Nike

Designs and sells athletic shoes and apparel

Lead Designer - Generative AI

Industrial DesignConfirmed live in the last 24 hours

Full-timeBeaverton, OR, USANo salary listedIn-person

About the Job

Requirements

4–5 years of experience in design, with clear steps toward creative technology and tool-building.
A bachelor's degree in Industrial Design, Architecture, Fashion Design, or a related creative discipline; a suitable combination of education, experience, and training may be accepted.
Hands-on experience with node-based, visual coding environments for generative AI creative tooling, including building custom workflows within them.
Solid working knowledge of 2D and 3D design workflows and software, with an understanding of footwear design principles or the ability to quickly acquire it.
Awareness of additive manufacturing and 3D printing, and how AI-generated concepts can move into physical prototypes.
A portfolio showing both creative output and technical or tool-building work.

Responsibilities

Partner with footwear designers to understand existing 2D and 3D creative workflows and identify high-value opportunities for AI augmentation that enhance rather than replace human creativity.
Design and prototype clean, modern generative AI workflows using node-based visual coding environments, tailored to footwear design challenges, and iterate quickly on feedback from the design community.
Collaborate with global artificial intelligence and machine learning engineers to accelerate the development and deployment of generative AI solutions, acting as a link between creative and engineering teams and translating design needs into technical requirements.
Help scale prototypes from proof of concept toward enterprise-grade tools that serve designers worldwide, working with global technology teams on reliability, performance, and accessibility.
Support AI adoption by contributing to training materials, workshops, and demonstrations that make generative AI tools approachable for designers of all technical levels.
Stay close to developments in generative AI, evaluating and integrating new models and techniques and helping build a culture of experimentation on the team.
Share learnings and best practices across the organization to grow the wider design community's capabilities and help drive adoption of new methodologies.
Provide hands-on support to design teams during key moments such as Creative Launch, Creative Direction Week, and other design reviews so teams can get the most out of AI tools when it matters most.

Desired Qualifications

Experience with spatial computing, including augmented reality or virtual reality.
Web development experience for rapid prototyping.
Active participation in the AI and design community.

WHO YOU'LL WORK WITH
Nike's Design Generative Studio is exploring the future of footwear design at the intersection of creativity and AI technology. You'll partner with world-class designers and engineers globally, reporting to the Generative Studio leadership. Your work will directly impact design teams worldwide as you help build and implement AI-augmented workflows that empower our creative community. You'll collaborate closely with AI/ML engineers, footwear designers, and global technology teams to help transform how Nike approaches product creation.

WHO WE ARE LOOKING FOR
We're looking for a GenAI designer who is both a strong designer and a hands-on tool builder. You bring solid creative foundations paired with a genuine passion for generative AI, an appetite for learning fast, and a natural drive to share what you build with others. You're not just a tool user — you like rolling up your sleeves to create solutions when existing tools fall short, and you're comfortable working at the intersection of art and technology. This role is a great fit for someone who enjoys bridging experimental AI prototypes and production-ready tools, and who can translate design needs into technical requirements (and back the other way).

4–5 years of experience in design, with clear steps toward creative technology and tool-building
Bachelor's degree in Industrial Design, Architecture, Fashion Design, or a related creative discipline. Will accept any suitable combination of education, experience, and training
Hands-on experience with node-based, visual coding environments for generative AI creative tooling, and a track record of building custom workflows within them
Solid working knowledge of 2D and 3D design workflows and software, with an understanding of footwear design principles (or the ability to quickly pick this up)
Awareness of additive manufacturing and 3D printing, and how AI-generated concepts can move into physical prototypes.
Portfolio showing both creative output and technical/tool-building work
Bonus: experience with spatial computing (AR/VR), web development for rapid prototyping, or active participation in the AI/design community

WHAT YOU'LL WORK ON
You'll help shape how Nike approaches footwear design by building and refining AI-augmented workflows that fit naturally into our creative process. Alongside the wider team, you'll create custom tools, support adoption across the design community, and contribute to defining a new creative discipline at Nike.

Partner with footwear designers to understand existing 2D and 3D creative workflows, and identify high-value opportunities for AI augmentation that enhance rather than replace human creativity
Design and prototype clean, modern generative AI workflows using node-based visual coding environments, tailored to footwear design challenges, iterating quickly on feedback from the design community
Collaborate with global AI/ML engineers to accelerate the development and deployment of generative AI solutions, acting as a link between creative and engineering teams and translating design needs into technical requirements
Help scale prototypes from proof-of-concept toward enterprise-grade tools that serve designers worldwide, working with global technology teams on reliability, performance, and accessibility
Support AI adoption by contributing to training materials, workshops, and demonstrations that make generative AI tools approachable for designers of all technical levels
Stay close to developments in generative AI, evaluating and integrating new models and techniques, and helping build a culture of experimentation on the team
Share learnings and best practices across the organization to grow the wider design community's capabilities and help drive adoption of new methodologies
Provide hands-on support to design teams during key moments such as Creative Launch, Creative Direction Week, and other design reviews, so teams can get the most out of AI tools when it matters most.

We offer a number of accommodations to complete our interview process including screen readers, sign language interpreters, accessible and single location for in-person interviews, closed captioning, and other reasonable modifications as needed. If you discover, as you navigate our application process, that you need assistance or an accommodation due to a disability, please complete the Candidate Accommodation Request Form.

About the Company

Nike

Designs and sells athletic shoes and apparel

Nike designs and sells athletic footwear, apparel, equipment, and accessories for sports and everyday use. The group includes the Nike and Jordan brands and its owned subsidiary Converse, with products ranging from running shoes and basketball footwear to training clothing and casual sneakers. Most finished products are made by independent contract manufacturers, while Nike develops materials, cushioning systems, and product designs. It earns revenue by selling to wholesale customers and through its own stores and digital channels, with additional licensing arrangements for its brands. Nike began in 1964 as Blue Ribbon Sports and is headquartered near Beaverton, Oregon.

Company size: 10,001+
Company stage: IPO
Headquarters: Beaverton, OR
Founded: 1964

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