Senior Apparel Innovation Designer, Advanced

Brooks Sports Inc; Seattle (WA); On-site; USD 117,000 - 176,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Product discounts

Employee recognition

Fitness discounts

Volunteer and donation benefits

Job summary

Brooks is seeking a Senior Apparel Innovation Designer, Advanced for its Seattle HQ. You will lead long-term apparel concepts, bridging research with near-term products, and collaborate with Materials Innovation to drive breakthrough designs.

You will prototype, test, and refine materials and garment features, ensuring feasibility for production and successful handoffs to the in-season team. Travel 15–20% annually is expected.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Design, Apparel, or related field.
• 7+ years in apparel innovation, technical design, or related roles.
• Proficiency in vector-based graphics software (Illustrator, Photoshop) and familiarity with digital design and prototyping tools.
• Connect technical decisions to user experience and market needs.
• Proven track record of innovation and initiative in product or process improvement.
• Lead and influence in cross-functional teams to meet objectives.
• Effective project management and independent work with regular check-ins.
• Strong attention to detail while maintaining big-picture view.
• Excellent verbal and written communication of concepts and technical details.
• Travel 15-20% domestically and internationally; embrace Brooks values.

Responsibilities

• Lead development of pro kits for competition, prioritizing technical advancements for global events.
• Record attempts and tailor product specifics.
• Develop and prototype apparel concepts for near-future seasons with varying complexity.
• Manage projects with challenging briefs through ambiguity to completion.
• Drive performance solutions addressing cooling, warmth, support, visibility, and protection.
• Collaborate with Materials, Development, and cross-functional teams for feasibility and brand alignment.
• Rapidly prototype and test new materials, garment features, and technologies for market launch.
• Use body mapping and athlete tailoring to engineer garments for targeted support.

Skills

Vector graphics

Adobe Illustrator

Photoshop

Digital design tools

User experience alignment

Education

Bachelor’s degree in Design/Apparel

Equivalent mix of education/experience

Tools

Digital prototyping tools

Job description

Who We Are:

At Brooks, we believe movement is the key to feeling more alive. That’s why we’re driven to create gear and experiences that take people to the place that makes them feel more alive — whether it’s a headspace, a feeling, or a finish line.

Everyone who works at Brooks is propelled by a company culture that sparks excitement, fuels collaboration, inspires creativity, and ignites innovation.

Our brand values help bond us together and drive our success:

• Runner First
  • We act in the best interest of the runner
• Word is Bond
  • We do what we say we’ll do
• Champion Heart
  • We give our all in everything we do
• There is no “I” in Run
  • We stay generous with our humanity
• Keep Moving
  • We find ways to move every day, because joy is kinetic!

We welcome everyone from every walk of life looking to inspire others through the power of movement - because we’re all moving towards something. Let’s run there.

Your Job:

As the Senior Apparel Innovation Designer, Advanced at Brooks, you will focus on creating innovative apparel
solutions for projects 2-3 years out, bridging the gap between long‑term developments and quick‑to‑market
products. You will create advanced concepts, materials, and construction techniques that enhance
performance and comfort for runners, with a strong emphasis on feasibility and readiness for
commercialization. Your work will culminate in a structured handoff to the in‑season design team, ensuring a
smooth transition from concept to production. This role requires a self‑starter and independent thinker able
to lead Apparel Innovation Design in collaboration with Materials Innovation to drive innovation for Brooks
Apparel.

Your Responsibilities:

