Sr. Technical Engineer, Footwear Tooling (Basketball)

This role leads technical engineering solutions for high-performance basketball footwear, driving tooling development and translating innovative designs into high-quality, manufacturable products. It combines advanced footwear engineering expertise with a deep understanding of mold making, materials, manufacturing processes and basketball-specific performance requirements. The position works closely with Basketball Footwear Product Development, Design, Materials, Innovation, Digital Creation and global manufacturing partners, providing technical leadership throughout the product creation lifecycle.

• Serve as a technical expert for basketball footwear product creation teams, evaluating designs for performance, manufacturability, quality, production efficiency and cost optimisation.
• Own the tooling creation process by translating basketball footwear design concepts into validated technical specifications and leading tooling prototyping through key development milestones.
• Oversee the creation and validation of technical engineering information in partnership with Tier 1, Tier 2 and Tier 3 manufacturing partners and adidas operational teams.
• Develop and recommend technical solutions that balance basketball-specific performance requirements, quality standards, target costs, material specifications and manufacturing capabilities.
• Guide innovative manufacturing processes, evaluate technical feasibility and support proof-of-concept development for new footwear constructions and tooling technologies.
• Lead technical project reviews with key stakeholders to ensure basketball footwear meets engineering requirements, functional performance expectations, quality standards and cost objectives.
• Apply technical expertise to footwear construction and tooling solutions that support stability, traction, cushioning, durability and multidirectional movement, integrating athlete and consumer insights into engineering decisions.
• Partner with Design and Digital Creation teams to translate 2D and 3D concepts into technically feasible, production-ready solutions, and explore advanced digital engineering tools such as virtual reality and emerging visualisation technologies.
• Collaborate with Product Development, Design, Marketing, Materials, Innovation, Product Testing, Costing and manufacturing partners to resolve technical challenges and support basketball footwear creation objectives.
• Provide technical mentorship and guidance to junior engineers and new employees on adidas technical standards, footwear engineering processes, tooling development and technical package creation.
• Identify and implement process improvements that eliminate non-value-added activities, accelerate development timelines and strengthen engineering efficiency, challenging existing engineering tools, methodologies and workflows.
• Maintain expertise in footwear engineering advancements, mold making, prototyping technologies, materials, manufacturing systems and digital development capabilities.

• Bachelor's degree in Engineering, Sport Science, Mold Making or a related technical discipline, or comparable education.
• Minimum of 4 years of professional experience in mold making, shoe making, footwear manufacturing, product development or technically focused design.
• Advanced technical knowledge of footwear mold making, shoe construction and manufacturing processes.
• Experience applying 2D and 3D CAD technologies to technical engineering, product development or tooling applications.
• Strong understanding of footwear materials, compounds, manufacturing technologies and production requirements.
• Ability to evaluate technical designs for manufacturability, product performance, quality and cost efficiency.
• Experience collaborating with cross-functional product creation teams and manufacturing partners.
• Strong organisational, analytical, problem-solving and technical communication skills.
• Proficiency in Microsoft 365 and working knowledge of Adobe Illustrator and/or Adobe Photoshop.
• English language proficiency, including professional reading and written communication.
• Ability to work effectively in a diverse, international and fast-paced product development environment.
• Demonstrated commitment to continuous learning, technical innovation and process improvement.

• Experience developing tooling or engineered footwear solutions for basketball, performance sports or other technically demanding athletic categories.
• Experience using Rhino for advanced 3D CAD modelling and footwear tooling development.
• Knowledge of digital 2D engineering, advanced 3D modelling and technical analytics.
• Understanding of footwear biomechanics, anatomical considerations and performance-driven product construction.
• Familiarity with basketball footwear performance requirements, including traction, stability, cushioning and multidirectional movement.
• Experience supporting technical product development across global manufacturing partners and multi-tier supply chains.
• Exposure to digital prototyping, virtual reality and advanced product visualisation technologies.
• Experience mentoring junior technical professionals or supporting engineering knowledge-sharing initiatives.
• Experience identifying sustainability opportunities through material selection, tooling innovation and manufacturing optimisation.

• Hybrid work policy: employees are expected to work in the office Monday through Thursday, with flexibility to work remotely on Fridays; in-office attendance may also be required on Fridays for collaborative activities, business needs or in-person presentations.
• Operates in a dynamic, collaborative and technically focused basketball footwear product creation environment, with close interaction with engineering, design, development and manufacturing teams as well as global supply chain partners.
• Travel expectations are determined by business and project requirements.
• English is the working language across adidas teams.

• Actual salary is determined by various factors, including the candidate's experience, qualifications, skills, competencies and proficiency for the role.

• Eligibility to earn an annual bonus based on both company and individual performance.
• Comprehensive medical coverage including HSA with employer funding or FSA options, dental, vision and prescription plans.
• Adoption, surrogate and fertility support programs.
• Short and long term disability coverage.
• Basic life and AD and D insurance with supplemental employee-paid options.
• 401(k) plan and Stock Purchase Plan with employer match or applicable adidas contributions.
• Education assistance for eligible full-time employees.
• Paid parental and other eligible leave programs.
• Flexible Time Off accrued at 0.4388 hours per day for employees with less than five years of service, increasing with tenure.
• Twelve company-designated paid holidays, including a Floating Holiday, plus milestone Service Time Off for eligible employees.
• Employee product discounts and access to wellness and Employee Assistance programs.
• All benefits are subject to applicable eligibility requirements, company policies, plan terms and formal plan documents.

Adidas is an equal opportunity employer that considers all qualified applicants without regard to race, colour, religion, sex, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, national origin, age, disability, veteran status or any other protected characteristic under applicable law. The company fosters a workplace culture built on respect, collaboration and opportunity, and values diverse perspectives, experiences and backgrounds because they strengthen teams, drive innovation and help better serve athletes, consumers and communities.