Senior Materials Designer

We are seeking an exceptional, multi-disciplined Senior Materials Designer who will elevate our material organization through material trend research, operational excellence and advanced innovation. This role will carry out all aspects of material research and design to support the overall product creation process for REI’s private label apparel business.

The Senior Materials Designer will lead the overall material design process and work as a creative & strategic partner with our product design, product strategy and test engineering teams to achieve the industry’s leading outdoor products. Responsible for researching, curating and presenting material trends and competitive landscape analysis. As a member of the materials organization, this role will support advancing material innovation through participating in research, execution and testing.

This individual will deliver on seasonal material briefs collaborating closely with our internal strategy & product design partners to ensure all aesthetic, performance and sustainability goals are achieved. They will maintain a strategic and collaborative partnership with our off-shore development teams to ensure seamless material commercialization and mill strategy excellence.

• Research and curate emerging materials trends that inform annual and seasonal material direction
• Possess understanding of activities and consumers. Seeks to gain understanding of future consumer
• Identify material and market whitespace driving creative guidance to inform material brief direction
• Support advanced concepting through partnership with product design

• Collaborate with Design, Testing, Product Strategy & Product Development teams to create materials that meet product performance, aesthetic, sustainability and cost requirements
• Integrate sustainability targets into every aspect of materials design and development
• Evaluate initial test data to validate material meets product performance end use requirements
• Manage the materials design calendar and process.
• Evaluate the risk associated with all material developments and communicate them to the product teams.
• Build strong partnership with Materials Development team to ensure fabric commercialization is successful
• Continually engage with our supply chain through written communication, trade shows and suppliers visits
• Develop and maintain a materials library including working and presentation tools
• Create a collaborative, strategic partnership with overseas operations team to manage mill performance and relationships

• Collaborate with Testing team to advance material and market research
• Research advanced material concepts and emerging material trends for apparel
• Incorporate consumer Insights into advanced material concept and innovation to elevate REI members’ outdoor experience
• Continuously build advanced materials expertise and work to create a network of contacts within the industry
• Research and identify new material suppliers to enhance material innovation opportunity

• 6+ years’ work experience in textile manufacturing, development, or design
• Diverse material experience and knowledge, including:
  Synthetics & Natural fibers, Wovens and knits
• Ability to understand market trends and present to both large and small groups
• Ability to make sense of material trends and apply it to products.
• Comprehensive understanding of the textile manufacturing processes
• Knowledge of appropriate textile testing methods, interpretation and application of results preferred.
• Knowledge of performance textiles and the functional aspects of performance apparel.
• Proven ability to meet deadlines within a product development calendar
• Working knowledge of global fabric sourcing trends and strategy
• Knowledge and/or experience in apparel development processes from inspiration to production including the technical and manufacturing side of product development.

At REI, we believe the outdoors is for all. We are committed to becoming a fully inclusive, anti-racist, multicultural organization. We know that there's strength in our diversity – that each…