Director, Footwear Research Nike Sports Research Lab - Innovation

Nike • Beaverton, OR

2d

About The Position

The Director, Footwear Research leads the Nike Sport Research Lab’s Footwear Research team, a multidisciplinary group conducting research to generate insights for innovative footwear and measurable athlete benefits. The role manages technical biomechanics researchers and collaborates with Innovation Product Creation, Mechanical and Materials Testing, technical teams, stakeholders, Principal Researchers, and external research partners.

The Director turns complex scientific findings into clear strategies, validated assessments, and actionable product concepts while protecting research integrity and addressing business and product creation needs. The role sets priorities, aligns partners and interdisciplinary teams, oversees internal and external research, and builds research capabilities supporting high-performance product. It also manages and mentors researchers, sets business goals, advances skills and methodologies, and supports career development. The position reports to a senior director; the posting identifies both the Sr. Director, Applied Footwear Research and the Sr. Director, Footwear Research.

Requirements

• Master’s degree in human movement science, biomechanics, kinesiology, engineering, biomedical engineering, ergonomics, or a related field; suitable combinations of education, experience, and training will be accepted.
• 10 or more years of relevant experience.
• Deep understanding of footwear science and demonstrated ability to translate research insights into program or product concepts.
• Experience leading interdisciplinary teams, aligning stakeholders, and delivering projects or products on aggressive timelines.
• Demonstrated ability to balance research integrity with business needs and communicate complex scientific subjects to nontechnical audiences.

Responsibilities

• Lead a team of technical biomechanics experts and align their work within collaborative research programs.
• Set priorities, align partners, and help build research capabilities that advance high-performance footwear.
• Manage and mentor technical researchers, including setting business goals, advancing skills and methodologies, and supporting career development.
• Help set strategy, communicate progress against initiatives, and link cross-functional disciplines within the Sport Research Lab.
• Partner with Principal Researchers to manage testing and research requests and prioritize work that can inform concepts, components, and prototypes.
• Oversee internal and external research that answers critical questions for product creation teams.
• Lead interdisciplinary teams through aggressive timelines and align stakeholders around a shared vision.
• Communicate technical findings and complex scientific subjects to diverse, nontechnical audiences.
• Balance research integrity with business and product creation needs.

Benefits

• Accommodations are available during the interview process, including screen readers, sign language interpreters, accessible single-location in-person interviews, closed captioning, and other reasonable modifications.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Director