Lead Researcher

Become a Part of the NIKE, Inc. Team

NIKE, Inc. does more than outfit the world’s best athletes. It is a place to explore potential, obliterate boundaries and push out the edges of what can be. The company looks for people who can grow, think, dreamand create. Its culture thrives by embracing diversity and rewarding imagination. The brand seeks achievers, leaders and innovators. At Nike, it’s about each person bringing skills and passion to a challenging and constantly evolving game!

The Nike Sport Research Lab (NSRL) is a multidisciplinary team of researchers, innovators, and scientists who lead with science to make athletes* measurably better. We deliver proven insights and state-of-the-art capabilities to drive the future of Nike products and services. The NSRL Footwear Research team conducts research that provides insights leading to innovative footwear and measurable benefits for athlete. We apply scientific and research results to drive new footwear concepts and performance hypotheses across multiple innovation teams.

WHAT YOU WILL WORK ON

As a Nike Sport Research Lab (NSRL) Footwear Lead Researcher, you will be responsible for building and executing research programs (comprised of both applied and foundational research) aimed at delivering validated performance insights that will lead to technologically innovative footwear that are globally relevant. You will:

• Act as a creative scientist – questioning methods, results and applications – and think outside normal paradigms to find creative ways around barriers to improving performance or preventing injury
• Work closely with Principal Researchers to build research visions and plans for pushing human performance through innovative product
• Lead in the area of your program as a full-time member of the Product Creation Process, interacting with Principal Researchers and Product Innovators in all phases of research to provide a holistic evaluation of innovation concepts
• Become a resident subject matter authority for all of the biomechanical research tools used by the Nike Sport Research Lab staff
• Participate in the development of new tools, methods and procedures that will streamline data acquisition
• Communicate knowledge, research findings, and insights to fellow scientists and to non-scientific business partners
• Demonstrate Nike’s dedication to product performance research through attendance at scientific meetings, clinics and conferences

WHO YOU WILL WORK WITH

This NSRL role will report to the NSRL Senior Footwear Research Manager, and will work under the guidance of a Principal Researcher in support of the Innovation product portfolio. You will most frequently collaborate with Footwear Researchers and Innovation’s Footwear Product Creators.

WHAT YOU BRING

• B.Sc. + 4 years of related experience, M.Sc. + 2 years of related experience, or PhD. in Biomechanics or a related field (e.g. Engineering, Kinesiology, Human Factors, or Ergonomics)
• Possess a thorough understanding of anatomy, biomechanical principles, experimental design, and statistical procedures
• Demonstrate an understanding of sport performance & injury mechanisms
• Experience being a creative scientist – ability to apply scientific insights to performance product, and ability to problem solve are key
• Significant experience writing programs to process and analyze biomechanical data (Python is strongly preferred).
• Advanced knowledge and experience with in-lab and field-based tools used to collect biomechanical data (e.g. motion capture, force plates, pressure insoles, IMUs, etc.)
• Experience using research to directly impact consumer products and/or product creation
• Ability to run multiple projects with multiple stakeholders simultaneously
• Good communication, people, and collaboration skills
• Experience working with human test subjects
• Knowledge of footwear and the product creation processes is a plus
• Experience running a focused research program is a plus
• Ability to travel up to 10%