Lead Footwear Materials Innovator – Training

Nike Inc.; Beaverton (OR); Hybrid; USD 120,000 - 180,000; Full time

Job summary

Nike Inc. is seeking a Lead Materials Developer for Training Footwear in Beaverton. The role leads material strategies across a diverse Training Footwear portfolio from concept to commercialization.

The ideal candidate blends deep technical materials expertise with strong project leadership and cross-functional influence to balance performance, quality, sustainability, and cost. You will mentor teammates and help scale capabilities for future growth.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree or higher in a relevant field and related training or experience.
• Passion for innovation, athlete-focused product creation and continuous improvement.
• 6+ years’ directly applicable work experience.
• Deep understanding of material manufacturing processes, testing methods and commercialization in product creation.
• Proven ability to lead complex material development and drive cross-functional results.
• Excellent analytical, problem-solving, and decision-making skills.
• Lab testing experience and ability to interpret results preferred.
• Ability to balance multiple priorities and interpret design intent.
• Excellent communication and relationship-building skills.
• Past mentoring or management experience.

Responsibilities

• Define and drive material strategies that enable athlete-focused innovation and product distinction.
• Partner with Design, Product Management, Footwear Development, Engineering, Product Testing, PMO, PCC teams, vendors, and Manufacturing teams to commercialize concepts.
• Lead material selection, sourcing, validation, and commercialization to ensure readiness and execution excellence.
• Drive material innovation opportunities to improve performance, sustainability, quality, and consumer value.
• Identify risks early and lead cross-functional solutions across product creation, vendor, and manufacturing partners.
• Influence material decisions balancing athlete needs, business objectives, and operational realities.
• Build strong partnerships with suppliers and manufacturing teams to accelerate speed and outcomes.
• Keep abreast of market trends and new knowledge in training industry.

Skills

Analytical skills

Problem-solving

Communication

Mentoring

Cross-functional

Education

Bachelor's degree in Materials, Chemistry, Product Development, Product Engineering, or related field

Tools

MS Word

Excel

Outlook

Job description

Nike Inc. is seeking a Lead Materials Developer for Training Footwear in Beaverton. The role leads material strategies across a diverse Training Footwear portfolio from concept to commercialization.

The ideal candidate blends deep technical materials expertise with strong project leadership and cross-functional influence to balance performance, quality, sustainability, and cost. You will mentor teammates and help scale capabilities for future growth.