Specialist - Footwear Testing - Performance

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).