Footwear Design Intern, Inline - Fall 2026

Brooks Running•Seattle, WA

5d•$31•Onsite

About The Position

Brooks Running hosts internships at our Seattle HQ offices to provide hands-on, meaningful work experience to further enhance your education and professional aptitude. Our interns gain exposure to real work, and projects while working side by side with Brooks employees and leadership. If chosen for this role, you will embark on 6 months of learning, professional development, and exposure to the Brooks brand and culture. As a Brooks Footwear Design Intern, you will support the creation of innovative footwear concepts under the guidance of the members of the Footwear Design team. You will gain exposure to all aspects of the product creation process, including construction, color, form, style, detail, fit, performance, and cost/value considerations. As a Brooks Footwear Design Intern, you will work in close collaboration with cross-functional product creation partners, building foundational design skills while contributing to real-world projects. Through hands-on experience and mentorship, you will develop a strong understanding of the footwear design process and create a portfolio that reflects both creative growth and product creation knowledge. This will be a 6-month internship, with the possibility of a 6-month extension based on performance and feedback from the Footwear Design team, and your Footwear Design mentor. As part of your experience as a Footwear Design Intern at Brooks, you will complete an individual design project under the guidance of a Senior Footwear Designer. Project details will be determined based on your interests, development goals, and business needs. Throughout the internship, you will apply your design skills, explore creative solutions, and gain hands-on experience within the footwear creation process. At the conclusion of the internship, you will present your project to the Footwear Design team, showcasing your design process, storytelling, and final concept while further developing your communication and presentation skills.

Requirements

Currently enrolled as a junior or above in a university (or equivalent degree program) majoring in Product Design, Industrial Design, Footwear Design, or a related field.
Demonstrated talent in sketching and concept development.
Strong portfolio showcasing innovative thinking and a passion for performance footwear design.
Solid understanding of color, materials, texture, human factors, and form in product design.
High proficiency in Adobe Illustrator and Photoshop required.
Strong attention to detail in planning, organization, and execution, while understanding how individual design decisions impact the overall product.
Ability to anticipate how design decisions affect customers, partners, products, and cross-functional teams, connecting the broader system across the organization.
Demonstrated innovation and initiative, with a drive to improve products and processes while remaining hands-on and detail-oriented.
Must be able to collaborate in a team-oriented environment.

Nice To Haves

Experience with 3D design software is a plus.
Previous performance footwear design experience is a plus.
Knowledge of manufacturing processes, plastics, and other engineering materials is a plus.
Experience using AI for ideation support or brainstorming desired.
Passion for sport is a plus, with a strong ability to understand and empathize with runners to build meaningful connections with the Brooks community.

Responsibilities

Collaborate with Development and Product Line Management partners to support the creation of innovative running footwear that resonates with runners and reflects the Brooks “Let’s Run There” spirit.
Seek and apply feedback from cross-functional partners to develop design solutions that balance cost/value, fit, performance, manufacturability, sustainability, merchandising, and aesthetic execution.
Build knowledge of the running consumer and running culture to help inform product performance, appearance, and design opportunities across categories, customer segments or emerging trends.
Analyze pre-line feedback from Sales, Marketing, Merchandising, and other partners to better understand consumer needs and support brand alignment.
Create hand sketches, digital renderings, and presentation materials to clearly communicate and present design concepts.
Support the exploration and development of footwear concepts through research, ideation, and iterative design work.
Apply feedback and learned techniques to strengthen design solutions and continue building design craft and problem-solving skills.