Senior Footwear Materials Developer in Beaverton, Oregon - #66792 | VanderHouwen

Description

Job Id: 66792

Senior Footwear Materials Developer
Our client is seeking a Senior Materials Developer – Footwear to join their dynamic team and drive product excellence through innovative material solutions. In this pivotal role, you will leverage your technical expertise to provide tools, palettes, guidance, and data across multiple material types, enabling effective material selection for product teams and ensuring ease of use. Your ability to present facts and solutions clearly, with both business and consumer needs in mind, will empower teams to make informed decisions.

This role is a hybrid model in Beaverton, Oregon.

Senior Footwear Materials Developer Responsibilities

• Material Development: Develop and execute new material development processes with a focus on clarity and support of material strategies.
• Product Excellence: Drive functional excellence in footwear materials, emphasizing aesthetics, performance, quality, cost, strategy, and sustainability.
• Collaboration: Work closely with vendors, product creation teams, and other departments to establish material needs, research new strategic materials, and ensure product excellence for both consumers and athletes.
• Project Management: Ensure new materials are developed, tested, and commercialized on time, maintaining project timelines and deliverables.
• Partnership: Partner with Material Planning, Sourcing, & Costing to provide transparency on issues or concerns and collaborate on resolutions.
• Vendor Relations: Serve as the primary contact for vendors regarding material initiatives, including price negotiations, technical specifications, and performance standards.
• Training & Education: Collaborate with product creation and functional teams to provide training, education, and standard methodologies, facilitating informed decision-making for strategic material initiatives.
• Data Presentation: Analyze, interpret, and present data clearly to support informed decision-making by teams.

Senior Footwear Materials Developer Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Materials, Chemistry, Engineering, or a related field preferred, or a combination of relevant education, experience, and training.
• Minimum of 5 years of professional experience in materials development, manufacturing, engineering, or a similar field.
• Deep understanding of various material manufacturing processes.
• Demonstrated expertise in material types, including fibers, yarn, textiles, leather, synthetic leather, components, or trims.
• Ability to translate lab testing results into end-use applications.
• Strong ability to analyze, interpret, and present data effectively.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to present facts and solutions clearly.
• Ability to anticipate needs, mitigate risks, and solve problems proactively.
• High attention to detail with active follow-through, assertiveness, and self-motivation.
• Ability to balance multiple competing projects and independently manage workload in a fast-paced environment.
• Solid digital literacy with working knowledge of MS Office software; experience with material management systems preferred.
• Willingness to travel up to 5% of the time.

Compensation: $26.67-$36.67

Benefits
Benefits are available to eligible VanderHouwen contractors and include coverage for medical, dental, vision, life insurance, short and long term disability, and matching 401k.

About VanderHouwen
VanderHouwen is an award-winning, Women-Owned, WBENC certified professional staffing firm. Founded in 1987, VanderHouwen has been successfully placing experienced professionals throughout the Pacific Northwest and nationwide. Our recruitment teams are highly specialized in either Technology and IT, Engineering, or Accounting and Finance career markets. Our recruiters value building meaningful, professional relationships with each candidate as well as developing honed knowledge of companies' staffing needs and workplaces. Partner with us to land your next exciting career.

VanderHouwen is an Equal Opportunity Employer and participates in E-Verify. VanderHouwen does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, disability, or any other characteristic protected by applicable local, state or federal civil rights laws.

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