Job Details

Status: 6-month contract (possibly extended)

Job Title: Footwear Materials Designer

Location: Hybrid in Beaverton, OR

Salary: $42/hr

About the company:

We do 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. Our company looks for people who can grow, think, dream, and create. Our culture thrives by embracing diversity and rewarding imagination. The brand seeks achievers, leaders, and visionaries. We are about each person bringing skills and passion to a challenging and constantly evolving environment.

We are a technology company. From our flagship website and five-star mobile apps to developing products, managing big data, and providing leading-edge engineering and systems support, our teams exist to revolutionize the future at the confluence of tech and sport. We invest in and develop advances in technology and employ the most creative people in the world, and then give them the support to constantly innovate, iterate, and serve consumers more directly and personally. Our teams are innovative, diverse, multidisciplinary, and collaborative, taking technology into the future and bringing the world with us.

Footwear Materials Designer:

Our client is seeking a Footwear Materials Designer to support a high-impact global design team focused on delivering thoughtful, cost-effective materials solutions for everyday consumers. This role blends creativity with commercial awareness, requiring someone who can translate design intent into scalable, value-driven material executions. The ideal candidate brings a strong understanding of consumer needs, collaborative design processes, and the ability to balance aesthetics with performance and cost.

This role is a hybrid model in Beaverton, Oregon.

Footwear Materials Designer Responsibilities:

• Partner with cross-functional design teams to develop and execute material concepts aligned to product vision, consumer needs, and business objectives.
• Create and refine material palettes that balance performance, aesthetics, and cost efficiency for high-volume product lines.
• Contribute to storytelling by articulating material choices and their role within the overall product design narrative.
• Support product creation timelines, including seasonal milestones, material selection, and development handoffs.
• Collaborate closely with color, design, and development partners to ensure cohesive and commercially viable product outcomes.
• Evaluate and recommend materials based on durability, cost targets, and manufacturability considerations.
• Maintain awareness of market trends, consumer insights, and material innovations relevant to core product categories.

Footwear Materials Designer Qualifications:

• 2+ years of experience in footwear materials design or a closely related field.
• Demonstrated experience designing for kids (e.g., preschool, grade school) and/or value-driven product segments.
• Strong understanding of material cost structures and the ability to design within targeted cost margins.
• Proven ability to communicate design intent and storytelling through materials, including clear articulation of role and collaboration within the design process.
• Portfolio required showcasing relevant materials work, process, and final product execution.
• Proficiency in design tools such as Adobe Creative Suite, CAD, CLO, and/or Viscom.
• Experience working with a range of materials, including genuine and synthetic leathers, with the ability to differentiate performance and application.
• Familiarity with product creation timelines, seasonal gates, and material development processes is preferred.
• Knowledge of material sourcing considerations, such as duties, imports, and global supply chain factors, is a plus.
• Prior experience within a global footwear or apparel organization is preferred.