Footwear Design Intern, Inline

Brooks Internship Program
Brooks Running hosts internships at our Seattle HQ offices to provide hands‑on, meaningful work experience that enhances your education and professional skills.

Internship Details

Duration: 6 months

Internship Target Start: July 13, 2026

Compensation: $31.00 per hour

Location: Seattle, HQ

Schedule: 40 hours per week

Please apply if you can commit to the duration, salary and location for this opportunity.

Your Opportunity
As a Brooks Footwear Design Intern, you will support the creation of innovative footwear concepts under the guidance of the Footwear Design team. You will gain exposure to all aspects of the product creation process, including construction, color, form, style, detail, fit, performance, and cost/value considerations.

You will work in close collaboration with cross‑functional product creation partners, building foundational design skills while contributing to real‑world projects. Through hands‑on experience and mentorship, you will develop a strong understanding of the footwear design process and create a portfolio that reflects both creative growth and product creation knowledge.

Your Project
As part of your experience, you will complete an individual design project under the guidance of a Senior Footwear Designer. Project details will be determined based on your interests, development goals, and business needs. Throughout the internship, you will apply your design skills, explore creative solutions, and gain hands‑on experience within the footwear creation process. At the conclusion, you will present your project to the Footwear Design team, showcasing your design process, storytelling, and final concept while further developing your communication and presentation skills.

Your Impact (Responsibilities)

Collaborate with Development and Product Line Management partners to support the creation of innovative running footwear that resonates with runners and reflects the Brooks “Let’s Run There” spirit.

Seek and apply feedback from cross‑functional partners to develop design solutions that balance cost/value, fit, performance, manufacturability, sustainability, merchandising, and aesthetic execution.

Build knowledge of the running consumer and running culture to inform product performance, appearance, and design opportunities across categories, customer segments or emerging trends.

Analyze pre‑line feedback from Sales, Marketing, Merchandising, and other partners to better understand consumer needs and support brand alignment.

Create hand sketches, digital renderings, and presentation materials to clearly communicate and present design concepts.

Support the exploration and development of footwear concepts through research, ideation, and iterative design work.

Apply feedback and learned techniques to strengthen design solutions and continue building design craft and problem‑solving skills.

Your Qualifications

Currently enrolled as a junior or above in a university (or equivalent program) majoring in Product Design, Industrial Design, Footwear Design, or a related field.

Demonstrated talent in sketching and concept development.

Strong portfolio showcasing innovative thinking and passion for performance footwear design.

Solid understanding of color, materials, texture, human factors, and form in product design.

High proficiency in Adobe Illustrator and Photoshop required.

Experience with 3D design software is a plus.

Previous performance footwear design experience is a plus.

Knowledge of manufacturing processes, plastics, and other engineering materials is a plus.

Strong attention to detail in planning, organization, and execution, while understanding how individual design decisions impact the overall product.

Ability to anticipate how design decisions affect customers, partners, products, and cross‑functional teams, connecting the broader system across the organization.

Demonstrated innovation and initiative, with a drive to improve products and processes while remaining hands‑on and detail‑oriented.

Must be able to collaborate in a team‑oriented environment.

Experience using AI for ideation support or brainstorming desired.

Passion for sport and strong ability to understand and empathize with runners to build meaningful connections with the Brooks community.

Embraces and lives Brooks values.

Benefits

Paid Internship

Sign‑on bonus to provide financial support before first paycheck

Housing Subsidy

Travel Fee Coverage

Medical/Dental/Vision Coverage

60% Employee Discount

Paid Holidays

Undergraduate Intern: $31.00 per hour

At Brooks, we celebrate diversity & equity. We are committed to creating an inclusive environment, and encourage people of all backgrounds, perspectives, experiences, and skills to apply. Brooks is proud to be an equal employment opportunity employer. All employment decisions are made without regard to race, religion, creed, color, national origin, age, sex, gender, gender identity or expression, two‑spirit identity, sexual orientation, genetic information, the presence of a physical, mental, or sensory disability, marital status, pregnancy (including childbirth and related conditions), caste, citizenship or immigration status, honorably discharged veteran or military status, actual or perceived victims of domestic violence, harassment, sexual assault or stalking, HIV or Hepatitis C infection, political ideology, use of a trained service animal by a person with a disability, or on any other basis protected by federal, state, or local law, or any other non‑merit based factors.

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