Materials Innovation Developer - Advanced Concepts
Arc'teryx
- North Vancouver, BC
- Permanent
- Full-time
- Initiating, building and strengthening external partnerships to execute, access, and invent unique and exclusive materials and technologies for the brand
- Developing and commercializing best-in-class materials/trims that address functional problems; durability, performance, circularity, and impact
- Creating the process to transition novel technologies to seasonal commercial product, while meeting Go To Market (GTM) calendar milestones
- Documenting and presenting development updates, material limitations, and suggested paths forward and presenting strong bodies of evidence and developing new testing methods as required
- Collaborating on the Advanced Concepts' innovation pipeline, while aligning on priorities across Raw Materials Development, Sourcing, Quality, Design and Merchandising teams
- Designing, evaluating and reporting on field tests, lab tests and vendor supplied materials data to make decisions through consultation on inclusion or improvements
- Establishing oneself as an expert in a particular material type, as well as a generalist who can adapt and deliver according to evolving needs and demands
- Researching early-stage and emerging material technologies, while maintaining a detailed understanding of the commercially available (and competitor) landscape
- Creating and supporting a robust Intellectual Property (IP) portfolio of material technologies
- Initiating bespoke joint developments with a range of material partnerships, at or beyond Tier 2 level suppliers
- Creating and coordinating a cadence of material redesigns and innovations for key product franchises
- Transferring technologies developed within the Advanced Concepts team to supply chain partners
- Establishing a material-led design process for early adoption of unbriefed innovation opportunities
- You have a degree in textile engineering, materials science, industrial design or a related field
- You have 5+ years' experience in product or material/trim development for the apparel, footwear, sporting goods, or equipment industry - creating proprietary, exclusive, and bespoke material technologies for a commercial brand
- You have a strong understanding of the product creation process, the supply chain, and you have a specialization in technical textiles, knits, natural and synthetic fibers
- You have experience using PLM, ERP or other product/BOM creation systems (such as Centric, ENOVIA, SAP, etc.)
- You have experience travelling and working directly with mills/suppliers, material fabricators, technology providers and factories in global locations domestically and overseas
- You are comfortable working with laboratory test equipment and/or interpreting and analyzing data
- You have experience initiating and integrating new partnerships from outside of an established supply chain, or even outside of the industry
- You are a problem-solver with a high degree of self-drive and optimism
- You are able to explain complex concepts to a wide audience
- You are an effective and empathetic communicator
- You are detail-oriented and follow-through on commitments to do what is right, and you strive for continuous improvement
- You remain highly flexible and adaptable when faced with ambiguity
- You effectively balance autonomy and collaboration
- Your passion for your work is paralleled by your passion for getting outside and living it