Principal, Athlete Innovator, Innovation, Nike Inc.

Nike WHQ, Beaverton, OR

Innovation is oxygen for NIKE, Inc., and the company depends on its talented, global workforce to breathe originality and curiosity into everything they do. Nike’s Advanced Innovation team strives for lighter, faster, bigger, smarter, smaller, more efficient, more sustainable and more personal. They imagine, research, analyse and invent the next industry-changing technology to advance athletic performance. In roles that span research, design, materials and manufacturing, the Advanced Innovation team looks to the future and focuses on making the seemingly impossible, possible.

WHO YOU’LL WORK WITH

You will be the foremost expert, and lead connector, for athletes within NIKE Inc’s Innovation team. You will collaborate closely with partners across Nike’s Innovation organization including footwear, apparel, the Nike Sport Research Lab (NSRL), and the digital creation studio, as well as cross-functional inline teams such as global product engine (design, development, and engineering), sports marketing, product testing, and brand).

You will also engage with external partners including athletes, teams, agencies, federations and suppliers, working together to develop breakthrough innovations that serve the future needs of all athletes.

WHO WE ARE LOOKING FOR

You’ll deeply understand athlete needs and possess a strong affinity for, and alignment with, our brand and purpose, ‘to bring inspiration and innovation to every athlete* in the world’.

You will showcase the capabilities of innovation broadly, and the individual, world class, abilities within the team to the global sport stage. You will help us to identify the greatest innovation opportunities and organize the resources to capture them.

You are an experienced collaborator, who can navigate cross-functional partnerships, lead through ambiguity and communicate clearly across all levels of the organization.

You thrive in a fast-paced, highly dynamic environment — building, testing, learning, and refining — all to deliver meaningful innovation. Your curiosity, and ability to connect athlete insights to technical solutions, will be key to driving Nike’s next generation of performance products.

This is a hands-on, strategic, role that requires a strong understanding of elite athletes, coaches, product and athlete innovation. 

• 10+ years working directly with (amateur & professional) athletes and coaches in high-performance, competitive settings
• Bachelor’s degree in product development, design, engineering, or a related field. Will accept any suitable combination of education, experience and training
• 3+ years of experience in product development/engineering (preferred)
• Proven success leading diverse, cross-functional teams through complex, creative projects
• Strong communication and leadership skills with the ability to inspire, influence, and collaborate across a variety of teams and disciplines
• Ability to operate in a matrixed organization and lead through ambiguity
• A passion for athletes*, innovation, and the future of sport
• A strategic mindset with the drive to reimagine what is possible and lead change

WHAT YOU’LL WORK ON

• Identify athlete-driven challenges and develop high-impact, technically sound solutions through ideation, prototyping, validation, and refinement
• Partner with athletes and coaches to test prototypes and extract performance insights that guide final outcomes
• Lead and contribute to multiple innovation projects that push the boundaries of performance and product excellence
• Collaborate with cross-functional partners to integrate new ideas and technologies into Nike’s broader product ecosystem
• Communicate complex technical concepts and innovation potential to executive leadership to drive alignment and prioritization

At Nike, innovation isn’t just what we do — it’s who we are. If you’re ready to help shape the future of sport, we’d love to hear from you.

We offer a number of accommodations to complete our interview process including screen readers, sign language interpreters, accessible and single location for in-person interviews, closed captioning, and other reasonable modifications as needed. If you discover, as you navigate our application process, that you need assistance or an accommodation due to a disability, please complete the Candidate Accommodation Request Form.