Footwear Innovation Developer II, Racing Footwear

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:

As a Footwear Innovation Developer II – Racing Footwear you utilize advanced, technical product and process knowledge, to work with a cross-functional product creation team from the collection of insights through commercialization to deliver the highest-performing racing footwear for Brooks professional athletes like the Beasts Track Club, Hansons-Brooks ODP, Mavericks, NIL athletes, and Brooks runners of all levels. Your work has a direct impact on the Brooks professional athlete results, Brooks Sports Marketing strategy, and technology learnings that trickle into the full Brooks performance product line. You have successful hands-on experience and knowledge of the total footwear construction process, including outsole/midsole technical 2D/ 3D, pattern engineering, material construction and properties, and costing. You understand, through curiosity, intuition, and direct feedback, the nuanced needs of elite track & road racing athletes and foresee innovation opportunities to equip them with revolutionary racing products. Other critical responsibilities include understanding manufacturing capabilities, anticipating issues, problem-solving, and timely resolution. Your ideas around engineering principles that enhance product performance, product value, and your ability to communicate them across the product teams is a must for this role.

• Own leading execution and management of multiple New Upper, New Tooling racing footwear projects including leading projects from brief creation to final confirmation with T1, T2, and T3 factories at overlapping stages and intro dates.
• Deliver on Brooks Fit, Feel, Ride principles and goals via an unwavering dedication to always deliver product excellence at every prototype round.
• Empathize with the needs elite athletes require 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 meets Enterprise needs.
• Manage racing shoe & 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 meet 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 your racing footwear projects; and ultimately tech transfer learnings to other cross-functional teams.
• Partner with and influence vendors and factories in the manufacturing process with the ability to steer the process to advance and achieve new manufacturing techniques which enhance the overall performance of product.
• Partner with and guide Design. Asia Development, and PLM teams to ensure that designs are manufacturable and meet cost and quality objectives for each product.
• Critique, adjust and evaluate technical blueprints (outsole/ midsole/ upper), 3D CADs, upper patterns and materials from a performance, manufacturing, and functional perspective.
• Recommend and specify to Product team the material, component, and construction options to meet pricing targets and product’s functional goals, as well as ensure product performance integrity through product testing (physical and field testing).
•  Partner with more senior members of the team to support their projects as needed...Initiate and lead meetings with product teams during various phases of development to review, evaluate, update, and drive the decision-making process that leads to on–time production confirmation.
• Collaborate with our Research, Design and Development, Marketing and Costing teams and Color Designers to show sample materials that meet the criteria for the category based on material performance data.
• Create and build a knowledge base and stay informed about vendor capabilities and performance, factory relationships, quality issues, materials pricing, and lead times.
• Keep abreast of market trends, new technologies and consumer needs to ensure that products incorporate the functional needs our athlete’s demand.
• Participate in quarterly domestic travel for key athlete testing, insights gathering, and competitions.
• Participate in Asia development trips, 3 - 4 per year, to work with manufacturers and suppliers on existing and current development projects.
• Additional responsibilities and projects as assigned.

• Bachelor’s Degree in Biomechanics, Engineering, Kinesiology, Design, or other applicable technical degrees or equivalent combination of education and experience.
• 5+ years’ experience leading the development of high-performance, technical running footwear projects. Experience developing track & field spikes and/or road racing shoes.
• Expertise in technical running footwear product development, process, project management, costing, and manufacturing of product from conception to athlete race day.
• Proven ability to lead and influence in a collaborative, cross-functional group without command/ control to meet strategic objectives.
• 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 process.
• Demonstrated ability to develop highly productive relationships with individuals and teams composed of diverse disciplines and cultural backgrounds, resulting in effective working relationships across the company.
• Strong verbal and written communication skills, with an advanced ability to communicate new ideas, concepts, and functional expertise within global project teams and to external stakeholders.
• Keen attention to detail in planning, organization, and execution of tasks (self and through others), while still seeing the big picture and understanding how all the pieces fit together and affect one another.
• Ability to anticipate how a decision made can affect our athletes, our partners, our products or other departments’ operations and/or morale; “connecting the dots.”
• Curious and open-minded; always open for a challenge, inventive, creative. With the ability to challenge the status quo, always looking to improve our products and processes while also displaying a willingness to dive into the details.
• Strong computer skills, including experience with Adobe Illustrator, MS Office software. Flex PLM and 3D CAD knowledge is a bonus.
• Passionate participation in Brooks’ sports activities is a plus, overridden by the ability to understand and empathize with the runner to develop loyal, engaging relationships with our professional athletes and the Brooks community.
• Ability to travel domestically and internationally 15-20% of the time.
• Embraces and lives the Brooks values!

Compensation: The pay range for this position, based out of the Brooks Seattle HQ, is $96,358 - $144,538 per year. Base pay offered will vary depending on job-related knowledge, skills, and experience.  

Other:

Brooks is proud to offer a robust benefits package to our employees and their families!  

Benefits- including medical, dental, vision, life and AD&D insurance, disability insurance, HSA and employer contribution, FSA, family & fertility assistance, 401K Savings Plan and match, employee assistance program, and transportation assistance.  

Paid Time Off- Brooks offers generous time off, including three to five weeks of paid time off, eleven paid holidays,and paid sick and parental leave.

Bonus- in addition to base pay, Brooks employees may also be offered an annual bonus based on company performance.   

Perks- including product discounts, employee recognition, fitness discounts, volunteer and donation benefits.

Location- You will spend 3 per week in our Seattle offices, as we believe our organization flourishes when connections, collaboration, creativity, problem-solving, and celebrations happen in person.

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.