Lead, Footwear Computational Design

Nike • Beaverton, OR

3d

About The Position

We are seeking a Lead Computational Designer to join the Footwear Digital Design Studio within Nike's Innovation Team. The Digital Design Studio, part of the Advanced Digital Creation Studio, is dedicated to evolving how product is designed, pairing advanced algorithmic and geometric exploration with emerging tools like Generative AI to expand the design space and shape new ways of working. The successful candidate will report to the Director of Footwear Digital Design and will lead computational workstreams alongside innovators, designers, and engineers.

Requirements

• Bachelor's Degree in Art, Architecture, Industrial Design, or Computer Science (visual design/imaging focus) or related field. Will accept any suitable combination of education, experience and training.
• 5+ years experience using computational design in product design or related fields, with a portfolio demonstrating advanced algorithmic and geometric work.
• Highly skilled in 2D design and 3D modeling software (Rhino/Grasshopper, Houdini, Maya, Blender, Adobe Suite, etc.)
• Proficiency in coding languages (Python, C#, Vex) for creative applications and computational design thinking, including toolpath and machine-code generation.
• Ability to think critically and creatively in solving complex problems.
• Ability to communicate effectively with cross-disciplinary teams of product designers, developers, and engineers.

Nice To Haves

• Experience with Generative AI tools and workflows (image, geometry, or code generation) applied to design ideation, exploration, or production is a strong plus.
• Curiosity and conviction about future ways of working — eager to challenge legacy processes and bring the team along.
• Prefer 3+ years experience in 3D printing solutions and/or computational methods of make.
• Possess an in depth understanding of digital creation market trends and new technologies.

Responsibilities

• Develop design algorithms for product concepts within Nike Innovation and Inline Product Creation.
• Design through code, tailoring outputs to meet manufacturing needs whether 3D tooling, 2D print files, or machine code.
• Manage multiple projects simultaneously, ensuring all deliverables meet the highest quality standards.
• Help define how the team works in the next era of digital design.
• Lead advanced algorithm and geometry creation across product concepts, owning the path from creative intent to manufacturable output, including toolpath design and machine-code generation where the geometry meets the method of make.
• Drive exploration of Generative AI and emerging tools, piloting workflows that integrate AI, performance data, and 3D geometry into the team's everyday process.
• Partner daily in Rhino/Grasshopper and procedural environments (Houdini or equivalent), independently developing algorithms to fulfill project requirements while raising the technical bar for the team.
• Serve as an integrated computational lead on multi-disciplinary product teams, while also helping shape the broader Digital Design team's craft, tools, and ways of working.
• Collaborate with development and manufacturing teams to evolve the intersection of design aesthetics, performance, and innovative methods of make, translating new manufacturing methods back into design opportunity.
• Maintain the culture and reputation of the Digital Design team in your daily interactions.
• May travel to support product development as needed.

Benefits

• We offer a number of accommodations to complete our interview process including screen readers, sign language interpreters, accessible and single location for in-person interviews, closed captioning, and other reasonable modifications as needed.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Senior
• Education Level: Associate degree