The Nike Materials Design team’s mission is to elevate our product experience by focusing on both the art and science of materials. We are inspired by our heritage and new innovations, and continually pushing how materials can be imagined on our products through the edges of performance and style for all athletes on and off the court. Material Design is a high-performance team that works collaboratively together, pushes the boundaries of design, and always stays focused on delivering the best product for our consumers.

This posting is for 7 roles within the Materials Design Function.

We are looking for three Materials Designers for Kids Performance and Lifestyle. Your day to day job will be working on a wide range of footwear product spanning performance (inclusive of running, basketball, skate) as well as lifestyle. One of the great benefits of working in the Kids Design team is the breadth of diverse work within Nike’s portfolio from mens & womens, making them kid-right, but also kids only create footwear.

We are looking for two Materials Designers for a new internal team, Core Nike Sport Culture, that works on all Nike footwear product at accessible price points for a global audience. Your day to day job will be working on a wide range of footwear product spanning performance and lifestyle for Mens and Womens.

We are looking for one Materials Designer for Energy. Your day to day job will be working on a wide range of footwear product that will create ‘energy’ and fuel newness in the lifestyle space. You will work with a variety of creatives to create compelling product that explores the edges of footwear culture, art, style, and fashion. You will be exploring new technologies, methods of make, and curating existing materials within a fast-paced environment that encourages curiosity and exploration.

We looking for one Materials Designer in Accessories to combine their experience, problem solving abilities, and creativity to help create the future of Materials in Nike Accessories – Bags, Socks, Headwear and Equipment. Your day to day will be working on a range of material types for all Accessory products and applications with a potential flex into apparel materials and knitwear. You will be pioneering new technologies, creating trend right collections, as well as elevating existing materials for our essential products.

WHO WE ARE LOOKING FOR

We’re looking for an exceptional Materials Designers to combine their experience, problem solving abilities, and creativity to help create the future of Nike Materials.

The ideal candidate needs to be a highly creative problem solver, who doesn’t settle for anything less than the best design and materials solutions, to meet the needs of the consumer at all stages of their day and beyond. This person will be focused on elevating the consumer experience by creating materials that are trend-relevant for a range of products, while driving an emotional connection to materials for the consumer through the use of narrative and storytelling. This person will have an understanding of how art, fashion, and sport intersects to create inspiring product that pushes boundaries. This person is eager to explore through physical and digital methods of make while managing multiple projects.

WHAT YOU WILL WORK ON

If this is you, you will be working on a range of technical and complex material designs using the latest techniques all the way to curating and elevating existing materials for refresh and collection models.

Your work encompasses concepting and ideating through to finalizing tech packs, as well as working with manufacturing partners, and at times communicating directly with athletes; the daily responsibilities of this role are wide ranging, challenging, and rewarding.

WHO YOU WILL WORK WITH

You will be partnering with the Nike FW Industrial Design, Color Design, Graphic Design, Digital Design and Marketing & Development teams in bringing to life the seasonal creative direction through Footwear Materials design and innovation.

This role will report directly to the Materials Design Director or Senior Manager.

WHAT YOU BRING

• Bachelor’s degree in textiles, materials, apparel, product design or related field or equivalent combination of education and experience
• At least 2-3 years of relevant design experience exemplifying ability to push material design, and/or relevant experience in Textile Design or Footwear Design.
• Ability to translate consumer knowledge/insights to narratives and product executions.
• Understanding of sneaker, youth, and sports culture.
• Ability to create concepts and explore new materials innovations and technologies and ideas
• Experience building inspiration/concept presentations, and mood boards for seasonal concepts and direction
• Experience building 3D samples and creating mockup samples by hand
• Participates in the communication and presentation of design concepts to internal and external audiences
• Enjoys working within a team with various people. Must be adaptable and detail oriented.
• Collaborate and build interpersonal connections with design and adjacent functions
• Ability to create and edit files using Adobe programs including Photoshop, Illustrator, and InDesign
• Experience with 3D software tools, like Substance, for material renders and AI generative tools for concept creation
• Ability in participating in multiple seasonal projects with competing resources and deadlines
• Ability and agility to think across multiple projects and work efficiently at a fast pace
• Participates in the communication and presentation of design concepts to internal and external audiences
• Experience with hitting target margins
• Designing with sustainability in mind
• Understanding of the Footwear Product Creation process, a plus.
• Passion for Design and a curious, exploratory nature