Lead Materials Process Engineer

Nike; Beaverton (OR); On-site; USD 120,000 - 150,000; Part time

Job summary

Nike is seeking a Lead Materials Process Engineer in Beaverton to spearhead development, optimization, and validation of advanced material manufacturing processes. You will partner with Innovation, Materials, Product Creation, Quality, and Global Manufacturing to scale technologies and ensure readiness for commercialization.

The role demands deep expertise in polymer processing, process control, and DFM, with a track record of driving manufacturing improvements across global partner networks.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in a technical field related to polymers or materials science.
• Experience developing and industrializing advanced material technologies and manufacturing processes.
• Strong knowledge of SPC, DOE, and manufacturing quality systems.
• Proven ability to lead complex technical problem-solving in manufacturing environments.
• Deep understanding of DFM principles and manufacturing readiness.
• Experience scaling technologies from development to commercialization.

Responsibilities

• Lead development, optimization, and validation of advanced material manufacturing processes.
• Establish process capability targets and operating windows for scalable production.
• Drive readiness and commercialization activities with factory partners.
• Identify risks and implement mitigation plans to improve process robustness.

Skills

Polymer processing

Materials engineering

Manufacturing systems

Process control

Statistical Process Control

Design for Manufacturing

Design of Experiments

Cross-functional collaboration

Global manufacturing partners

Education

Bachelor's degree in Polymer Engineering, Materials Science, Chemical Engineering, or related field

Tools

SPC software

Job description

Title: Lead Materials Process Engineer

Location: Beaverton, OR

Duration: 7 months contract

NIKE, Inc. does more than outfit the world's best athletes. It is a place to explore potential, obliterate boundaries and push out the edges of what can be. The company looks for people who can grow, think, dream and create. Its culture thrives by embracing diversity and rewarding imagination. The brand seeks achievers, leaders and visionaries. At Nike, it’s about each person bringing skills and passion to a challenging and constantly evolving game.

WHO YOU'LL WORK WITH

As a Lead Materials Process Engineer, you will work across Innovation, Materials, Product Creation, Quality, and Global Manufacturing teams to develop, industrialize, and scale advanced material technologies. You will partner closely with factory engineering teams, suppliers, and cross-functional stakeholders to ensure innovative materials and manufacturing processes are capable, repeatable, and ready for commercialization.

You will serve as a key technical leader, helping bridge material science, process engineering, and factory execution.

WHO WE ARE LOOKING FOR

We are looking for a highly technical and collaborative engineer with deep expertise in materials processing, manufacturing systems, and process control. The ideal candidate combines strong analytical problem-solving skills with hands-on factory experience and a passion for turning innovation into scalable manufacturing solutions.

You have:

• Bachelor's degree in Polymer Engineering, Materials Science, Chemical Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, or a related technical field.
• Experience developing and industrializing advanced material technologies and manufacturing processes.
• Strong knowledge of Statistical Process Control (SPC), process capability analysis, Design of Experiments (DOE), and manufacturing quality systems.
• Demonstrated success leading complex technical problem-solving in manufacturing environments.
• Deep understanding of Design for Manufacturing (DFM) principles and manufacturing readiness.
• Experience developing process specifications, engineering standards, control plans, validation protocols, and manufacturing documentation.
• Strong communication and collaboration skills with the ability to influence internal and external partners.
• Experience working directly with global manufacturing partners and factory engineering organizations.

WHAT YOU WILL WORK ON

Process Development & Manufacturing Readiness

• Lead development, optimization, and validation of advanced material manufacturing processes.
• Establish process capability targets, operating windows, and manufacturing controls required for scalable production.
• Drive manufacturing readiness and commercialization activities in collaboration with factory partners.
• Identify manufacturing risks and implement mitigation plans to improve process robustness and production confidence.

Statistical Process Control & Technical Problem Solving

• Develop and implement SPC methodologies, process monitoring systems, and control plans.
• Analyze process capability, variation, yield, and quality data to identify opportunities for improvement.
• Lead structured root-cause investigations related to material performance, process variation, and manufacturing quality.
• Drive corrective actions and continuous improvement efforts across internal teams and manufacturing partners.

Design for Manufacturing (DFM) Leadership

A critical responsibility of this role is connecting material performance, process capability, and manufacturing execution.

You will:

• Interpret material characterization data, laboratory testing results, process validation findings, and manufacturing performance metrics.
• Analyze SPC and process capability studies to identify critical-to-quality characteristics and sources of variation.
• Translate technical findings into Design for Manufacturing guidelines, engineering standards, process specifications, and control strategies.
• Define critical process parameters, operating windows, and manufacturing requirements necessary to achieve consistent product performance.
• Develop scalable manufacturing standards that enable repeatable execution across global factory networks.
• Create and maintain technical documentation that captures process knowledge, best practices, and commercialization requirements.

Factory & Cross-Functional Partnership

• Serve as a primary technical liaison between Innovation teams and manufacturing partners.
• Provide technical leadership during factory trials, process validation, and commercialization efforts.
• Partner with Materials, Product Creation, Quality, and Supply Chain teams to drive technical decisions and manufacturing readiness.
• Support capability building within factory engineering organizations through coaching, training, and technical guidance.

WHAT SETS YOU APART

• Expertise in polymer processing, materials engineering, and manufacturing process development.
• Ability to bridge material science, process engineering, and factory execution.
• Strong understanding of how material properties, process capability, and manufacturing variation influence product performance.
• Proven experience translating laboratory and factory data into actionable Design for Manufacturing standards.
• Experience scaling emerging technologies from development through commercial production.
• Demonstrated success influencing cross-functional teams and global manufacturing partners.