Lead Designer, Materials NXT SPACE

Become a Part of the NIKE, Inc. Team

NIKE, Inc. does more than outfit the world’s best athletes. It is a place to explore potential, obliterate boundaries and push out the edges of what can be. The company looks for people who can grow, think, dream and create. Its culture thrives by embracing diversity and rewarding imagination. The brand seeks achievers, leaders and visionaries. At NIKE, Inc. it’s about each person bringing skills and passion to a challenging and constantly evolving game.

NIKE, Inc. designs the future. At NIKE, Inc. designers chase their curiosities and build what’s next, shaping the culture and advancing human potential. The Design teams include artists, inventors and specialists, all with different focuses, including color and material experts, and apparel, footwear and graphic designers. Nike designers look to the future, aggressively pursuing materials, ideas and forms that further elevate the athlete experience, raise the bar for modern style and reduce environmental impact.

WHO WE ARE LOOKING FOR

An exceptional Lead Materials Designer with proven design excellence and an entrepreneurial mindset. This person champions diversity, sustainability and collaboration while thriving in ambiguity. They are driven by curiosity and lead with optimism; consciously nurturing radical thinking.

This designer can create future forward footwear, apparel and experience designs that revolutionize benefit and capture the imagination of athletes*. They have played key roles in developing proof of concepts and their powerful narratives and presentation skills rally teams and win over audiences. We are looking for someone who is inspired to unite the world through sport, create a healthy planet, enable active communities and elevate the holistic athlete* experience.

WHAT YOU WILL WORK ON

If this is you, you’ll be collaborating with cross-functional teams in a matrix environment. Your days and weeks will consistently look different, based on the diversity of your project portfolio. Your workload will include driving self-generated future concepts and supporting team priority programs. Utilizing performance and cultural insights originating from athletes* along with the Nike Sport Research Lab (NSRL), you will identify growth opportunities and create competitive advantages.  You’ll effectively communicate and present concepts to various internal and external audiences by sharing your vision, gathering feedback, achieving alignment and building momentum. You'll champion and influence new ways of strategic thinking and visioning to create and initiate research for product Innovation and design concepts.

WHO YOU WILL WORK WITH

As a key member of the Design Innovation team, you’ll help strengthen and shape the collective as a positive force of creativity and curiosity by engaging and uplifting your Design Innovation peers. You will collaborate with portfolio leads, concept creators, engineers, developers, and NXT Space leadership.  You’ll build relationships working with a variety of cross-functional teams across the organization, including Advanced Manufacturing, Materials, Sustainability, Nike Sports Research Lab (NSRL), Digital, and inline business partners. You will also engage with athletes* and develop new relationships with external vendor and factory partners. You’ll report to a Senior Design Innovation Manager, in NXT SPACE, who reports to the Senior Design Director of NXT SPACE

What you bring

Proven Experience

(In order to be considered for this role, you will need to upload or provide a url to a textile based portfolio)

• Minimum of 5-7 years relevant design work experience in a related field
• BA/BFA/MA/MFA preferred, in Textile design, Fashion design, Product design or similar or a combination of equivalent education, experience, or training
• Well-curated portfolio showcasing a variety of projects that demonstrate:
• Your personal methodology for research, inspiration, design development, problem solving and final execution.
• Working from a brief to completion/commercialization.
• Self-initiated innovation and your entrepreneurial spirit.
• In-depth research leading to new opportunities.
• Working directly with a diverse range of consumers/athletes.
• Exploring innovative new methods of make and sustainability focused concepts.
• Strong project management skills with the ability to track to key dates and deliverables.

Attitude

The ideal designer is an ego-free self starter who thrives in ambiguity. You are a strong team player who values transparency and collaboration. This person will need to have the ability to not only self manage but also empower others. You demonstrate self-awareness with the confidence to ask hard questions. You are resilient and understand that failure is a part of the creative innovation process.

Skills

• Advanced materials designer with the ability to ideate, generate, develop, and execute

original material designs and processes.

• High proficiency in a variety of advanced material constructions such as knit, woven, non-woven, post process finishes, additive manufacturing and sustainability concepts.
• Builds material palettes focused on evergreen features such as fit, feel, form and function while balancing innovation, performance, sustainability and aesthetics.
• Has a highly developed instinct for innovative thinking, visioning and true problem solving.
• Key collaborator to internal and external partners (development, engineering, manufacture for design, testing, athlete research, etc.) who drives the material design process from beginning to end.
• Stays updated and connected to sport, cultural and societal insights to translate into future concepts.
• Strong storytelling and communication skills with the ability to prepare and deliver compelling presentations to different audiences.
• Fluent in Illustrator, Photoshop, Miro, and Keynote
• Knowledge of/expertise in 3d design tools are a plus but the desire to learn and apply is a must.

Other

• 10% travel

We will ensure that individuals with disabilities are provided reasonable accommodation to participate in the job application or interview process, to perform essential job functions, and to receive other benefits and privileges of employment. Please contact us to request accommodation.

NIKE, Inc. is a growth company that looks for team members to grow with it. Nike offers a generous total rewards package, casual work environment, a diverse and inclusive culture, and an electric atmosphere for professional development. No matter the location, or the role, every Nike employee shares one galvanizing mission: To bring inspiration and innovation to every athlete* in the world.

NIKE, Inc. is committed to employing a diverse workforce. Qualified applicants will receive consideration without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, veteran status, or disability.