Vans: Designer, Visualization 3D & Innovation for Footwear, Apparel and Accessories

Now that you’ve found the job description, what’s next?

Vans is the original brand rooted in the authentic lifestyle of skateboarding. We are driven by our mission to inspire and empower everyone to live “Off The Wall” – embracing the youthful spirit of freedom, non-conformity, and relentless progression. Yesterday’s “Off The Wall” moment is today’s new normal, and at Vans, we believe in constantly outdoing ourselves. Together with our communities across the globe, our vision is to push culture forward because we believe that the pursuit of progression never ends. We are constantly inspired by the future generation of positive catalysts within our community.  

So, before we get to the job details, take a minute to learn a little more about us – our values and our culture. If you can see yourself working side-by-side with a team of people who think and live “Off the Wall,” Vans just may be the place for you.

To learn more about our values and our culture, visit Vans Careers or www.vans.com.

What will you do?

A day in the life of a Designer, Visualization 3D & Innovation for Footwear, Apparel and Accessories at Vans looks a little like this.

This role sits on the design and innovation team and will be responsible for generating forward thinking footwear and apparel concepts, high quality 3D models, and will help lead adoption of new and cutting-edge visualization tools and design methods.  This role will work closely with internal innovation teams, merchandising, development, as well as external vendors and co-creators to visualize future concepts and to create impactful representations of seasonal designs. This role reports to the Senior Manager of digital innovation, AI, and innovation center.

Let’s break down that day-in-the-life a bit more.

• Leverage GenAI, Adobe, and CAD to generate innovative and advanced footwear concepts based on new technology developments

• Collaborate with 3D modelers to generate high quality visuals/presentations from 3D assets for various departments

• Assist product teams in various categories incorporating 3D tools in their design process

• Research new technologies, materials and applications to share with the product teams

• Support Vans innovation maker space with cobbler skills for footwear, apparel and accessories

What do you need to succeed?

We all have unique skills that we bring to work and celebrate every day. For this role, there are foundation skills you’ll need to succeed and excel. Additionally, while formal education in a related field is great to have, we are most interested in your 3-5 years of experience and professional achievements.

The foundation skills you will need in this position are:

• Bachelor’s degree or equivalent education in Industrial Design, Computer Science, Mechanical Engineering, or digital arts

• Experience with texturing/rendering software (e.g., Rhino, Unreal) and proficiency in Adobe Illustrator, Photoshop, Premiere, or similar programs

• Skilled with business software, including Microsoft Suite, Figjam, Miro etc.

• Understanding of footwear design cycles, developing advance concepts, design principles, and footwear prototyping

• Ability to manage multiple projects during the product creation cycle

• Demonstrates strong teamwork skills and the ability to build effective relationships with colleagues across design, development, merchandising, and other departments.

• Exhibits self-motivation and can work independently with minimal supervision, ensuring tasks are completed efficiently.

• Periodic travel required (approx. 10-20%), including air travel

Location requirement: Hybrid schedule in-office in Costa Mesa, CA.

There are also a few skills that are not required but preferred.

• Preferred software experience: GenAI (MidJourney, ChatGPT, Veo, Vizcom, and other AI tools), CAD/Render (Rhino, Maya, Blender, Unreal, etc.)

• Experience with 3D printing files and outputs a plus

• While the focus will be on footwear, digital apparel experience is a plus (Browzwear/Clo)

• Experience working in Spatial Computing with Mixed/Augmented Reality and/or Virtual Reality a plus

What do we offer you?

At Vans, we know you expect as much from us as we do from you. That is why we make a commitment to support and grow our people. We offer extensive development and growth opportunities for your current and future positions