Senior Specialist - Footwear Design

Location: Zurich

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Product Design

In short

We are excited to offer the position of Senior Specialist – Footwear Design Performance (Team Sports) within our Design team. In this role, you will contribute to the creation of next-generation performance footwear for team sports, translating athlete insights, biomechanical data and advanced technologies into innovative design solutions. You will operate in a fast-paced environment where the full design process — from concept exploration to production briefing — is driven by performance, precision and speed. Working at the intersection of sport science, computational design, AI-enabled workflows and advanced manufacturing, you will help shape the future of performance footwear within the Team Sports category.

Your Mission

You will be an integral part of the Performance Footwear Team Sports vertical, contributing to the development of high-performance products built for elite athletes.
You will own projects across the full design process — from initial research and concept creation through final commercialization.
You will translate athlete insights, biomechanical analysis and sport-specific movement patterns into meaningful design solutions that elevate performance on the field.
You will develop concepts, mockups, visuals, and high-quality 2D and 3D assets, supporting rapid iteration and clear communication across teams.
You will leverage advanced digital workflows including 3D design, computational tools and AI-driven ideation to accelerate concept exploration and innovation.
You will collaborate closely with sports engineering, biomechanics and testing teams to validate and refine performance hypotheses.
You will work closely with our development partners in Vietnam, traveling two to four times per year to finalize prototypes and bring concepts to production.
You will contribute to shaping On’s design vision and creative culture, pushing the boundaries of performance footwear within the Team Sports category.

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Your story

Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in Industrial Design, Product Design or a related field.
Proven experience in performance footwear design (3+ years), preferably within team sports or sport performance categories.
Strong understanding of athlete needs, movement patterns and performance requirements within team sports.
Expert skills in sketching and storytelling, combined with strong proficiency in Adobe Creative Suite.
Advanced knowledge of 3D design tools such as Maya, ZBrush, Blender, Rhino or similar platforms.
Experience with AI-enabled creative tools, generative design workflows, and computational approaches to design exploration.
Understanding of footwear construction, materials and industrial manufacturing processes.
Hands-on mindset with the ability to build physical mockups and proof-of-concept prototypes.
Excellent communication and presentation skills with the ability to clearly articulate design ideas within cross-functional teams.
Fluent in English (written and spoken).

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About the Team

As part of the On Design team, our mission is to disrupt the performance footwear landscape through innovative, athlete-driven design. By combining design excellence, engineering precision and emerging digital tools, we translate athlete needs into high-performance products that push the boundaries of sport. Working at the intersection of design, innovation, development, sport science and testing, we create footwear that delivers performance without compromise — merging functional excellence with progressive design.

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What we offer

On is a place that is centered around growth and progress. We offer an environment designed to give people the tools to develop holistically – to stay active, to learn, explore and innovate. Our distinctive approach combines a supportive, team-oriented atmosphere, with access to personal self-care for both physical and mental well-being, so each person is led by purpose.

On is an Equal Opportunity Employer. We are committed to creating a work environment that is fair and inclusive, where all decisions related to recruitment, advancement, and retention are free of discrimination.

Build the better you

What to expect

We want to set everyone up for success, so here’s the lowdown on how we hire. Our process is a two-way street – bringing you into our culture, while helping us learn how you think.

Our full process can last about eight weeks from application to offer, because we care about getting it right. These steps explain how we usually do things.

Before you get started, feel free to consider if you want to work with us. Strange question? Well, we give people a lot of space to navigate their day-to-day and that style isn't for everyone. We want you to be passionate about what you do and be sure this is the right fit. Because when skills and passion combine – it creates that 'Wow' moment.