Lead Footwear Developer / Lead Footwear Developeress

Job Title: Lead Developer for PAD (Lifestyle) + Young Movers (Kids)

As the Lead Developer for PAD (Lifestyle) and Young Movers (Kids), you will be at the forefront of crafting inline lifestyle products in our fastest-growing and largest product vertical. You will also engage in specialized development tailored specifically for the young movers in our community.

Your Mission

• Commit to the Craft: Lead the technical development for new silhouettes across both adult and kids categories, ensuring every product meets strict engineering standards for performance, aesthetics, and fit.
• Master Complex Integration: Serve as the primary technical partner to Design, converting creative visions into commercial realities without compromising function.
• Bridge the Generations: Translate adult performance concepts into kid-specific footwear, understanding the unique biomechanical and durability needs of younger, developing feet.
• Execute the Technical Lifecycle: Manage the complete development process from initial 2D/3D design concepts through tech-packing, prototyping, and creating final production-ready samples.
• Drive Material & Tooling Innovation: Collaborate with material sourcing and tooling teams to test, validate, and implement new compounds, textiles, and manufacturing methods.
• Lead Fit & Wear Testing: Oversee rigorous fit and wear testing protocols for both adults and kids, analyzing feedback to iterate and optimize comfort, support, and durability.
• Collaborate Cross-Functionally: Act as the central technical hub between Design, Product Management, Sourcing, and Tier 1 factory partners to meet timelines and margin targets.
• Optimize for Scale: Ensure blueprints and construction methods are optimized for mass production while maintaining the aesthetic integrity of the brand.

Your Story

• The Technical Authority: You bring over 7 years of footwear development experience, demonstrating a strong track record in launching highly complex, performance-driven lifestyle or athletic products. Experience in kids' footwear development is a significant asset.
• Resilient Individual Contributor: You have the patience and persistence to navigate lengthy development processes, taking full accountability for the technical lifecycle and thriving on independent projects.
• A Problem Solver by Nature: Ingenious thinking is your hallmark. You challenge the status quo and excel at solving intricate construction puzzles while maintaining superior performance.
• Global Collaborator: You have extensive experience collaborating with overseas commercialization centers and factories, effectively communicating technical nuances across cultures.

Your Keys to Success

• Thrive in Ambiguity: You embrace change in fast-scaling environments, viewing shifting priorities as opportunities to innovate.
• Biased for Action (With Guardrails): You possess a strong sense of urgency, knowing when to move quickly and when to pause to ensure uncompromised quality.
• The "No Job Too Small" Mindset: Despite your seniority, you remain a hands-on builder, equally excited to brainstorm concepts and tackle detailed tasks.
• Comfortable with Constructive Friction: You welcome diverse perspectives and engage in healthy debates with Design and Product Management to refine the final product.
• Continuous Learner: You are curious and constantly scout for new methods, eager to apply fresh insights to the PAD and Kids lines, especially in sustainable materials and circularity.

About the Team

Join the Zurich-based Footwear Development team as a senior pillar of expertise. Our high-performance collective of engineers, developers, and makers acts as the technical heart of the brand.

In Zurich, our team is the primary connection between Biomechanical Research, Material Science, Design, and Sourcing, ensuring every innovation is rooted in technical reality before reaching the athlete. We are committed to relentlessly elevating the performance and technical attributes of our footwear. Here, we don’t just facilitate product creation; we engineer the "ride."

As part of this vertical, you will collaborate with specialists dedicated to creating the best-fitting, high-performing, and desirable products on the market. We pride ourselves on a culture of technical rigor and Swiss Engineering, challenging the status quo to solve complex biomechanical hurdles in the industry. Your role will ensure that, as our category expands, our technical standards and the performance "soul" of our footwear remain uncompromised.

Apply online using the form below.

Note: Only applications matching the job profile will be considered.