Footwear compound development

About the job

The Company

Our client is a global retail and consumer products organization with an established sourcing and product development network across Asia. To support its continued expansion in Vietnam, the company is looking for the Footwear Material Development specialist to join their Footwear Development team in Ho Chi Minh City.

Role & Responsibilities

As a key member of the product development team, you will be responsible for driving the development and industrialization of footwear compound materials, ensuring products are technically validated, commercially competitive, and ready for mass production.

Key responsibilities include:

• Lead compound development projects from concept through industrialization and production readiness.

• Coordinate development timelines with cross-functional stakeholders to ensure project milestones are achieved.

• Develop and optimize rubber/EVA/TPU or other footwear compounds to meet required technical and performance specifications.

• Collaborate with suppliers to improve product quality, manufacturing efficiency, and overall cost competitiveness.

• Support validation activities, troubleshooting, and process improvements throughout the development cycle.

• Provide technical expertise on compound selection and material applications for footwear components.

• Contribute to supplier development, technical assessments, and sourcing initiatives where appropriate.

• Drive continuous improvement and explore innovative material solutions that enhance product performance and sustainability.

• Maintain technical documentation and support the standardization of compound specifications across product categories.

Requirements

• Bachelor’s Degree in Chemical Engineering, Polymer Science, Materials Engineering, or a related technical discipline.

• Minimum 5 years of experience in footwear compound, outsole, or polymer material development.

• Solid understanding of compound formulation, material properties, validation processes, and manufacturing techniques.

• Experience working with footwear manufacturers, material suppliers, or product development environments is highly preferred.

• Strong project coordination and stakeholder management skills.

• Good analytical thinking, problem-solving ability, and attention to detail.

• Confident communication skills in both Vietnamese and English.

• Self-driven, hands-on, and comfortable working in a dynamic, cross-functional environment.

What’s on Offer

• Competitive salary and performance-based incentives.

• Comprehensive healthcare coverage for employees and eligible dependents.

• Annual bonus and regular salary review.

• Generous annual leave entitlement.

• Opportunities to work on innovative global product development projects.

• Professional learning and career development programs.

• Dynamic international working environment with strong collaboration across regional teams.

To apply, please send your updated CV to Hoa Tran at [email protected], quoting the job title, or click Apply Now.

Due to the anticipated high volume of applications, only shortlisted candidates will be contacted.