Footwear Developer II, Innovation

Who We Are:

At Brooks, we believe movement is the key to feeling more alive. That’s why we’re driven to create gear and experiences that take people to the place that makes them feel more alive — whether it’s a headspace, a feeling, or a finish line. 

Everyone who works at Brooks is propelled by a company culture that sparks excitement, fuels collaboration, inspires creativity, and ignites innovation.

Our brand values help bond us together and drive our success:  

• Runner First 
  • We act in the best interest of the runner
• Word is Bond 
  • We do what we say we’ll do 
• Champion Heart  
  • We give our all in everything we do  
• There is no “I” in Run 
  • We stay generous with our humanity 
• Keep Moving 
  • We find ways to move every day, because joy is kinetic!

We welcome everyone from every walk of life looking to inspire others through the power of movement - because we’re all moving towards something. Let’s run there.   

Your Job:

The Footwear Innovation Developer II utilizes advanced, technical product and process knowledge to work with a cross-functional product creation team to drive execution of innovation projects through all phases of the Phase Gate process. Hands-on experience and strong knowledge of the total footwear manufacturing process is required for your success in this role. You will collaborate on a daily basis with other Footwear Innovation team members to identify new technologies, explore new designs, and implement new manufacturing processes that will help us create footwear that runners will love, with the lowest environmental impact possible. Your role on the project team is part technical expert and part project leader.  You will be an important part of the Footwear Innovation process, including sample material acquisition, prototype building and validation, factory collaboration, and contributing to process improvement.  This role will act as a positive driving force in the innovation process and impacts business results by discovering new potential in footwear performance and manufacturing driven by our long-term innovation strategy. In this role you will continue to learn from more senior members of the Footwear Innovation team to hone your technical footwear expertise.

Your Responsibilities:

Execute the innovation product development role by delivering on Brooks’ Fit, Feel, Ride, and Crafted Beauty principles as related to specific projects via an unwavering dedication always to deliver excellence.
Provide leadership to Design and Product Line Management teams to uncover new ways that innovative materials and designs can be manufacturable and meet project goals and performance, sustainability, cost, and quality objectives.
Be responsible for product performance integrity by working with Product Validation teams to determine testing needs/criteria, understand results, and make decisions based on learnings. 
Partner with vendors and factories in the manufacturing process to discover and advance new manufacturing techniques that enhance the overall performance of product.
Partner with Sustainability teams to ensure materials and manufacturing processes meet and exceed brand goals.
Identify, recommend, and specify to the project team the material, component, and construction options to meet pricing targets and the product’s functional goals, as well as ensure product performance integrity through product testing (physical and field testing).
Responsible for Asia Development team members being aware of technical details, development challenges, and engaged in finding solutions. 
Connect with legal teams to initiate Intellectual Property reviews and create contracts with new partners.
Own sample management for assigned projects, including receipt and distribution of all samples, sample checking, and communicating updates to all teammates.
Create and maintain technical packages and Bills of Materials (BOM’s) for assigned projects.
Ensure product quality by collaborating with Engineering and Quality Assessment teams at all stages of the creation process.
Critique, adjust, and evaluate technical blueprints (outsole/ midsole/ upper), upper patterns, and materials from a performance, manufacturing, and functional perspective.
Participate in development trips, 3 – 4 per year, to work with manufacturers and suppliers on existing and current development projects.
Create and build a knowledge base and stay informed about vendor capabilities and performance, factory relationships, quality issues, materials pricing, and lead times.
Own project management role for multiple Blueline, Athlete, and Advanced Development projects from Brief Phase through Design, Development, and delivery to In-line or Commercialization teams.
Lead team execution of innovation projects from Briefing through Tech Transfer.
Plan and execute projects according to project critical dates that lead to on–time delivery of project goals.
Effectively communicate with Factory and Asia Development teams to share product expectations and product details that lead to on-time delivery of samples.
Lead and ensure good communication between core innovation team members, subject matter experts, external partners, and leadership.
Initiate and lead meetings with project teams during various phases of development to review, evaluate, update and ultimately drive the decision-making process that leads to on–time project delivery and cost goals.
Understand when to bring in additional support to continue to drive product decisions forward.
Utilize your knowledge of the product creation and manufacturing processes to identify new ideas that will enhance product performance.
Keep abreast of market trends, new technologies, and consumer needs to ensure that products incorporate the functional needs of our consumers’ demand.
Partner with more senior members of the team to support their projects as needed and mentor more junior team members.
Continuous learning of Brooks Fit, Feel & Ride manufacturing best practices.

