Designer II, Innovation Footwear Design

Brooks Running • Seattle, WA

5d • $104,217 - $156,324 • Onsite

About The Position

Within our Innovation Team, we exist at the tip of the spear, pushing the boundaries of what’s possible in running performance. We don’t just design shoes; we architect the tools that help runners achieve their dreams, shatter barriers, and discover what they’re truly capable of. From the everyday runner to the world’s fastest athletes, we obsess over every detail that can unlock new levels of performance. As a Footwear Designer II on the Innovation Team, you will drive both art and science by creating what athletes need and want in their lives, a Designer who transforms visionary concepts into tangible reality. You’ll own end-to-end footwear design projects from early-stage explorations through production-ready geometry, working with a cross-functional team at the leading edge of footwear creation. Your work directly influences how our most ambitious innovations come to life and how elite athletes achieve their full potential. You will partner with Innovation Footwear Design, Computational Design, Run Research, Product Engineering, and Mechanical Engineering teams to create breakthrough footwear concepts that redefine performance. Your Design fluency, aesthetic sensibility, and technical skill will be essential in translating complex biomechanical insights and radical design ideas into a crafted reality for our high-performance athletes. This role needs someone who can scale seamlessly from rapid, iterative virtual and physical 3D explorations that spark new possibilities to high-quality models for prototyping. You understand how surface and contour contribute to human biomechanics, dynamic motion, and performance optimization. You communicate through concept sketches and stunning rendered visualizations that inspire teams and move concepts forward.

Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree in industrial design, Industrial Design, 3D Design, or related field (or equivalent experience)
• Expert-level proficiency in Adobe Creative Suite
• Demonstrates a powerful blend of both aesthetic design sensibilities and technical modeling precision
• Strong visualization and rendering skills to create compelling, photo-real representations of design concepts.
• Excellent communication and presentation skills with the ability to articulate design rationale to diverse stakeholders.
• Knowledge of prototyping and ability to use handmade models to demonstrate proof concepts.
• Bring a curious mindset for proposing alternative solutions
• Strong collaboration skills and ability to build relationships across diverse stakeholder groups.
• Deep empathy for athletes and their needs.
• Travel as necessary to Asia, Europe, trade shows, races, retailers, or other external events.

Responsibilities

• Own key product designs of performance footwear by creating and presenting upper, midsole, and outsole sketches for inline product based on direction provided.
• Ensure that all product designs meet organizational standards of quality, function/technology, and seasonal timelines from concept through go-to-market - where it applies.
• Influence briefs/concepts and direction of work with your design POV on storytelling, color, material, and finish, growing the appeal of Brooks Running footwear.
• Organize and deliver product design presentations, both physical and digital work, including exploratory processes, using your evaluation, judgment, and interpretation to select the right course of action.
• Respond to design critique with multiple design solutions.
• Deliver next-generation product design solutions and experiences that drive the future of performance footwear
• Partner within a product creation team on a wide range of complex projects and products to deliver industry-leading products and stories.
• Partner with the Advanced Research and Development Team to ensure a constant flow of information to inform your designs.
• Provide feedback and guidance to Associate Designers and seek out mentorship from more tenured Designers.
• Work closely with 3D and Computational Designers to ensure alignment on design intent.
• Work closely with the Color - Material & Trend Design Team when required to build concepts.
• Influence direction of work with various footwear team experts in Product Color & Trend, Product Materials, Product Development, Product Line Management, and Product Assessment.
• Work closely with the development teams in Asia and our overseas production sites.
• Use your strong design knowledge to partner with your product teams.
• Have a solid understanding of the design of jet stream to keep informed on what’s trending and how this may influence our design.
• Apply your knowledge of prototyping and ability to use handmade models to demonstrate proof of ideas.
• Conduct visits to our factories and material suppliers to gain insights and continue to develop a high level of understanding of the footwear manufacturing process.

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.
• Brooks offers generous time off, including three to five weeks of paid time off, eleven paid holidays, and paid sick and parental leave.
• In addition to base pay, Brooks employees may also be offered an annual bonus based on company performance.
• Including product discounts, employee recognition, fitness discounts, volunteer and donation benefits.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Mid Level
• Number of Employees: 501-1,000 employees