Lead - Tooling Engineer
Onrunning
Posted: April 17, 2026
Interested in this position?
Create a free account to apply with AI-powered matching
Quick Summary
In this role, you will be working on designing and developing high-performance products for athletes while advancing On's sustainability goals.
Required Skills
Job Description
In short
As Footwear Tooling Engineer you will create groundbreaking concepts and products for high-performance athletes while advancing On’s sustainability goals. Working in a collaborative environment, you’ll shape the future direction of our pinnacle performance product and technologies through Innovation and Design.
You will act as the owner of the bottom unit development for our pinnacle performance product and technologies. You will work in close collaboration with designers and developers here at On Labs in Zurich and our Tooling team in Vietnam to create the highest quality products. From concept creation through prototyping, you will guide the team on bottom unit materials, geometries, and construction from a critical manufacturing, biomechanical performance, and durability viewpoint. You will also be a key player in identifying and creating process improvements for all bottom unit development across the company.
Your mission
- Lead the bottom unit development for On’s performance products
- Provide solutions to design and construction constraints by using your demonstrated knowledge of materials, mold construction and manufacturing
- Evaluate and improve product designs for manufacturability and durability by reviewing 2D/3D CADs, prototypes, and feedback from the testing teams
- Ensure alignment with product specifications and manufacturing capabilities
- Use your understanding of plastics injection molding to advise cost, design, and molding capabilities of injected components in the bottom unit
- Collaborate with our Asian counterparts and support mold shop teams on tooling revisions and manufacturing concerns
- Assist the development, product management, and design teams with any tooling related questions or issues
- Evaluate current workflows and create process improvements to maximize efficiencies and advance testing
Your story
- Bachelor's degree in Mechanical Engineering, Industrial Design, or a related field
- Minimum of 5 years experience within a footwear engineering role working closely with development and production, ideally in a footwear tooling development
- Technical knowledge of various materials, mold construction, and manufacturing processes relevant to footwear; In-depth knowledge of plastics injection molding principles, including advising on cost, design, and molding capabilities of injected components
- Experience working with 2D and 3D CADs (Rhino a bonus); proficiency in reviewing and evaluating 2D/3D CADs for manufacturability, durability, and alignment with product specifications
- Experience in 3D modelling and rapid prototyping tools
- Demonstrated experience in project management, costing, and the ability to provide solutions within complex constraints
- Experience working with biomechanical performance principles as they relate to footwear bottom unit design
- Experience working cross-functionally across designers, developers, product management, and testing teams
- Experience collaborating with international manufacturing partners on tooling revisions and manufacturing concerns
- Strong communication skills to provide clear guidance and technical support to various stakeholders.
- Excellent time management skills and ability to work with multiple deadlines
- Available to travel to Asia at least 2 times a year
The team
Our mission is to define and create the future of sportswear bringing to life groundbreaking innovations. Acting at the forefront of material science, sport science and engineering we develop products that push the boundaries of performance and sustainability, blending in unique aesthetic appeal that embodies On’s design DNA.