Qualifications:

Bachelor’s degree in Biomechanics, Engineering, Kinesiology, or related technical field; equivalent combination of education and years of experience can be considered in lieu of degree(s)
5+ years of successful experience leading the development of high-performance, technical running footwear projects
Expertise in technical running footwear product development, process, project management, costing, and manufacturing of product from conception to retail
3+ years of experience in innovation of athletic footwear desired
Must be optimistic that a solution to difficult challenges can be found, with the perseverance to keep investigating options until it is
Curious and open-minded; always open to a challenge, inventive, and seeking creative solutions; with the ability to challenge the status quo – always looking at improving our products and processes while also displaying a willingness to dive into the details
Ability to work in new arenas of footwear development where specific direction and solution path is unclear at the start
Proven ability to drive a decision in a collaborative, cross-functional group without command/control to meet strategic objectives
Demonstrated ability to develop productive relationships with individuals and teams that are made up of diverse disciplines and cultural backgrounds, resulting in effective working relationships across the company
Strong verbal and written communication skills, with the ability to communicate new ideas, concepts, and functional expertise within project teams and to external stakeholders
Keen attention to detail in planning, organization, and execution of tasks (self and through others), while seeing the big picture with support and understanding how all of the pieces fit together and affect one another
High level of independent work ethic and ability, with the instinct to know when to reach out for support
Keen attention to detail in planning, organization, and execution of tasks; willingness to dive into the details to better understand the “why”
Early ability to anticipate how a decision made can affect our customers, our partners, our products, or other departments’ operations and/or morale; “connecting the dots.”
Strong computer skills, including experience with Illustrator, Smartsheet, and MS Office software.  Flex PLM knowledge is a bonus
Excellent interpersonal skills that inspire and build trust, resulting in effective working relationships across the company
Ability to travel domestically and internationally as needed
Passionate participation in Brooks’ sports activities a plus, overridden by the ability to understand and empathize with the runner in order to develop loyal, engaging relationships with our customers and the Brooks community
Embraces and lives the Brooks values!

Additional Athlete Key Responsibilities: 

Deliver the highest-performing racing footwear for Brooks professional athletes, including the Beasts Track Club, Hansons-Brooks ODP, Mavericks, NIL athletes, and Brooks runners of all levels.

Own leading execution and management of multiple New Upper, New Tooling racing footwear projects, including leading projects from brief to final confirmation with T1, T2, and T3 factories at overlapping stages and intro dates.

Empathize with the needs of elite athletes required from their racing footwear and be able to craft stories on how their success in racing impacts the overall Brooks enterprise. Collaborate with Sports Marketing and Brooks professional athletes to ensure product development and introduction timing meet enterprise needs.

Manage racing shoe and track spike development sample and production approval process with World Athletics and be an industry representative for Brooks on the World Federation of the Sporting Goods Industry (WFSGI). Be the technical product expert in the room on the WFSGI to ensure rules and implementations match the Brooks racing footwear product vision. Plan and execute project development according to the highly-accelerated seasonal critical dates that lead to on-time delivery of development samples and production confirmation in time for major competitions, international championships, national championships, and World Majors.

Identify gaps in technologies; lead new innovation technology projects to solve, test, implement, and commercialize for racing footwear projects; and ultimately tech transfer learnings to other cross-functional teams.

Participate in quarterly domestic travel for key athlete testing, insights gathering, and competitions.

Additional Athlete Preferred Qualifications:

Include knowledge, skills, and abilities needed to perform the job successfully, not already included in the job description.

Experience developing track & field spikes and/or road racing shoes, preferred

Experience participating in and/or high knowledge of nuances surrounding track & field events and road racing (familiarity with the sport); knowledge of World Athletics footwear competition rules and regulations

Experience developing plates and other thermoplastic materials through injection and carbon fiber molding processes

At Brooks, we celebrate diversity & equity. We are committed to creating an inclusive environment, and encourage people of all backgrounds, perspectives, experiences, and skills to apply. Brooks is proud to be an equal employment opportunity employer. All employment decisions are made without regard to race, religion, creed, color, national origin, age, sex, gender, gender identity or expression, two-spirit identity, sexual orientation, genetic information, the presence of a physical, mental, or sensory disability, marital status, pregnancy (including childbirth and related conditions), caste, citizenship or immigration status, honorably discharged veteran or military status, actual or perceived victims of domestic violence, harassment, sexual assault or stalking, HIV or Hepatitis C infection, political ideology, use of a trained service animal by a person with a disability, or on any other basis protected by federal, state, or local law, or any other non-merit based factors.