Senior Product Engineer, Footwear

Brooks Running · US, Washington, Seattle

Who We Are:

At Brooks, we believe movement is the key to feeling more alive. That’s why we’re driven to create gear and experiences that take people to the place that makes them feel more alive — whether it’s a headspace, a feeling, or a finish line. 

Everyone who works at Brooks is propelled by a company culture that sparks excitement, fuels collaboration, inspires creativity, and ignites innovation.

Our brand values help bond us together and drive our success:  

  • Runner First 
    • We act in the best interest of the runner
  • Word is Bond 
    • We do what we say we’ll do 
  • Champion Heart  
    • We give our all in everything we do  
  • There is no “I” in Run 
    • We stay generous with our humanity 
  • Keep Moving 
    • We find ways to move every day, because joy is kinetic!

We welcome everyone from every walk of life looking to inspire others through the power of movement - because we’re all moving towards something. Let’s run there.   


Your Job:

As a Brooks Senior Product Engineer, you will focus on product technical expertise, leading to best-in-class footwear craftsmanship. You will establish and drive best practices and technical standards around Brooks footwear creation. You will guide team members with product input to deliver objectives that are manufacturable, cost‑effective, and aligned with consumer performance and quality expectations. In this role, you will utilize and influence the creation and ongoing enhancement of best practice-based programs that continuously develop and grow the product creation team’s technical, operational, service, and product knowledge necessary for success in driving and delivering the Brooks purpose of creating the best running product in the world.

Your Responsibilities:

PRODUCT ENGINEERING

  • Possess an in-depth knowledge of the product creation process with the ability to manage multiple simultaneous workflows to advance and achieve manufacturing techniques to enhance the overall performance of product.
  • Dynamically contribute to seasonal projects and process through direct interaction with footwear ‘Triad’ team members during advanced development, concepts, inline development, and commercialization phases to make recommendations, scope out project work, and provide problem-solving solutions throughout the creation process.
  • Review wear test data analysis and shoes with product development and Run Perception teams, providing support on fit, feel, and ride by identifying solutions and recommending the best path forward from an engineering and manufacturing perspective.
  • Critique, adjust, and evaluate technical blueprints (outsole/ midsole), upper patterns, and materials from a performance, manufacturing, and functional perspective.
  • Own the confirmation of blueprints for high-caliber products – quantify and set direction in terms of scope, risk, and performance. Determine when new tooling is required to accomplish design or performance directives.
  • Fluent in upper pattern creation, including creation of last drafts, pattern shells, and process to develop completed uppers. Collaborate with Asia Pattern Engineers on improvements to build upon established tools.

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    CROSS-FUNCTIONAL INFLUENCE & ALIGNMENT

    • Partner with product creation teams to ensure materials fit and function meet Brooks’ performance requirements.
    • Dynamically contribute to seasonal projects and process through direct interaction with footwear ‘Triad’ team members during advanced development, concepts, inline development, and commercialization phases to make recommendations, scope out project work, and provide problem-solving solutions throughout the creation process.
    • Lead as the evangelist for Brooks Fit, Feel, Ride.
    • International and domestic travel is required to achieve a high level of collaborative work and skillset growth.

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      PROCESS OPTIMIZATION

      • Create and ensure technical best practices for manufacturing processes and document these standards for consistent guidelines during the footwear creation process.
      • Establish and educate standard methodologies around tooling templates, BP iteration, process, and lead in the approval process for all tooling. Directly interact with Asia-based Tooling Engineers, ensuring collaboration through initial BP through confirmation to open molds.
      • Challenge the status quo and organize unorthodox or atypical ways of solving problems to conceive innovative, leading-edge concepts/ideas to elevate our product creation methodology and processes.
      •  As new methodologies/technologies are considered, consult with footwear teams and anticipate potential downstream impacts on quality, performance, and cost, and make early recommendations on product construction techniques and solutions.

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        PEOPLE DEVELOPMENT

        • Mentor engineering, development, and other Footwear team members on the footwear creation process and best practices.
        • May manage up to one Product Engineer. Support their career development and create opportunities for them to grow their career.

Qualifications:

  • Bachelor’s degree in engineering, or equivalent/experience
  • 7+ years of Footwear Creation, Development, Commercialization, or Manufacturing experience. 
  • 1+ years of management experience preferred, including hiring, effectively directing work, coaching, and development.
  • Technical expertise in footwear product development, process, project management, costing, and manufacturing of product from conception to retail.
  • Strong Project Management skills with a keen attention to detail in planning, organization, and execution of tasks (self and through others), while still seeing the big picture and understanding how all the pieces fit together and affect one another.
  • Excellent written and verbal communication skills, with an advanced ability to communicate new ideas, complex concepts, and functional expertise in a learning environment.
  • Demonstrate ability to develop relationships with individuals and teams that are made up of diverse disciplines and cultural backgrounds, resulting in effective working relationships across the company.
  • Curious and open-minded; always open to a challenge, inventive, creative. Ability to challenge the status quo – always looking at improving our products and processes while also displaying a willingness to dive into the details.
  • Passionate participation in Brooks’ sports activities is a plus, overridden by the ability to understand and empathize with the runner to develop loyal, engaging relationships with our customers, partners, and the Brooks’ community.
  • Strong computer skills, including experience with Adobe Illustrator and MS office.
  • Embraces and lives the Brooks values!

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