Specialist - Footwear Testing - Performance

Location: Zurich

Footwear Product Creation

In short

Product Testing is the voice of the athlete and the consumer at On. We’re responsible for ensuring every On product meets the highest quality standards and delivers a premium, high-performance experience by combining scientific rigor with real-world insight. Through rigorous testing and validation, only products that truly perform make it to market. As a Footwear Testing Specialist, you will be responsible for the validation of products coming to market. You will be given high levels of responsibility, and work in a collaborative environment where we make ideas happen fast. You will be a key partner across Running & Performance projects acting as a consultant to departments such as design, development and materials to guarantee product excellence. This role will be based in our Testing Department in Zürich.

Your Mission

• Define & execute rigorous testing strategies across durability, fit, comfort and performance across all test levels.
• Setting up processes to ensure efficient testing cycles and timely feedback loops aligned with the project calendar. You will work closely with our Sports - Science and Lab teams to define full 360 testing protocols.
• Collaborate with key stakeholders to identify testing requirements based on product briefs and target consumers.
• Analyse fit, durability and performance data to develop reports allowing valuable insights and suggestions to project stakeholders.
• Lead qualitative and quantitative footwear testing, perception studies, and real-world validation to ensure products reflect authentic athlete and consumer needs.
• Provide corrective action plans upon test fails in alignment with cross-functional teams such as Materials, Product Management, Development & Design.
• Ensure that product verification and judgement calls meet On global standards and are done based on the fit, comfort, performance and quality criteria.
• Build and maintain a tester network fulfilling the requirements of the Product Creation calendars.
• Set up events to drive engagement in the testing community.
• Contribute to team goals and process improvements within testing.
• Work with Testing Lead to build sustainable relationships with various institutions for test purposes
• Support Testing Lead with cross-functional projects within the Organisation
• Work with our Testing systems and databases to manage changes in data, ensure accurate high quality data and an optimised flow into testing reports.

Your story

• 2-3+ years of experience in a field focused on the human experience with a product or service. We’re excited to hear from candidates with experience in diverse backgrounds, including but not limited to: Footwear/Sportswear Testing or Development Footwear/Sportswear retail experience Biomechanics or Kinesiology User experience (UX) research
• Knowledge and passion for performance sports
• Solid capability in handling and visualizing large datasets using advanced data analysis tools to efficiently clean, process, and present complex testing results.
• Excellent communication & presentation skills.
• Proven ability to work well within a team and cross-functionally.
• A can-do attitude, able to work with a high degree of flexibility and outside of typical working hours when necessary.
• Knowledge of Microsoft Office, especially Excel and PowerPoint.
• Vested interest in the footwear industry and testing
• Detail-oriented, creative, and solutions-focused, with a proactive mindset and a strong passion for performance footwear.
• Open to occasional global travel to connect, facilitate and test directly with our target consumers in key markets.
• A confident “people person”, adapt at building and maintaining relationships.
• Fluent or very good in English (written and spoken). About the Team

We’re a team responsible for making sure that the products for On represent the highest quality & performance standards. We have a lot of responsibility to meet the needs and demands of our customers. So we analyse, test and validate our products in the most comprehensive manner. Only products that pass our rigorous tests ever go to market.

Zürich

Just by the banks of the Limmat you’ll find our largest global hub in Zürich West – On Labs – where you can hike up 12 floors through our custom-built spiral trail.

Förrlibuckstrasse 190,

8005

Switzerland

Location Ernest

Footwear Development, Ho Chi Minh City

Unlike other brands, we aren't just executioners out here in Vietnam, we give ideas as well. Sometimes they have a new idea in Zurich and we might find a process to make it more efficient and we share that. What we offer

On is a place that is centered around growth and progress. We offer an environment designed to give people the tools to develop holistically – to stay active, to learn, explore and innovate. Our distinctive approach combines a supportive, team-oriented atmosphere, with access to personal self-care for both physical and mental well-being, so each person is led by purpose.

On is an Equal Opportunity Employer. We are committed to creating a work environment that is fair and inclusive, where all decisions related to recruitment, advancement, and retention are free of discrimination.

Build the better you What to expect

We want to set everyone up for success, so here’s the lowdown on how we hire. Our process is a two-way street – bringing you into our culture, while helping us learn how you think.

Our full process can last about eight weeks from application to offer, because we care about getting it right. These steps explain how we usually do things.

Before you get started, feel free to consider if you want to work with us. Strange question? Well, we give people a lot of space to navigate their day-to-day and that style isn't for everyone. We want you to be passionate about what you do and be sure this is the right fit. Because when skills and passion combine – it creates that 'Wow' moment.

• Step One

It starts with you...

You'll start by submitting your application to a specific role. We try to keep this step as simple as possible. We do get a lot of applications, but we review them all. If you're a good fit to the role, a recruiter will follow up with you directly. If you didn't receive a reply, or were unsuccessful this time around, we encourage you to look for other possible matches at On.

• Step Two

Interview with a recruiter

What ignites your spirit? This is where we’ll start getting to know all about you and what makes you tick – and it’s your first chance to get a feel for our culture. Chatting with a member of our talent team, you’ll learn more about On and how we work. We’ll learn about what motivates you and what you could bring to the team.

• Step Three

Interview with a hiring manager

Ready to dig into the details? This second interview will be held with your future manager and will focus on the specifics of the job. Together you’ll delve into your unique skills and experiences and how they could be relevant at On. It's also a time to assess how you might feel working side-by-side. Bring any questions you have about the job, the team or anything else you might like to know – this is an open forum.

• Step Four

The Case Study

What's your style? This task will help us understand how you think, face a challenge and give insight into your novel ideas. Designed to give everyone their best shot, your case study is based on something you might typically experience on the job. This is your chance to show us what you’ve got. So express yourself. Be you.

• Step Five

The Experience Day

Your first taste of the Oniverse. This is a time to meet some of the people you'll be working closest with. In person or virtually, you'll get a feel for the day-to-day at On and the people who make it happen. You'll chat with a few potential teammates - the conversations will be as equally driven by the role and your experience as by our values. We believe how you do things is just as important as what you do.

• Step Six

The Result

Are we a good fit? We’ll get together internally to share our feedback and decide if we’re a match. We know that job searching is a big time investment, so it’s not a decision we take lightly. It’s also time for you to reflect on the experience – are we the right place for you? No matter the outcome, we’ll give you meaningful feedback.