Senior Specialist - Innovation Footwear Developer

In short

The Innovation Footwear Developer will collaborate with product teams to shape the future of On's product line, by translating footwear innovation work into advanced footwear products and by creating future technologies that will define the brand. This role is responsible for leading the development of future-oriented concepts within the R&D organization.

Your Mission

• Manage and execute the creation of innovative product concepts from conception to completion, overseeing technology development, sample creation and assembly, as well as the development of uppers, toolings, technologies, and molds.
• Management of multiple high-impact innovation projects with complete autonomy and ownership. Strategic planning and aligning with company goals.
• Engage in complex problem-solving, tackling challenges related to product intricacies, process optimization, efficiency enhancement, model making and the enablement of scalable manufacturing practices.
• Ensure seamless communication and collaboration by acting as a bridge between designers, conceptual footwear innovators, model makers, pattern engineers, technology partners and other stakeholders. Ensure that scalability is carefully considered for every project.
• Work closely with the Sport Science, Innovation Design, Footwear Engineering, and Innovation Material Science teams to create an environment of interdisciplinary collaboration and drive the development of innovative prototypes.
• Create and update the transfer Manual, by meticulously documenting processes, including key data, design images, and detailed product/process descriptions to ensure it remains a comprehensive and user-friendly resource for successful technical knowledge transfer.
• Forge strong connections with our development teams in Asia, actively participating in the assurance of successful information transfer strategies, and fostering a collaborative cross-border working relationship.
• Demonstrate expertise in fabricating and assembling materials and components, utilizing a diverse array of machinery and hand tools. This includes, but is not limited to, proficiency in cutting, injecting, sanding, buffing, sewing, welding, pressing, and lasting processes.

Your story

• 5+ years of footwear-specific experience.
• Experience with footwear innovation projects.
• Bachelor’s Degree in Engineering or another relevant field preferred.
• 3+ years of experience in traditional footwear manufacturing processes – injecting, cutting, sewing, welding, machining, laser cutting, construction, and prototyping among others.
• Ability to identify design issues and offer solutions to improve functionality and manufacturability of products.
• Demonstrated knowledge of material testing and methodology, comfortable working with chemistry/chemical processes for materials creation – not limited to: textiles, foam polymers, solvents, chemicals, polyurethane, superfoams, EVA, among others.
• Proven ability to lead the scaling, costing, and testing of manufacturing processes and concepts while introducing new technologies to the market.
• Excellent communication skills and comfort adapting communication style between engineers, designers, product experts and cross-functional non-product creation partners.
• Ability to work independently under a deadline on several projects simultaneously requiring both innovative ideas and engineering problem-solving.
• Exemplify a high tolerance for ambiguity and solution-focused attitude.
• Comfortable working with industrial machinery.
• Availability to travel up to 15% of the time.

What to expect

We want to set everyone up for success, so here’s the lowdown on how we hire. Our process is a two-way street – bringing you into our culture, while helping us learn how you think.

Our full process can last about eight weeks from application to offer, because we care about getting it right. These steps explain how we usually do things.

Before you get started, feel free to consider if you want to work with us. Strange question? Well, we give people a lot of space to navigate their day-to-day and that style isn't for everyone. We want you to be passionate about what you do and be sure this is the right fit. Because when skills and passion combine – it creates that 'Wow' moment.

• Step One

  It starts with you...

  You'll start by submitting your application to a specific role. We try to keep this step as simple as possible. We do get a lot of applications, but we review them all. We ask that you allow around 14 days for us to come back to you with a response. If you are a good fit to the role, someone will follow up with you within that window. If you didn't receive a reply, or were unsuccessful this time around, we encourage you to look for other possible matches at On.

• Step Two

  Interview with a recruiter

  What ignites your spirit? This is where we’ll start getting to know all about you and what makes you tick – and it’s your first chance to get a feel for our culture. Chatting with a member of our talent team, you’ll learn more about On and how we work. We’ll learn about what motivates you and what you could bring to the team.

• Step Three

  Interview with a hiring manager

  Ready to dig into the details? This second interview will be held with your future manager and will focus on the specifics of the job. Together you’ll delve into your unique skills and experiences and how they could be relevant at On. It's also a time to assess how you might feel working side-by-side. Bring any questions you have about the job, the team or anything else you might like to know – this is an open forum.

• Step Four

  The Case Study

  What's your style? This task will help us understand how you think, face a challenge and give insight into your novel ideas. Designed to give everyone their best shot, your case study is based on something you might typically experience on the job. This is your chance to show us what you’ve got. So express yourself. Be you.

• Step Five

  The Experience Day

  Your first taste of the Oniverse. This is a time to meet some of the people you'll be working closest with. In person or virtually, you'll get a feel for the day-to-day at On and the people who make it happen. You'll chat with a few potential teammates - the conversations will be as equally driven by the role and your experience as by our values. We believe how you do things is just as important as what you do.

• Step Six

  The Result

  Are we a good fit? We’ll get together internally to share our feedback and decide if we’re a match. We know that job searching is a big time investment, so it’s not a decision we take lightly. It’s also time for you to reflect on the experience – are we the right place for you? No matter the outcome, we’ll give you meaningful feedback.

Step One:

It starts with you...

You'll start by submitting your application to a specific role.

We try to keep this step as simple as possible. We do get a lot of applications, but we review them all. We ask that you allow around 14 days for us to come back to you with a response. If you are a good fit to the role, someone will follow up with you within that window. If you didn't receive a reply, or were unsuccessful this time around, we encourage you to look for other possible matches at On.