candidate's location, qualifications, skills and experience.

Information about benefits can be found here.

NikeSKIMS combines the best of both brands – Nike’s legacy of innovation and athlete insights with SKIMS dedication to the female form, and inclusive solutions for every body. We're carving out a bold and unique position in the global fitness industry, delivering innovation and style the industry hasn’t seen before. We’re excited to invite more women into sport and movement with products that make them feel strong and sexy.

Our first collection launches this Spring in the United States and will begin to expand to global markets in 2026.

WHO YOU’LL WORK WITH

As a Lead Materials Designer in NikeSKIMS, you will be working hand in hand with a large project team of different professionals (engineers, researchers, scientists, marketing, testing, sustainability, materials, costing, etc.), collaborate within the design community (industrial designers, materials, color, graphics, computational, etc.), and mentor other designers. This role reports directly to the SR. Design Director over NikeSKIMS Apparel and Footwear.

WHO WE ARE LOOKING FOR

We’re looking for an exceptional Lead Materials Designer to combine their experience, problem-solving abilities, and creativity to help create the future of NikeSKIMS. The category you will be working in is the Apparel and Footwear team.

The ideal teammate will be a highly creative problem solver. This is someone who doesn’t settle for anything less than the best design and materials solutions, to meet the needs of the consumer on and off the court. 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 narrative and storytelling and by pushing the edges of sustainable footwear material design.

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS

• Bachelor’s degree in Industrial Design, related field, or equivalent combination of education, experience or training
• 6+ years’ experience designing and developing innovative footwear and other products
• Knowledge of form, color, materials, human factors, related to elevating the consumer experience
• Ability to translate consumer knowledge and insights into product solutions and narratives
• Experience in technical footwear design
• Strong Photoshop, Illustrator skills
• 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.
• Ability and passion to lead, mentor, and onboard Design teammates
• Contribute and align to shared team culture and behaviors
• Catalyst to make connections with other Design groups
• Motivated and hardworking about bringing others along
• Extraordinary teammate, and humble leader
• Collaborator with skill in connecting the dots
• Speaks up with courage for self and the team
• Open-minded, good listener, receptive to candid feedback and diverse points of view

WHAT YOU’LL WORK ON

If so, you will be creating concepts and developments on a range of material designs for the NikeSKIMS segments. 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 creations process, and help bring the vision for the future of NikeSKIMS products to life. You will unleash creativity with a focus on sustainability and leveraging consumer insights to inform our creative response, and focus on how we drive innovation and cultural connections embedded into our designs to create separation. The daily responsibilities of this role are wide-ranging, ambitious, and exciting.

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.