Senior Developer

ASICS Corporation’s Hyogo, Japan

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Career Opportunities: Senior Developer, Footwear Innovation (76266)

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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 Senior Developer on the Footwear Innovation team, you’ll guide an idea through its full journey, from the earliest prototype to a refined, thoroughly validated shoe ready for production. You’ll lead prototype creation across every stage, partner as an equal with our Advanced Development Team in Kobe, and serve as the person leadership relies on to understand where a project stands and where it’s going. You’ll also help develop the next generation of ASICS developers, sharing the craft as you work. It’s a meaningful opportunity to carry performance running innovation from first concept to finished product, and to help shape how ASICS creates for years to come.

In the first year, this role includes the opportunity for an extended assignment at ASICS global headquarters in Kobe, Japan. This is a meaningful chance to immerse in the ASICS development culture and build the direct partnership with our global development teams that this role depends on.

Key Responsibilities

Lead prototype creation across every stage. From early local prototypes through refined, factory-developed prototypes validated with consumers and in testing, on the path to production.
Provide leadership to Design and Product Management teams to uncover new ways innovative materials and designs can be made manufacturable and meet performance, sustainability, cost, and quality objectives.
Own product performance integrity by working with Product Testing teams to determine testing needs, explore new methods, understand results, and make decisions based on learnings.
Partner with the Advanced Development Team in Kobe as an equal to create and drive technical packages, BOMs, and tooling across the full development process.
Ensure product quality by collaborating with Engineering and Quality Assessment teams at all stages of creation.
Critique, adjust, and evaluate technical blueprints (outsole / midsole / upper), upper patterns, and materials from a performance, manufacturing, and functional perspective.
Effectively communicate with Factory and Asia Development teams to align product expectations and drive on-time delivery of samples.
Own direct communication of project status, progress, and key decisions to leadership.
Mentor and support more junior team members, passing on the ASICS development craft.
Own sample management for assigned projects, including receipt, distribution, checking, and updates.
Participate in development trips, 3–4 per year, to work with manufacturers and suppliers.
Build and maintain a knowledge base of vendor capabilities, factory relationships, quality issues, materials pricing, and lead times.
Anticipate the downstream effects of decisions and be proactive with solutions to mitigate delays.
Identify opportunities to streamline operations and implement new processes across cross-functional teams.
Keep abreast of market trends, new technologies, and consumer needs to ensure products meet the functional demands of our runners.
Act as a proxy for the Advanced Development Manager as needed.

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 · Leadership

Qualifications

Bachelor’s degree in Biomechanics, Engineering, Kinesiology, or related technical field; equivalent combination of education and experience considered in lieu of degree(s).
8+ years of successful experience leading the development of high-performance, technical running footwear projects.
Proven leadership in technical running footwear product development, process, project management, costing, and manufacturing from conception to retail.
4+ years of athletic footwear innovation experience strongly desired.
Ready to learn the ASICS development approach and earn trust as a partner to our global team.
Willingness and talent for mentoring less-experienced teammates in footwear development and the innovation mindset.
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.
Proven ability to drive decisions in a collaborative, cross-functional group without command/control to meet strategic objectives.
Demonstrated ability to build productive relationships across diverse disciplines and cultural backgrounds.
Strong verbal and written communication skills within project teams and to external stakeholders.
Keen attention to detail in planning, organization, and execution, connecting the dots on downstream impact.
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; Centrix 8 knowledge a bonus.
Excellent interpersonal skills that inspire and build trust.
Ability to travel up to 20% domestically and internationally as needed.

Salary range: $130,000 - $150,000

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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