Senior Materials Innovator, Footwear

Arc’teryx; Portland (OR); On-site; USD 94,000 - 123,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Health & wellbeing

401(k) retirement plan

Paid time off

Parental leave

Professional development

Gear discounts

Job summary

Arc’teryx in Portland, OR is seeking a Senior Materials Innovator, Footwear to define the materials strategy for Arc’teryx footwear and partner with Design, Development, Engineering, Raw Materials, and Supply Chain to translate opportunities into high-performance products.

This on-site role requires 8+ years in footwear/materials innovation, strong collaboration and communication skills, and the ability to travel.

Qualifications

• Degree in materials science or related field
• 8+ years in footwear/materials innovation
• Experience managing material innovation projects and supplier relationships
• Experience with domestic and global footwear material suppliers and partners
• Ability to protect proprietary material opportunities with legal teams
• Excellent communication and presentation skills
• Ability to work autonomously and collaboratively
• Willingness to travel nationally and internationally

Responsibilities

• Create, drive and maintain the footwear materials innovation roadmap.
• Identify, prototype and validate new material solutions for mountain athletes.
• Manage a portfolio of complex materials projects across seasons.
• Define briefs, testing plans, budgets and deliverables for material concepts.
• Collaborate with cross-functional teams to align priorities with athlete needs and manufacturing realities.
• Build and maintain relationships with mills, suppliers and partners.
• Create strategic partnerships with external suppliers and researchers.
• Stay current with innovations in materials and finishing technologies.
• Partner with validation teams to translate learnings into improvements.
• Support IP considerations with Legal and cross-functional teams.
• Drive initiatives for durability, sustainability and lower-impact design.

Skills

Footwear materials expertise

Supplier network

Cross-functional collaboration

Communication skills

Project management

Education

Bachelor's degree in materials science

Job description

Your opportunity at Arc’teryx:

As the Senior Materials Innovator, Footwear you define and drive the materials innovation strategy for Arc’teryx footwear. You bring deep expertise in performance footwear materials, construction, sourcing and testing to create tangible solutions for mountain athletes moving through complex terrain. You partner closely with Footwear Design, Development, Engineering, Raw Materials, Advanced Concepts, Supply Chain and external partners to translate material opportunities into the next generation of high-performance outdoor footwear.

This role is based out of our Portland office and is expected to be performed on location.

Meet your future team:

The Footwear team creates purpose-built solutions for mountain athletes moving across mountain terrain. Working at the intersection of design, development, biomechanics, materials science and manufacturing, we take an immersive approach to identifying our athlete’s needs to build, test, and validate products that solve for real functional challenges. Fueled by curiosity, we are builders, problem solvers and outdoor enthusiasts who collaborate across Arc’teryx and strategic partners to bring our vision to redefine the industry to life.

If you were the Senior Materials Innovator, Footwear now, here are some of the core activities you would be doing:

• Creating, driving and maintaining the footwear materials innovation roadmap, including short, mid and long-term opportunities across uppers, textiles, foams, membranes, rubbers, reinforcements, trims and component systems
• Leveraging your footwear materials expertise, supplier network and curiosity to identify, prototype and validate new solutions for mountain athletes
• Managing a portfolio of complex footwear materials projects across seasons and clearly communicating progress, risks and decisions to key stakeholders
• Defining clear briefs, testing plans, budgets and deliverables so footwear material concepts can move effectively from exploration through validation and commercialization
• Collaborating with Footwear Design, Development, Product Line Management, Raw Materials, Advanced Concepts and Supply Chain teams to align innovation priorities with athlete needs, manufacturing realities, sustainability goals and commercialization timelines
• Building and maintaining strong relationships with footwear mills, foam suppliers, rubber partners, component makers, factories, startups and academic collaborators
• Creating strategic footwear materials partnerships with external suppliers, technology partners and researchers to accelerate performance, comfort, durability, protection and sustainability outcomes
• Staying current with innovations in footwear manufacturing, textiles, nonwovens, membranes, coatings, foams, rubbers, reinforcements, bonding methods, waterproof-breathable systems and finishing technologies
• Partnering with testing, lab and field validation teams to define footwear material performance requirements and translate learnings into actionable material improvements
• Supporting proprietary footwear material solutions, exclusivity opportunities and Intellectual Property considerations in partnership with Legal and cross-functional teams
• Partnering with Innovation Management and Footwear leadership on research, engineering, supplier and funding opportunities that support footwear materials advancement
• Driving key initiatives that improve footwear durability, repairability, lower-impact material choices, sustainable and circular design opportunities

