Job Title: Lead Footwear Developer
The Lead Footwear Developer will collaborate with product teams to shape the future of On's product line. This role focuses on translating footwear innovations into advanced products and creating future technologies that will define the brand. You will be responsible for leading the development of forward-thinking concepts within the R&D organization.
Your Mission
- Manage and execute the creation of innovative product concepts from conception to completion, overseeing technology development, sample creation, and assembly, as well as the development of uppers, toolings, technologies, and molds.
- Lead multiple high-impact innovation projects with complete autonomy and ownership, strategically planning and aligning projects with company goals.
- Engage in complex problem-solving by tackling challenges related to product intricacies, process optimization, efficiency enhancement, model making, and scalable manufacturing practices.
- Facilitate seamless communication and collaboration by acting as a bridge between designers, conceptual footwear innovators, model makers, pattern engineers, technology partners, and other stakeholders, ensuring scalability is considered in every project.
- Work closely with the Sport Science, Innovation Design, Footwear Engineering, and Innovation Material Science teams to cultivate interdisciplinary collaboration and drive the development of groundbreaking prototypes.
- Create and update the Transfer Manual by meticulously documenting processes, including key data, design images, and detailed product/process descriptions to maintain a comprehensive and user-friendly resource for successful technical knowledge transfer.
- Forge strong connections with our development teams in Asia, actively participating in successful information transfer strategies and fostering a collaborative cross-border working relationship.
- Demonstrate expertise in fabricating and assembling materials and components using a wide range of machinery and hand tools, including cutting, injecting, sanding, buffing, sewing, welding, pressing, and lasting processes.
Your Story
- 5+ years of footwear-specific experience.
- Experience with footwear innovation projects.
- Bachelor’s Degree in Engineering or a relevant field preferred.
- 3+ years of experience in traditional footwear manufacturing processes, including injecting, cutting, sewing, welding, machining, laser cutting, construction, and prototyping.
- Ability to identify design issues and propose solutions to enhance product functionality and manufacturability.
- Demonstrated knowledge of material testing and methodology, with comfort in working with chemistry/chemical processes for material creation, including textiles, foam polymers, solvents, and chemicals.
- Proven ability to lead scaling, costing, and testing of manufacturing processes and concepts while introducing new technologies to the market.
- Excellent communication skills with the ability to adapt communication styles between engineers, designers, product experts, and non-product creation partners.
- Ability to work independently under tight deadlines on multiple projects, requiring both innovative ideas and engineering problem-solving.
- High tolerance for ambiguity with a solution-focused approach.
- Comfortable working with industrial machinery.
- Availability to travel up to 15% of the time.
About the Team
On's Innovation team is an agile, interdisciplinary group comprised of experts in footwear creation, advanced manufacturing, and the future of sport. We drive On's future innovations and athlete-informed technologies that distinguish On footwear in the market. As a member of the On Innovation Team, you will think outside the box and bring new, innovative ideas to life.
Apply online using the form below. Please note that only applications matching the job profile will be considered.