Product Development Engineer

Overview Placement Type: Temporary Salary: $42-46.67 Hourly up to $46.67/hr Start Date: Jul 1, 2026 Product Development Engineer 2 (Footwear) - Contract Role Overview We are seeking a Product Development Engineer (Footwear) to support a high-performance footwear product team during a coverage period. This role focuses on transforming design intent into manufacturable footwear products, ensuring alignment across design, engineering, sourcing, and overseas manufacturing partners. You will play a key role in developing innovative athletic footwear, supporting complex product creation cycles from early concept through commercialization.

Key Responsibilities Translate 2D design concepts and briefs into functional 3D footwear samples ready for production Manage end-to-end footwear development projects, ensuring milestones and critical dates are met Collaborate closely with cross-functional teams including design, materials, testing, sourcing, and manufacturing Serve as a key point of contact for overseas development and production partners Support execution of product creation standards across tooling, upper, and material development Identify and resolve development issues related to fit, construction, cost, and manufacturability Ensure product readiness for commercialization and scaling into production Track multiple workstreams and maintain clear communication across stakeholders Contribute to continuous improvement of product development processes Must Have Qualifications 2-4+ years of experience in footwear development, product engineering, or manufacturing-related product creation Strong understanding of footwear construction (tooling, upper, pattern engineering, and assembly processes) Proven experience managing product development timelines and cross-functional deliverables Ability to interpret technical drawings, sketches, and/or 3D product files Strong communication skills (written and verbal) with experience working across global teams High proficiency in Microsoft Office (Excel, PowerPoint, Word) Demonstrated problem-solving ability in a structured product development environment Self-starter mindset with ability to work independently and take ownership of projects Strong collaboration skills with experience influencing and aligning stakeholders Preferred Qualifications Direct experience in athletic footwear product development (strongly preferred) Experience working with global sportswear or performance footwear organizations Exposure to soccer / global football product categories or athlete-driven footwear design Experience with cost optimization, value engineering, or product costing Familiarity with footwear testing, material properties, and performance validation Exposure to tooling development or upper innovation processes Experience working with overseas manufacturing partners or global supply chains Degree in Engineering, Product Development, Industrial Design, or related field (or equivalent experience) Soft Skills & Traits Highly collaborative and effective in matrixed team environments Strong communicator who can simplify technical concepts for diverse audiences Proactive, resourceful, and comfortable working with ambiguity Detail-oriented with strong organizational and prioritization skills Comfortable managing multiple parallel projects in fast-paced environments Strong problem-solving mindset with hands-on, iterative approach to development Builds trust easily with internal teams and external partners Patient and resilient through iterative design and development cycles Curious, hands-on thinker who actively seeks to improve product performance #LI-AJ1