Here are some of the things you could be working on in the future:

You will partner with Footwear Design & Development and Advanced Concept teams to build a multi-year footwear materials innovation roadmap, including priority technologies, strategic supplier partnerships, testing milestones and athlete validation plans.

Are you our next Senior Materials Innovator, Footwear?

• You have a degree in materials science, materials engineering, textile science, industrial design, engineering or a related technical field
• You have 8+ years of footwear, technical apparel, hardgoods or materials innovation experience, with direct exposure to performance footwear materials and development
• You have proven experience managing material innovation projects, supplier relationships and cross-functional stakeholder alignment
• You have experience working directly with footwear material suppliers, component vendors, factories and development partners in domestic and global locations
• You are experienced in identifying, evaluating and protecting proprietary material opportunities with internal and external legal teams
• You have exceptional communication skills, including a proven ability to communicate findings to both scientists and nonscientists with strong presentation skills
• You have a strong ability to build a mindset and culture of innovation within your team and beyond
• You have a strong understanding of performance footwear materials, construction, testing, fit, durability and manufacturing constraints
• You remain highly flexible and adaptable when faced with ambiguity
• You effectively balance autonomy and collaboration
• You inspire breakthrough thinking and continuous improvement
• Your passion for your work is paralleled by your passion for getting outside and living it
• You are able to travel both nationally and internationally as required for research, development, testing, and partner collaboration

Compensation:

The salary range for the role is USD$94,000 – USD$123,000

Total Rewards

Most new team members join between the start and midpoint of the range, where you can contribute right away while continuing to grow your craft, your collaborations, and your impact at Arc’teryx. This range reflects market alignment and the scope of the role. Individual pay is determined by your skills, experience, and level of responsibility.

We’re committed to fair, equitable, and competitive pay, reviewed regularly to ensure internal alignment and market relevance. Transparency is part of how we follow through on our commitments and how we honour the value you bring to our team.

In addition to base pay, Arc’teryx supports people through benefits designed to sustain both work and life:

• Health & wellbeing – Extended health, dental, and vision coverage, including mental health support, fertility benefits, and a 24/7 Employee Assistance Program (EAP).
• Financial wellbeing – Immediately vested 401(k) retirement savings plan matching, eligibility for Arc’teryx Annual Incentive Plan and access to Employee Stock Purchase Program (ESPP), where applicable.
• Time & Flexibility – Paid time off, and No Wasted Day program (dedicated paid days to get outside & explore).
• Family support – Parental leave for birthing and non-birthing parents, including an option to ease the transition back to work.
• Growth, community & gear – Professional development opportunities, Arc’teryx Academies (outdoor skill-building events),Employee Belonging Councils, and access to employee discounts and Pro Deals (exclusive discounted pricing on gear).

*Eligibility for certain programs may vary by role.

Equal Opportunity

Arc’teryx is committed to actively creating and fostering a culture of inclusivity where voices are heard, people are seen, and values are respected. We care about the uniqueness of our applicants, employees, and guests, and we do so in a safe space fueled by curiosity and acceptance.

Creating an inclusive workplace is connected to our core value Do Right while also having the added benefit of helping make our business better. We believe inclusion helps us to create a healthier, happier workplace, drive creativity and innovation, and reflect the communities where we operate.

All applicants, employees, and guests can expect equality of opportunity and fair treatment in alignment with our values.

Leave it Better

We believe that the mountains transform us, that how we adventure matters, and that there’s always a better way.

Join us in creating positive change in ourselves, our communities, and the world.

Live it. Get out there – the mountains make us better

Disruptive evolution. In pursuit of better. Always.

Commit. We set bold objectives and see them through.