Your opportunity at ARC’TERYX:
As a Designer 2 – Footwear, you design innovative and resolved footwear solutions that are aligned with the Arc’teryx design vision and support the evolving needs of mountain athletes and guests. In this role, you will contribute to the creation and execution of seasonal footwear product, helping build a strong and ownable Arc’teryx footwear DNA across form, fit, function, materials, and brand expression. You bring your curiosity and passion for product to imagine, prototype, and refine relevant design solutions that balance technical performance, user needs, and commercial opportunity. You are an innovative problem solver with a focus on collaborative teamwork.
This role is based out of our Portland office and is expected to be performed on-location.
Meet your future team:
The Arc’teryx Footwear team creates innovative, technical product that exceeds the core mountain athlete’s needs in the outdoors. We are builders, problem solvers, and passionate outdoor enthusiasts. Fueled by curiosity, we take an immersive approach to identifying our athlete’s needs and build, test, and validate products that solve for real functional challenges. We are a passionate collective with a focus on collaborative teamwork and our vision is to redefine the industry.
If you were in the Designer 2 – Footwear role now, here are some of the core activities you would be doing:
Creating and executing assigned performance footwear designs within seasonal timelines to complement existing collections and support future product opportunities
Contributing to the build and evolution of a clear footwear design DNA that strengthens Arc’teryx’s point of view across form, fit, function, materials, and brand expression
Supporting stage gates, internal reviews, seasonal handoffs, and product meetings with clear visual storytelling and resolved design work
Partnering with PLM, Development, Materials, Merchandising, and Commercial teams to understand product opportunities and help build key product drivers
Serving the mountain athlete and broader guest needs through research, observation, athlete input, and user-centered iterative design approaches
Creating and visually conveying concepts, sketches, renderings, mockups, prototypes, and technical details to explore and prove new footwear ideas
Providing detailed product initiations and tech pack information to Product Development, including spec drawings, patterns, fit direction, materials, colour, and construction information
Collaborating with Development and factory partners to resolve fit, construction, material, and manufacturing challenges through the product creation process
Coordinating with the Raw Materials team to source, develop, test, and apply materials appropriate to footwear performance and commercial needs
Developing and maintaining a thorough understanding of Arc’teryx footwear materials, components, tooling, construction methods, and manufacturing techniques
Collaborating closely with other designers to bring forward new and better toolbox solutions, including technologies, constructions, features, and materials
Staying current with footwear, outdoor, material, and industry trends to help ensure Arc’teryx exceeds our athletes’ and guests’ evolving needs
Assisting with current product design changes and addressing in-line production needs as required
Contributing to the creation of a new footwear chapter for Arc’teryx, centered on product, process, team, and guest experience
Helping build pinnacle footwear concepts and commercial product drivers that establish a distinct Arc’teryx footwear DNA in the market
Working closely with development teams and innovation partners to challenge and evolve how new footwear ideas move from concept to production
Collaborating with Arc’teryx athletes and industry representatives to gather insight and propose product solutions for future footwear needs
Are you our next Designer 2 – Footwear?
You have a Bachelor’s Degree in Industrial Design, Product Design, Footwear Design, or equivalent industry experience
You have 5+ years of hands-on experience designing footwear or technically advanced product
You have a strong understanding of footwear construction, materials, fit, componentry, tooling, and manufacturing processes
You are able to create clear sketches, renderings, mockups, prototypes, technical drawings, and product documentation
You are proficient with Adobe Illustrator and other design tools used to communicate footwear concepts and specifications
You have strong attention to detail and can contribute to a cohesive collection of footwear products
You are an excellent team player with the ability to take direction, work independently, and collaborate across functions
You have strong planning, organizational, problem-solving, and decision-making skills
You are proactive in identifying the root cause of issues and seeking the best solutions with a commitment to doing what is right
You remain flexible and adaptable when faced with ambiguity
You balance autonomy and collaboration while contributing to breakthrough thinking and continuous improvement
Your passion for your work is paralleled by your passion for getting outside and living it
You have strong knowledge of Arc’teryx products and the activities Arc’teryx makes products for
You have the ability to travel both nationally and internationally as required
Compensation
Most new team members join between the start and midpoint of the range, where you can contribute right away while continuing to grow your craft, your collaborations, and your impact at Arc’teryx. This range reflects market alignment and the scope of the role. Individual pay is determined by your skills, experience, and level of responsibility.
