Footwear Developer
September 6
🏢 In-office - San Francisco
Description
•Collaborate with Product Design and our Factory to develop footwear from concept through commercialization to achieve both the desired consumer facing aesthetic and deliver on technical fit and quality •Evaluate and provide valuable input on bottom and component blueprints, upper patterns, knitting and materials from a performance, fit, construction, costing and manufacturing perspective •Collaborate with various teams to find solutions in product development to save costs, avoid delays, and prevent financial problems •Analyze cost differences for prototypes and go through CBDs, yields, cost and negotiate costing to achieve product margin goals •Partner with the Production Team to achieve high levels of fit consistency and comfort from initial design to evolution through production •Effectively evaluate materials for physical characteristics and function in order to specify appropriate materials for development projects and ensure cost-effectiveness •Serve as a key stakeholder in reviews for all sample rounds (prototype, development, fit, confirmation, TOP) and enhance the production quality consistency •Initiate and lead meetings with product teams during various development phases to review, evaluate, update and drive the decision making process that leads to on–time production and target margin •Proactively communicate with the factory team on product development execution, keeping communication open and transparent across corporate and factory teams •Strive for continuous improvement in areas of product integrity, ongoing efficiency improvements, cost savings and fit consistency
Requirements
•10 years or more of experience in developing or producing footwear, accessories/handbag experience is a plus •A bachelor’s degree in biomechanics, engineering, kinesiology, or other applicable technical degrees. Experience will be considered in place of degree •Contemporary knowledge of product construction, materials, design applications, costing, lab testing and molding •Experience reviewing and analyzing costing and testing information to identify potential solutions/improvements •A strong understanding of Footwear Development and commercialization process •Experience in working and communicating with Asia based offices and vendors •Strong computer skills (PLM, Google sheets/doc/PPT); Adobe Illustrator experience a plus
Benefits
•Generous paid time off •401k matching •Comprehensive health plans for you and your family •Supplemental mental health benefits •Monthly wellness reimbursement •Employee Discount Program!
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