Career Opportunities: Developer II, Footwear Innovation (76302)

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ASICS Creation Center, LLC — Boston, MA

The ASICS Creation Center, LLC is ASICS Corporation’s product creation office based in Boston, MA. Our focus is taking innovation and product creation to new heights. The team works across Innovation, Performance Running, SportStyle, and Core Performance Sports.

At ASICS, our Sound Mind, Sound Body™ philosophy is more than a tagline, it’s our way of life. Over 75 years ago our founder, Kihachiro Onitsuka, saw that sport and movement had the power to lift spirits, project positivity, and propel people and whole communities forward.

ASICS provides a diverse and inclusive culture that enables learning, growth, and opportunity at all levels. We empower our employees to pursue their career goals. If this sounds like you, then we want you on our team.

The ASICS Creation Center, LLC (ACC) is ASICS Corporation’s product creation office based in Boston, MA. This organization is dedicated to driving innovation and elevating product creation to new heights. The team sits across all areas of the product creation process.  Employees sit among the following teams: Innovation, Performance Running, Sportstyle, and Core Performance Sports.

The ACC Innovation Team explores the future of performance footwear through learning, experimentation, and rapid prototyping. By combining consumer insight, sport science, and design exploration, we uncover new possibilities that shape the future of ASICS products and athlete experiences.

Position Summary

As a Developer II on the Footwear Innovation team, you’ll help turn new ideas into real, testable footwear. You will be creating early-stage prototypes, evaluating them through local sampling and testing, and using what you learn to shape the next stage of development. You’ll work closely with our Advanced Development Team in Kobe, learning the ASICS approach to development and building a strong foundation for a long career in performance footwear creation. If you’re drawn to early-stage problems where the direction isn’t fully defined, and you’d rather build and test ideas than theorize about them, you’ll feel at home here.

In the first year, this role includes the opportunity for an extended onboarding assignment at ASICS global headquarters in Kobe, Japan.  This is a meaningful chance to immerse in the ASICS approach to development and build direct working relationships with our global development teams.

Key Responsibilities

• Bring new footwear technology concepts to life by creating early-stage prototypes and evaluating them through local sampling and testing to prove out ideas and inform the next stage of development.
• Partner with Design and Product Management to explore how innovative materials and constructions can be made manufacturable and meet performance, sustainability, cost, and quality goals.
• Work with Product Testing teams to help define testing needs, run early evaluations, understand results, and apply the learnings to the next prototype.
• Support the Advanced Development Team in Kobe in creating and maintaining technical packages and Bills of Materials (BOMs) for assigned projects.
• Critique, adjust, and evaluate technical blueprints (outsole / midsole / upper), upper patterns, and materials from a performance, manufacturing, and functional perspective.
• Manage samples for assigned projects; receipt, distribution, checking, and keeping teammates updated.
• Keep the innovation team and your development counterparts closely informed on prototype progress, contributing to project updates.
• Ensure key development decisions are aligned with and approved by the Advanced Development Team Manager in Kobe.
• Participate in development trips, 3–4 per year, to work with manufacturers and suppliers on current development projects.
• Continuously grow your knowledge of ASICS product creation and manufacturing processes, vendor capabilities, and the craft of development.
• Keep abreast of market trends, new technologies, and consumer needs to ensure products meet the functional demands of our runners.

Key Relationships

Product Management · Product Design · Product Development · Pattern, Tooling, Color & Materials, Costing, Planning, Testing & Quality · Sourcing · Factories · Advanced Development Team · Consumer Insights · Legal · Wear Test Team · ISS

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Biomechanics, Engineering, Kinesiology, or related technical field; equivalent combination of education and experience considered in lieu of degree(s).
• 4+ years of experience in the development of high-performance, technical running footwear.
• Solid hands-on experience across technical running footwear development, prototyping, costing awareness, and manufacturing from concept toward retail.
• Experience working in innovation and early-stage product creation, and a passion for solving problems where the path isn’t yet clear.
• Optimistic that a solution to difficult challenges can be found, with the perseverance to keep investigating options and pivoting when needed.
• Curious and open-minded; inventive, and willing to challenge the status quo in pursuit of better products and processes.
• Comfortable working in new arenas of footwear development where a specific direction and solution path is unclear at the start.
• Demonstrated ability to build productive relationships across diverse disciplines and cultural backgrounds.
• Strong verbal and written communication skills within project teams.
• Keen attention to detail in planning, organization, and execution, with a willingness to dig into the “why.”
• High level of independent work ethic, with the instinct to know when to reach out for support.
• Strong computer skills, including Illustrator, Smartsheet, and MS Office; Flex PLM and Centrix 8 knowledge a bonus.
• Excellent interpersonal skills that inspire and build trust.
• Ability to travel 10% domestically and internationally as needed.

Salary range: $90,000 - $110,000

ASICS CCPA Pre-Collection Notice for Job Applications

We collect personal information (PI) from you in connection with your application for employment with ASICS Creation Center LLC, including the following categories of PI: identifiers, personal records, professional or employment information, and inferences drawn from your PI. We collect your PI for our purposes, including performing services and operations related to your potential employment. For additional details or if you have questions, contact us at hrccpa@asics.com.

The above statements are intended to describe the general nature and level of work being performed by employee(s) assigned to this job. They are not intended to be an exhaustive list of all responsibilities, duties and skills required of employee(s) assigned to this job. ASICS Creation Center LLC reserves the right at any time, with or without notice, to alter or change job responsibilities, reassign or transfer job position or assign additional job responsibilities within your general skill set or capabilities. ASICS Creation Center LLC is an Equal Opportunity Employer.

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