We’re committed to fair, equitable, and competitive pay, reviewed regularly to ensure internal alignment and market relevance. Transparency is part of how we follow through on our commitments and how we honour the value you bring to our team.
In addition to base pay, Arc’teryx supports people through benefits designed to sustain both work and life:
- Health & wellbeing - Extended health, dental, and vision coverage, including mental health support, fertility benefits, and a 24/7 Employee Assistance Program (EAP).
- Financial wellbeing - Immediately vested 401(k) retirement savings plan matching, eligibility for Arc'teryx Annual Incentive Plan and access to Employee Stock Purchase Program (ESPP), where applicable.
- Time & Flexibility - Paid time off, and No Wasted Day program (dedicated paid days to get outside & explore).
- Family support - Parental leave for birthing and non-birthing parents, including an option to ease the transition back to work.
- Growth, community & gear - Professional development opportunities, Arc'teryx Academies (outdoor skill-building events), Employee Belonging Councils, and access to employee discounts and Pro Deals (exclusive discounted pricing on gear).
*Eligibility for certain programs may vary by role.
Skills Required
- Bachelor's degree in Industrial Design, Product Design, Footwear Design, or equivalent industry experience
- 5+ years of hands-on experience designing footwear or technically advanced products
- Strong understanding of footwear construction, materials, fit, componentry, tooling, and manufacturing processes
- Ability to create sketches, renderings, mockups, prototypes, technical drawings, and product documentation
- Proficiency with Adobe Illustrator and other design tools used to communicate footwear concepts and specifications
- Strong attention to detail and ability to contribute to a cohesive footwear collection
- Ability to collaborate across functions, take direction, and work independently
- Strong planning, organizational, problem-solving, and decision-making skills
- Proactive approach to identifying root causes and finding solutions
- Flexibility and adaptability when faced with ambiguity
- Ability to balance autonomy and collaboration while contributing to continuous improvement
- Passion for outdoor activities and getting outside
- Strong knowledge of Arc'teryx products and the activities they support
- Ability to travel nationally and internationally as required
Arc'teryx Equipment Compensation & Benefits Highlights
The following summarizes recurring compensation and benefits themes identified from responses generated by popular LLMs to common candidate questions about Arc'teryx Equipment and has not been reviewed or approved by Arc'teryx Equipment.
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Inclusive Benefits Coverage — Coverage extends to part‑time employees and includes gender‑affirming care, fertility and family‑planning drugs, and adult orthodontia, with options that consider diverse household structures. Mental‑health supports and broad eligibility reinforce access across employee groups.
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Wellbeing & Lifestyle Benefits — A generous gear discount, periodic free gear, outdoor outings, and recognition programs like Arc’Adventure align with an outdoor‑oriented culture. Wellness resources such as a flexible wellness account, Headspace access, mental‑health reimbursements, Wellness Days, and an EAP enhance non‑cash value.
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Strong & Reliable Incentives — A structured bonus program applies to all regular employees with targets tied to company performance and job level, aiming for equity across roles. Additional mechanisms such as annual incentive opportunities and referral bonuses are also available.
Arc'teryx Equipment Insights
What We Do
Arc’teryx is a global design company based in North Vancouver, B.C. that specializes in technical high-performance outerwear and equipment. We design and manufacture a wide range of mountain sports outdoor apparel and equipment for all conditions and experiences, including mountaineering, ice and rock climbing, skiing, snowboarding, and trail running. Our company is built on a passionate and relentless commitment to design, craftsmanship and performance. We have a unique construction process that enables us to create technical products that can be trusted to perform at the point of extreme need. We are uniquely positioned in our industry as we have our own factory located in New Westminster, BC, which enables us to build products with a meticulous focus on detail and performance. We leverage this manufacturing knowledge and share it with our global partner factories. In the Coast Mountain Range behind our headquarters and design centre in North Vancouver, we field test our products in real world conditions allowing us to create the best-fitting, longest-lasting, highest-performing technical products available. We distribute our outerwear and equipment through more than 3,000 retail locations worldwide, in over 40 countries globally, including 38 branded and outlet stores in Europe, North America and Asia. The company started with six employees in 1989 and now has more than 1000 employees in Canada.
