Principal Researcher, Cleated

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.

The Nike Sport Research Lab (NSRL) is a multidisciplinary team of researchers, innovators, and scientists who lead with science to make athletes* measurably better. We deliver proven insights and state-of-the-art capabilities to drive the future of Nike products and services. The NSRL Footwear Research team conducts research that provides insights leading to innovative footwear and measurable benefits for athlete. We apply scientific and research results to drive new footwear concepts and performance hypotheses across multiple innovation teams.

WHO WE ARE LOOKING FOR

We are looking for a Principal Researcher to lead the research vision, strategy, and implementation for footwear in Cleated sports (primarily Global and American football). The highest-level objective of this research is to deeply understand footwear attributes that can either provide a measurable performance benefit or protect athletes from injury during cleated sports!

The Cleated Principal Researcher will work with a multidisciplinary team of researchers and innovators within the Nike Explore Team and Advanced Innovation at Nike. A successful candidate will:

• Be tasked to create and lead a robust research agenda aimed at gathering, proving, and applying objective insights to drive new footwear concepts and prototypes across different innovation teams.
• Direct a team to conduct cutting-edge, independent biomechanics research focusing on athletes of all levels.
• Lead as a creative scientist, questioning methods, results and applications.
• Think outside normal paradigms to find creative ways around barriers to enhancing performance or preventing injury.
• Seek innovative ways to perform research and develop new data collection and analytical tools.
• Display an entrepreneurial spirit.
• Mentor other researchers.

A successful candidate will demonstrate at an expert level:

• Skills and ability to conduct research and apply scientific insights, specifically related to sport biomechanics, performance, and injury.
• Knowledge of the scientific method, including but not limited to: observation, formulation of testable hypotheses, experimental design, statistical methods, and analysis and intepretation of results.
• Ability to apply scientific insights to influence innovative Cleated footwear.
• Understanding of, and ability to use and troubleshoot all existing tools commonly used for biomechanical analyses.
• Ability to develop new tools and/or methods for answering scientific inquiry.
• Ability to communicate complex scientific topics to a diverse, non-technical audience.

WHAT YOU WILL WORK ON

In this role, you will:

• Develop and direct a portfolio of research projects for Cleated footwear, managing both internal cross functional teams and external research partners and programs.
• Conduct research to discover new insights into how footwear can improve performance or help prevent injuries.
• Apply research insights across the NRSL and Footwear Product teams to create novel and innovative footwear for Cleated and applications.
• Ensure scientific integrity of footwear during the concept briefing, product development, and commercialization phases.
• Lead as an innovative scientist by exploring creative solutions to performance or injury prevention.
• Communicate scientific information, methods, and findings clearly and concisely to technical and non-technical teams, partners, and senior management.
• Advocate for NSRL performance and protection research, and actively disseminate new ideas, insights, and concepts across multiple business groups, garnering support and consensus.
• Actively seek new technologies, scientific research and methodological opportunities, trends, and vulnerabilities.

WHO YOU WILL WORK WITH

In this role, you will work with internal partners such as researchers within the Nike Sport Research Lab, Innovation Footwear Product Creation teams, Brand, and Inline dimension/category teams. Externally, you will work with research partners (academic and industrial) to continue Nike’s leadership position in the science of sport and making athletes* better.

WHAT YOU BRING

• Ph.D. degree in human movement science (biomechanics, kinesiology), engineering, biomedical engineering, or ergonomics + 4 years relevant work experience; or MS with +8 years relevant work experience or combination of relevant education, experience and training
• Proven track record leading a scientific research team
• Consistent record of conducting novel lateral movement, jumping, gait, and/or cleated biomechanics research.
• Deep understanding of traction and surface interactions is desirable.
• Experience applying science to footwear or product development is desirable.
• Experience dealing with multiple business units and functional groups is desirable.
• Experience working with elite and/or professional athletes is desirable.

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.