Lead 3D Footwear Designer, Digital Design

WHO WE ARE LOOKING FOR

You'rea highly skilled 3D design expert with mastery ofdesign,multiple digital design tools,deep manufacturingknowledgeand computational design.

You'rea power user of generative AI workflows and actively contribute to tool development. You drive design innovation in hackathons, influence design direction, and serve as a subject matter expert for both craft excellence and emergingdigitalcapabilities,with the ability to work at speed without compromising design quality.

WHAT YOU'LL WORK ON

• You'lltackle the most complex footwear projects while partnering with Footwear Design.
  
  You'lldrive design direction, create innovative solutions, mentor team members, and serve as the bridge betweendigitalcraft excellence and cutting-edgedigitalcapabilities.
• Unlock the full power of 3D design taking ideasfrom concept to manufacturing
• Create rapid 3D form studies and design iterations that allow quick explorations,evaluation, and refinement ofideas during concept development
• Deliver production-ready 3D models and visualizations for high-profile projects with new methods of make, collaborating closely withfootweardesign,development and engineering to ensure feasibility
• Partnercloselywith afootwear designcategoryteamto influence direction, present design solutions, and create refined concepts that accelerate decision-making during co-creation timelines
• Work across multiple dimensions on inline, priority, hackathon, and special quick-strike projects, including high-profile collaborations with heavy leadership scrutiny and compressed timelines
• Create and share custom tools, scripts, and workflows that accelerate the team's capabilities andestablishnew best practices
• Serve as subject matter expert with pipeline teams, and development partners to share best practices and understand how 3D tools can beleveragedacross the organization
• Champion generative AI adoption bydemonstratingadvanced workflows,identifying high-impact use cases, and helping others integrate AI tools effectively into their practice
• Partner with the GenAI team, Global Tech, and CP&I to define requirements, test workflows, and provide feedback that helps refine and scale AI-powered design tools for the global design community
• Mentor 3D Designer I and II team members, helping them develop both traditional 3D skills,computational workflows,andproficiencywith generative AI workflows
• Ensure all work meets the aligned output strategy and process to deliver and support asset management transition across digital pipelines
• Ensure all work meets brand protection standards and is consumer-facing ready, understanding that your 3D models and renderings may be shared with Brand or become public

WHO YOU'LL WORK WITH

You'llbe aligned to a specific Sport team,working independently on high-complexity projects and partnering closely with your Sport team's Footwear Product Designer  and Design Director.

Youwillcollaborate with senior leadership, development, engineering, and factory partners while also partnering with the GenAI team, Global Tech, and CP&I to refine and scale digital andAI-powered design tools.

You'llmentor junior designers and may work across multiple Sport teams for special initiatives.

WHAT YOU BRING

• BA/BFA degree in related field preferred. Will accept any suitable combination of education,experience and training
• 6+ years of experience in 3D design creation
• Expert-level
  
  Polygon,Sub Dand NURBSmodeling across multiple software packages with knowledge of computational design and procedural modeling (Blender, Maya, Rhino,Grasshopper,Houdini etc.),with the ability to move efficiently between modeling methods based on design and speed requirements
• Ability to create rapid form studies and iterative concept models, including custom Grasshopper scripts and computational workflows that enable designers to quickly explore, evaluate, and refine design directions.
• Expertiseidentifyingemerging technologies and rapidly translating them into practical workflows that enhance speed,quality and design excellence
• Deep understanding ofproductengineering, development requirements, and manufacturing…