What are the responsibilities and job description for the TECHNICAL DESIGNER – FOOTWEAR position at Industrial Designers Society of America (IDSA)?
You spend a lot of time thinking about shoes. What sets you apart is that more than just sketching concepts you are comfortable sewing an upper and using a bladder press. You feel comfortable modifying a midsole to test new tech, redrawing a shell pattern to add volume for a new fit system and drawing a tech pack to communicate designs to a factory. You have knowledge of stack heights, foam hardness, last offsets…but are always ready to rethink standards to innovate. You love the power a physical sample has to move an idea forward. You take the initiative and are team oriented. You have a keen understanding of the parts and processes involved in making a performance shoe. You want to bring concepts to life in a way that can be efficiently produced. You love a challenge.
What You’ll Do
What You’ll Do
- Work on innovation and inline footwear design projects across multiple brands and categories
- Design and fabricate in Terrazign’s 6,000 square foot soft goods studio and machine shop
- Sketch footwear concepts, create technology icons/visual language, develop footwear innovation platforms/new technology
- Pattern uppers, build component assemblies and full prototype shoes
- Generate 2D tooling drawings, cross sections and color CAD
- Define and produce full tech pack for factory hand off
- Build presentation assets and communication tools that clearly describe decision making and design solutions
- Continually grow your knowledge of textile/material properties, footwear manufacturing processes and product industry standards
- Deliver the highest quality output with attention to all construction and material details.
- Background that includes the physical prototyping of performance/technical footwear
- Experience building functional footwear samples – including upper construction and bottom unit assembly
- Knowledge of footwear constructions, last design, tooling design, and common performance footwear materials – foams, plates, textiles, films, and reinforcements
- Experience making technical 2D tooling drawings, cross sections and full tech packs
- Comfort building novel, new concept, and innovation proof of concept prototype shoes
- Experience with modifying existing shoes for new technology component testing
- CAD skills (Adobe Illustrator, rhino, Fusion 360, or equivalent) – gravity sketch is a plus
