Material Developer I, 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 our Footwear Materials Developer I, you will lead a portfolio of material development projects through the creation process from concept to commercialization.  This person will work with cross-functional product creation teams to help support the material development process among US, Asia Development team and factories in Asia to meet material timelines and standards at development and commercialization phases. You will manage projects from concept to production with occasional supervisor guidance. You will carry out the research and development in materials which fuel and support the overall development and design efforts for the footwear team.  You’ll bring new materials to the team and work closely with vendors to ensure that Brooks’ footwear product goals are achieved.  

• Collaborate with Development, Design, and Product Management to develop materials specifications for product functionality, durability, and aesthetics, including identifying needs and researching solutions with a good understanding of the material creation process and a certain level of knowledge of the textile/yarn/machinery and knitting methods.
• Attend material shows, meet regularly with suppliers for line reviews, and travel to vendors when necessary.
• Ensure that Brooks has accurate complete specification sheets on all materials used in the product line.
• Work collaboratively with vendors (mills/textiles, synthetics, hardware, and other suppliers) to develop materials that align with Brooks’ quality standards, aesthetics, target prices, and availability needs.
• Work with Corporate Sustainability to manage the footwear initiatives pertinent to global laws, business requirements, and consumer expectations
• Participate in the creation, organization, and maintenance of both digital and physical toolboxes to streamline access to key resources and information.
• Develop presentations and tools to facilitate cross-functional collaboration and enhance information sharing across teams.
• Provide ongoing support in managing and updating departmental documentation, ensuring accurate and up-to-date content.
• Contribute to the implementation of strategies to optimize team workflows and improve interdepartmental communication.
• Partner with Asia materials testing team, to ensure that all materials pass Brooks Sports commercialization process by the specified dates on the seasonal calendar. 
• Review testing with the development team to ensure product quality.
• Continuously build advanced materials expertise and work to create a network of contacts within the industry.
• Submit, manage, and provide feedback on color lab dips.
• Evaluate the risk factors associated with all material developments and communicate them to the product teams.
• Negotiate with Tier 2 vendors on delivery timelines for materials for the assigned projects, collecting the key takeaways during the whole process implementation of the assigned projects to create the best practices.
• Assist the supplier audit process owned by the Sourcing Operations team.
• Continue ongoing research and development to enhance the existing, and resource materials database.
• Organize processes and measures that result in the timely delivery of quality materials while also providing an action plan to incorporate into a seasonal calendar for the assigned projects
• Assist with advanced materials R&D projects as necessary.
• Other responsibilities as required. 

• Preferably hold a degree in a post-secondary discipline (ex. associate degree, B.A, etc.) and could be substituted with relevant experience,
• 3+ years of experience leading the material development of high-performance footwear projects.
• Experience with international vendors preferred.
• Knowledge of textile manufacturing, dying, finishing, and testing.
• Computer proficiency with office software; MS Word, Excel, Outlook, PowerPoint.
• Ability to analyze test information and subjective feedback in a concise and understandable manner.
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills in English, demonstrating effective listening through concise, clear verbal and written communication.
• Great interpersonal skills that inspire and build trust resulting in effective working relationships across the company.
• Keen attention to detail in planning, organization, and execution of tasks, 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 customers, our partners, our products, or other departments’ operations and/or morale; “connecting the dots.”
• Demonstration of innovation and initiative – always looking at improving our products and processes while also displaying a willingness to dive into the details and help wherever necessary.
• 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 customers and the Brooks community.
• A good problem solver, able to make many decisions with certain support and able to collaborate and question Factory Developers, Engineering, and Production to get answers to key questions
• Willingness to travel (Domestic/ International).

Compensation: The pay range for this position, based out of the Brooks Seattle HQ, is $73,515 - $110,272 per year. Base pay offered will vary depending on job-related knowledge, skills, and experience.  

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, 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 days 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.