Description
In Short…
As the Lead Developer for PAD (Lifestyle) + Young Movers (Kids), you will be responsible for inline Lifestyle products in our fastest-growing, largest product vertical, alongside specialized development engineered specifically for the young movers in our community.
Honing craft takes time. It requires patience, resilience, and a dedication to the complex integration of footwear construction and systems. In this role, you are an individual contributor operating at the intersection of high-performance design for all-day wear and disciplined Swiss Engineering.
Your Mission…
- Commit to the Craft: You will lead the technical development for new silhouettes across both Adult and Kids categories, ensuring that every product meets strict engineering standards for performance, aesthetic, and fit.
- Master Complex Integration: You will serve as the primary technical partner to Design, converting creative dreams into commercial reality without compromising on function.
- Bridge the Generations: You will translate adult performance concepts into kid-specific footwear, understanding the unique biomechanical and durability needs of younger, developing feet.
Your Day-to-Day…
- Execute the Technical Lifecycle: Manage the end-to-end development process from initial 2D/3D design concepts through tech-packing, prototyping, and final production-ready samples.
- Drive Material & Tooling Innovation: Partner with material sourcing and tooling teams to test, validate, and implement new compounds, textiles, and manufacturing methods.
- Lead Fit & Wear Testing: Oversee rigorous fit and wear testing protocols for both adults and kids, analyzing feedback to iterate and optimize comfort, support, and durability.
- Collaborate Cross-Functionally: Act as the central technical hub between Design, Product Management, Sourcing, and Tier 1 factory partners to ensure timelines and margin targets are met.
- Optimize for Scale: Ensure blueprints and construction methods are optimized for mass production while maintaining the pristine aesthetic integrity of the brand.
Your Story…
- The Technical Authority: You bring 7+ years of footwear development experience, with a proven track record of launching highly complex, performance-driven lifestyle or athletic products. Experience in kids' footwear development is a massive plus.
- Resilient Individual Contributor: You have the patience and persistence to navigate the long development road. You take full accountability for the technical lifecycle and thrive when managing independent projects.
- A Problem Solver by Nature: Ingenuity is at your core. You think differently, challenge the status quo, and find elegance in solving the most difficult construction puzzles while maintaining superior performance.
- Global Collaborator: You have extensive experience working directly with overseas commercialization centers and factories, understanding how to communicate technical nuances across cultures.
Your Keys to Success…
- Thrive in Ambiguity: You don't wait for a perfect roadmap. In a fast-scaling environment, parameters change quickly; you view shifting priorities as an opportunity to innovate rather than a roadblock.
- Biased for Action (With Guardrails): You possess a strong sense of urgency. You know when to move fast and trust your gut, and when to pause to ensure Swiss-engineered quality isn't compromised.
- The "No Job Too Small" Mindset: Despite your seniority as a Lead, you are a hands-on builder. You are just as excited to brainstorm high-level platform concepts with Design as you are to roll up your sleeves and fix a tech-pack error.
- Comfortable with Constructive Friction: Innovation doesn’t happen in a vacuum. You welcome diverse perspectives, lean into healthy debate with Design and Product management, and use pushback to sharpen the final product.
- Continuous Learner: The footwear landscape—especially in sustainable materials and circularity—is evolving daily. You are naturally curious, constantly scouting new methods, and eager to apply fresh learnings to the PAD and Kids lines.
