Materials Development & Application Manager-Soft-goods

Goal of the Job：

The Materials development & application manager leads the endtoend development, optimization, and implementation of softgoods material solutions. This role is responsible for identifying new materials, driving innovation pipelines, improving performance and cost, ensuring compliance, and enabling crossfunctional adoption across design, product engineering, sourcing, and manufacturing teams. The manager acts as the technical authority for softgoods materials and ensures that materials meet performance, sustainability, regulatory, and manufacturability requirements.

Job Responsibilities:

1. Materials Innovation & Development

• Partner with design, engineering, and suppliers to create material solutions that meet functional, aesthetic, and sustainability needs. Lead research, evaluation and development of softgoods materials (e.g., textiles, foams, leathers, laminates, films, elastomers).

• Develop and maintain material development roadmap aligned with product strategy and category direction.

• Explore emerging technologies, processes, and suppliers to expand material capability.

2. Materials Application & Integration

• Translate product performance requirements into material specifications.

• Guide design and engineering teams on design for manufacture (DFM) in terms of material feasibility, manufacturability, and cost impacts.

• Solve materialrelated problems during design validation, prototyping, and mass production. Lead failure analysis and root-cause investigation related to material defects.

• Define test plans to validate materials (durability, mechanical performance, chemical compliance, aging, etc.).

3. Cost Optimization & Sustainability

• Assess cost structures and identify opportunities for cost engineering without compromising performance.

• Drive sustainable material initiatives (recycled content, lowimpact processes, traceability) by identifying compliant and ecofriendly material options.

4. Documentation & Knowledge Management

• Maintain and update material libraries, technical data sheets, and internal knowledge systems.

• Develop clear SOPs, playbooks, and guidelines for material selection and application.