What are the responsibilities and job description for the Material Developer position at HireTalent - Staffing & Recruiting Firm?
Role: Material Developer
Location: Beaverton, OR
Duration: 8-Month Contract
We are seeking a Lead Materials Developer – Footwear to join the North America Express Lane Footwear Product Creation Team. This role will play a key part in driving material innovation and product excellence across footwear categories including Lifestyle, Jordan, Running, and Kids.
This is a highly collaborative role focused on developing, sourcing, and implementing materials that meet design intent, performance, cost, and sustainability goals in an accelerated product creation environment.
Portfolio Required:
Candidates must provide a portfolio showcasing a variety of materials work and examples of translating design concepts into manufacturable products suitable for mass production.
Key Responsibilities
- Manage the materials development process from concept to commercialization ensuring timelines and specifications are met.
- Develop material palettes, tools, and data to support effective material selection across product categories.
- Collaborate with design, product development, product management, and operations teams to deliver product excellence.
- Work closely with material vendors and suppliers to source materials and resolve technical issues.
- Drive initiatives related to material strategy, sustainability, and innovation.
- Monitor market trends, new technologies, and consumer preferences.
- Mentor team members and support technical knowledge sharing.
- Ensure materials are ready for commercialization and large-scale manufacturing.
🔹 Must Have Qualifications
- 5 years of footwear materials development experience
- Experience working within tight timelines and fast-paced product creation environments
- Strong collaboration and cross-functional communication skills
- Ability to translate design concepts into scalable, manufacturable materials solutions
- Portfolio demonstrating variety of materials and production-ready work
🔹 Nice to Have
- Experience working across multiple footwear categories or organizations
- Knowledge of material supplier relationships and sourcing processes
- Experience working with a wide range of materials such as leathers, synthetics, textiles, fibers, and trims
🔹 What You Bring
- Strong understanding of footwear material types, manufacturing technologies, and tooling
- Ability to interpret design intent and recommend alternative material solutions
- Experience managing multiple projects and timelines simultaneously
- Strong communication, leadership, and influencing skills
- Ability to collaborate with global and cross-functional teams