Similar jobs
In short Based at our Zurich HQ, you will be the driving force behind delivering the most premium sports products in the industry, championing groundbreaking creation and fearlessly challenging traditional processes to a…
Senior Lead Footwear Developer In short: As the Senior Lead Footwear Developer for Performance Running, you serve as the strategic technical consultant for our most critical product category. Based in our Zurich HQ, your…
In Short At On, the secret to our signature cloud-like sensation starts from the inside out. The last is the very foundation of our footwear, dictating fit, performance, and aesthetic. We are seeking a visionary Senior L…
In short: As a Senior Lead, Innovation commercialization engineer, you will be a driving force at the forefront of On's scale of product evolution. You will operate with a high degree of autonomy to lead complex projects…
In short: As a Lead, Innovation commercialization engineer, you will be a driving force at the forefront of On's scale of product evolution. You will operate with a high degree of autonomy to lead complex projects, chall…
In short As the Senior Lead of Footwear Tooling Engineering, you will define the strategic vision and direct the engineering execution for the bottom units of On’s high-performance footwear. Working in a highly collabora…
In short As a Lead - Footwear Development, you will lead the development team to drive the footwear development process smoothly from concept to production. You will also work cross-functionally with multi-national produ…
In short As Footwear Tooling Engineer you will create groundbreaking concepts and products for high-performance athletes while advancing On’s sustainability goals. Working in a collaborative environment, you’ll shape the…
In short: As a Lead Lightspray SMU Footwear Developer, you will be a driving force at the forefront of On's product evolution for the Lightspray range. You will operate with a high degree of autonomy to lead complex proj…
In short As Footwear Tooling Engineer you will create groundbreaking concepts and products for high-performance athletes while advancing On’s sustainability goals. Working in a collaborative environment, you’ll shape the…
In short We are excited to offer the position of Senior Specialist – Footwear Design Performance (Team Sports) within our Design team. In this role, you will contribute to the creation of next-generation performance foot…
In short At On, the perfect fit is engineered, not guessed. We are looking for a highly skilled Pattern Engineer to elevate our footwear uppers by establishing robust pattern standards and bringing our innovative designs…
In short: Product Testing is the voice of the athlete and the consumer at On. We’re responsible for ensuring every On product meets the highest quality standards and delivers a premium, high-performance experience by com…
In short Product Testing is the voice of the athlete and the consumer at On. We ensure every product delivers a premium, high-performance experience by combining scientific rigor with real-world insight. As Apparel and A…
In short: The Specialist - Accessories Developer will report to the Lead - Accessories Development on the Accessories team supporting the Global Product function. As a Specialist - Accessories Developer, you drive the pr…
In short We are establishing our first-ever public cultural destination and dedicated exhibition space at our Zurich HQ, launching early 2027. We are looking for a visionary, globally-connected Senior Lead Exhibition Pro…
In short: Color has the power to shape our thoughts, moods, and emotions, influencing us both physiologically and psychologically. As a Senior Color Designer for Performance at On, you play a pivotal role in redefining t…
In short: This graphic apparel design opportunity will lead the graphic vision of tomorrow’s high performance athlete and lifestyle apparel. With a high-quality and detail oriented mind coupled with a passion for cultura…
In short We are seeking a skilled and creative Footwear Technical Engineer to join our team. As a Footwear Technical Engineer, you will be responsible for footwear technology development and deployment end to end. You wi…
In Short As Lead – Apparel Materials Development Performance, you will take responsibility for executing the global performance materials strategy and advancing textile technology in line with the company vision. The rol…
In Short We are looking for a motivated and detail-oriented Sample Maker with a passion for athletic and ready to wear apparel. In this role, you will be responsible for creating high-quality prototypes, muslins and mock…
Est. 127,500 USD
WHY JOIN ALO? Mindful movement. It’s at the core of why we do what we do at ALO—it’s our calling. Because mindful movement in the studio leads to better living. It changes who yogis are off the mat, making their lives an…
In short: The global Operational Excellence team is looking for a Head of Business Process Excellence to lead our Idea-to-Product domain and Business Architecture team. We are seeking a visionary, data-driven leader to r…
Location: Zurich, Switzerland About On Born in the Swiss Alps, On has disrupted the sportswear landscape through relentless exploration. Our journey began not with a standard shoe, but with a radical ambition to redefine…
In Short Welcome to On. Born in the Swiss Alps, we set out to redefine sportswear — continuously pushing the boundaries of design and performance. As one of the world’s fastest-growing premium sportswear brands, we ignit…
Est. 185,000 USD
Position Summary Faherty is entering a defining new chapter The brand is evolving from its coastal roots into the Men’s Advanced Contemporary space- an elevated, European-influenced aesthetic defined by world-class mater…
Est. 180,000 USD
Job Summary The Director, Sales Planning - Direct-to-Consumer (DTC) leads the forecasting and strategic planning across Ecommerce and Stores collaborating with cross-functional stakeholders to drive long-term growth. Dir…
At a Glance: As a Senior Lead Footwear Merchandising, you will be responsible for ensuring the right products go to the right channels, tiers, accounts and to the right stores, with the best timing and price. You will bu…