Footwear Materials Developer

Materials Developer 3 - Footwear (Contract Role)

On-site | 4/1 Hybrid | WHQ

We are seeking an experienced Footwear Materials Developer to support end-to-end materials creation and development within a fast-paced product creation environment. This role partners closely with Design, Product Development, Engineering, Materials Planning, and Global Suppliers to bring seasonal material direction to life while ensuring performance, cost, sustainability, and manufacturing feasibility.

You will manage materials from concept through commercialization readiness-ensuring on-time delivery, strong execution against critical timelines, and alignment to design intent.

This is a contract role supporting a maternity leave coverage with a highly collaborative, cross-functional team environment.

• Lead and manage the materials development lifecycle from concept through commercialization readiness
• Partner with design and product creation teams to translate design intent into manufacturable material solutions
• Collaborate with global vendors and manufacturers (including Asia-based partners) to develop and deliver materials on schedule
• Ensure materials meet performance, cost, quality, and sustainability requirements
• Track and manage multiple development projects against critical seasonal calendars and deadlines
• Support material readiness for production and commercialization
• Provide clarity and solutions when issues arise across sourcing, development, or vendor execution
• Contribute to seasonal material direction, palettes, and material innovation efforts

• 6+ years of experience in materials development, product development, or product creation, ideally within footwear (apparel acceptable)
• Strong understanding of materials creation processes and manufacturing workflows
• Direct experience working within footwear or performance product creation environments
• Proven ability to manage complex, deadline-driven development calendars
• Experience working with external suppliers or manufacturers, ideally global
• Ability to translate design intent into feasible, production-ready materials
• Strong cross-functional collaboration skills across design, development, and supply chain teams
• High attention to detail with strong ownership and follow-through

• Direct experience working with material mills or manufacturers
• Exposure to footwear-specific product development (running or performance footwear a plus)
• Familiarity with lab testing and interpreting material performance results
• Experience in seasonal product creation cycles
• Background in Materials Science, Chemistry, Engineering, or related field (or equivalent experience)

• Self-starter who can operate independently in a fast-paced environment
• Strong communicator who can align global teams and external partners
• Highly organized with strong execution discipline and deadline management
• Problem solver who can offer alternative material or process solutions
• Comfortable balancing tradeoffs across cost, performance, sustainability, and design intent
• Collaborative team player who thrives in cross-functional product creation environments
  

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