Designer II, 3D Visualization

Who We Are: At Brooks, we believe movement is the key to feeling more alive. That’s why we’re driven to create gear and experiences that take people to the place that makes them feel more alive — whether it’s a headspace, a feeling, or a finish line.   Everyone who works at Brooks is propelled by a company culture that sparks excitement, fuels collaboration, inspires creativity, and ignites innovation.   Our brand values help bond us together and drive our success:   ·       Runner First   We act in the best interest of the runner   ·       Word is Bond  We do what we say we’ll do   ·       Champion Heart   We give our all in everything we do     ·       There is no “I” in Run We stay generous with our humanity   ·       Keep Moving We find ways to move every day, because joy is kinetic!   We welcome everyone from every walk of life looking to inspire others through the power of movement — because we’re all moving towards something. Let’s run there.    Your Job: As a Designer II, 3D Visualization, you will create and refine digital assets for Footwear Design, providing product visualizations for multiple stages of the design process and product merchandising, pre-line, sales, e-commerce, and marketing efforts. With your experience in motion and visualization, you will manage larger, more complex projects and own several projects while collaborating closely with cross- functional teams to optimize processes and ensure that 3D assets are aligned with project goals. As an experienced member of the team, you will continuously build on your technical and creative expertise to improve workflow efficiencies and introduce innovative design approaches. You'll also mentor junior team members, helping them develop their skills while continuing to refine your own technical mastery. Your Responsibilites:

Design:

3D Modeling: Independently create and revise 3D models in accordance with Brooks' modeling best practices. Own multiple projects and contribute to the refinement of existing models shared across the team.

Materialization/Texturing: Organize and process both physical and digital resources for 3D use, including 3D tooling files, butterfly flats, and materials, utilizing Adobe Creative Suite and 3D software. Optimize material textures for improved visual accuracy and efficiency.

Photorealistic Rendering: Transform multiple 2D designs, with extensive color options, into highly detailed digital renders with accurate color, material, and finishes primarily using Substance Painter, Adobe Illustrator, Adobe Photoshop, and Keyshot. Ensure files remain easy to read, edit, and share.

Generative Design: Lead the use of AI generative tools and 3D design techniques in key concept explorations. Experiment with new design languages and creative techniques, pushing the brand’s performance design expression forward.

Motion Graphics: Work on animations that showcase products to continuously elevate the team’s motion graphic efforts. Integrate 3D models into motion sequences and create animated product visuals. Continue enhancing your skills in motion design software and improve workflows for motion graphics production.

Brand Assets: Create and interpret digital-twin footwear assets toward external-facing touch points, catalogs, and video assets, working with manager and brand partners on render and animation-design creation and handoffs.

People & Cross-Functional Influence and Alignment:

Collaboration: Work with cross-functional teams including Design, Development, Color, Materials & Trend, Merchandising, Creative Marketing, and Product Line Management to ensure that all 3D files represent the physical samples as closely as possible.

Teamwork: Work seamlessly with in-office, remote, and hybrid teammates, ensuring files are optimized, organized, and easy to edit.

Mentorship: Mentor junior team members and contribute to team-wide best practices for file sharing and project management.

Accountability:

Time Management: Establish and monitor your individual deadlines, ensure adherence to overall timelines, and accurate completion of multiple projects at a time. Identify and communicate potential barriers to meeting completion timelines as soon as they arise. Quickly adjust designs based on feedback.

Workload Expectation: Own 2-4 new styles per season while updating color and material execution on 3-5 carryover styles.

File Management and Optimization: As a mid-level designer, you are expected to optimize files for performance, ensuring that assets are easy to share, edit, and repurpose. You will refine workflows to reduce unnecessary steps and improve the efficiency of rendering, modeling, and texturing processes.

Innovation:

Learning/Education: Continually expand your knowledge of 3D CAD techniques, and educate junior designers on Brooks’ best practices. Stay up to date on advancements in CAD technologies and AI tools and share your insights with the team, improving processes where applicable.

Industry Knowledge: Continuously deepen your understanding of performance footwear construction, consumer knowledge, biomechanics, and design philosophy.

Workflow Improvements: In addition to personal workflow optimization, you’ll play an active role in improving team-wide processes. You’ll explore automated, procedural, and AI-integrated workflows to enhance our process.

Qualifications:

Bachelor’s degree in design-related field or equivalent.

5+ years of 3D visualization experience.

Highly proficient knowledge of 3D modeling, texturing, and rendering tools (Blender, Rhino, Modo, Substance Suite, Keyshot).

Highly proficient in the Adobe Creative Suite.

Footwear-specific knowledge preferred but not required.

Familiarity with basic programming concepts is a plus. Background in animation, rigging, video editing, and/or compositing preferred but not required.

Background in real-time rendering software preferred but not required.

Excellent written and interpersonal communication skills.

Excellent presentation skills.

Ability to meet deadlines without fail.

Ability and interest in teaching.

Ability to collaborate with hybrid and remote team members.

Proven ability to manage contractors and internal resources.

Ability to be flexible and multitask many different projects at once.

Interest and ability to create unique solutions.

Ability to interact effectively and professionally with all levels of the organization.

Ability to anticipate how a decision made can affect our customers, our partners, our products, or

other departments’ operations and/or morale; “connecting the dots.”

Travel 10% (Domestically / Internationally).

In person for team events and key 3D team decisions.

Embraces and lives the Brooks values