• Lead the development of pro kits for competition, leveraging athlete feedback to create signature products with prioritization of technical advancements for global events like the Olympics and World
• Record attempts, including custom‑tailored product.
• Lead the development and prototyping of apparel concepts for near‑future seasons, prioritizing workload across short‑term and long‑range projects with varying levels of complexity.
• Manage projects with challenging briefs and through ambiguity to successful completion.
• Drive performance solutions that address cooling, warmth, support, visibility, and protection, using athlete and consumer feedback.
• Work closely with Materials, Development, and cross‑functional teams to ensure concepts are feasible for production and align with brand strategy.
• Rapidly prototype and test new materials, garment features, and technologies based on feedback gathered from athletes and internal stakeholders to refine designs for market launch.
• Use body mapping, pressure mapping, and athlete‑specific tailoring to engineer garments that deliver targeted support and optimal performance.
• Utilize AI and digital design tools for rapid visualization, prototyping, and iteration.
• Present concepts and prototypes at internal meetings, clearly communicating technical benefits and user impact.
• Prepare comprehensive handoff packages including design specs, prototypes, and technical documentation for the in‑season design team.
• Conduct handoff meetings to align on design intent, technical details, and production feasibility.
• Be available for consultation during the commercialization phase to ensure design integrity.
• Stay current with industry trends by attending relevant events and collaborating with suppliers to source new materials and technologies.
• Attend industry trade fairs and collaborate on‑site with materials and factory partners to advance and validate concepts.

Qualifications:

• Bachelor’s degree in Design, Apparel, or related field; equivalent combination of education and years of experience can be considered in lieu of degree(s)
• 7+ years of experience in apparel innovation, technical design, or related roles
• Proficiency in vector‑based graphics software (i.e., Adobe Illustrator, Photoshop) and familiarity with digital design and prototyping tools
• Demonstrated ability to connect technical decisions to user experience and market needs
• Proven track record of innovation and initiative in product or process improvement
• Demonstrated ability to lead and influence in a collaborative, cross‑functional group to meet strategic objectives
• Effective project management skills and experience, including the ability to articulate goals and objectives, manage projects independently with regular manager check‑ins, and the ability to network and utilize internal and external resources
• Keen attention to detail in planning, organizing, and execution of tasks (self and through others), while still seeing the big picture and understanding how all the pieces fit together and affect one another
• Outstanding communication skills, verbal and written with advanced ability to communicate new ideas, concepts, and functional expertise within project teams and to external stakeholders
• Ability to anticipate how a decision made can affect our customers, our partners, our products, or other departments’ operations and/or morale; “connecting the dots”
• Curious and open‑minded; always open for a challenge, inventive, and creative with the ability to challenge the status quo – always looking at improving our products and processes while also displaying a willingness to dive into the details
• Demonstrated ability to develop highly positive relationships with individuals and teams that are made up of diverse disciplines and cultural backgrounds resulting in effective working relationships across the company
• Passionate participation in Brooks’ sports activities a plus, overridden by the ability to understand and empathize with the runner to develop loyal, engaging relationships with our customers and the Brooks community
• Travel 15‑20% throughout the year, domestically and internationally
• Embraces and lives the Brooks values!

Compensation: The pay range for this position, based out of the Brooks Seattle HQ, is $117,244 - $175,918 per year. Base pay offered will vary depending on job‑related knowledge, skills, and experience.

Other:

Brooks is proud to offer a robust benefits package to our employees and their families!

Benefits - Including medical, dental, vision, life and AD&D insurance, disability insurance, HSA and employer contribution, FSA, family & fertility assistance, 401K Savings Plan and match, employee assistance program, and transportation assistance.

Paid Time Off - Brooks offers generous time off, including five weeks of paid time off, eleven paid holidays, and paid sick and parental leave.

Bonus - In addition to base pay, Brooks employees may also be offered an annual bonus based on company performance.

Perks - Including product discounts, employee recognition, fitness discounts, volunteer and donation benefits.

Location - You will spend 4 days per week in our Seattle offices, as we believe our organization flourishes when connections, collaboration, creativity, problem‑solving, and celebrations happen in person.

At Brooks, we celebrate diversity & equity. We are committed to creating an inclusive environment, and encourage people of all backgrounds, perspectives, experiences, and skills to apply. Brooks is proud to be an equal employment opportunity employer. All employment decisions are made without regard to race, religion, creed, color, national origin, age, sex, gender, gender identity or expression, two‑spirit identity, sexual orientation, genetic information, the presence of a physical, mental, or sensory disability, marital status, pregnancy (including childbirth and related conditions), caste, citizenship or immigration status, honorably discharged veteran or military status, actual or perceived victims of domestic violence, harassment, sexual assault or stalking, HIV or Hepatitis C infection, political ideology, use of a trained service animal by a person with a disability, or on any other basis protected by federal, state, or local law, or any other non‑merit based factors.