Senior Footwear Materials Color Developer [AQ-12836]

About the Role

Join a globally recognized leader in innovative consumer products, renowned for its commitment to excellence and cutting-edge design. This company is at the forefront of its industry, driven by a mission to inspire and empower. You’ll play a crucial role in bringing their vision to life as a highly skilled professional ensuring the flawless translation of color from initial concept to commercialized product. This contract role is pivotal in connecting color science, material development, and production execution, directly influencing product quality and consistency across global supply chains.

Responsibilities

• Lead the comprehensive color development process for complex materials, including textiles, synthetics, foams, and leathers.
• Manage the end-to-end color execution lifecycle, from initial brief through to production readiness.
• Establish and maintain accurate color standards and ensure approvals across diverse material types.
• Drive color consistency across high-volume product programs and seasonal palettes.
• Collaborate closely with global suppliers to ensure color accuracy and repeatability in manufacturing.
• Oversee lab dips, manage approvals, and maintain robust color standard libraries.
• Capture and analyze precise color measurements using advanced spectrophotometers.
• Interpret complex color data (ΔE, tolerances) and rigorously validate against established standards.
• Maintain organized and accurate tracking of all color development activities within various systems.
• Utilize light boxes and controlled environments for meticulous visual color assessment.

Collaborators

You’ll thrive in a highly collaborative environment, working alongside diverse teams including Color Design, Materials Development, Product Development, Materials Integrity, and an extensive network of global factory and supplier partners.

Requirements

• 5+ years of dedicated experience in color development for materials, with a preference for experience in consumer product materials.
• Demonstrated ability to develop and approve color specifically for production, moving beyond conceptual design to tangible manufacturing.
• A superior score on the Farnsworth-Munsell 100 (FM100) color acuity test, indicating exceptional color perception.
• Hands-on expertise with spectrophotometers and other color measurement tools.
• A strong theoretical and practical understanding of color theory, material behavior, and the impact of dyes and finishes.
• Proven experience evaluating color accurately using light boxes and controlled lighting conditions.
• Proficiency in interpreting color data and managing the lab dip approval process.
• Exceptional organizational skills, with a track record of effectively managing and tracking work across multiple materials and demanding timelines.

Preferred Qualifications

• Direct experience working with consumer product materials such as knits, synthetics, foams, and leather.
• A background in materials or product development.
• Experience collaborating effectively with global vendors and factories.
• Familiarity with digital color tools and advanced color management systems.
• Experience supporting high-volume product creation environments.

Skills for Success

You are inherently detail-oriented, with an unwavering focus on accuracy and consistency in every task. You thrive in fast-paced, deadline-driven environments, demonstrating resilience and adaptability. Your communication skills are excellent, enabling seamless collaboration across diverse teams and partners. With a process-driven mindset, you are passionate about achieving operational excellence in all aspects of color development.

Benefits

Through Aquent Talent, eligible talent gain access to amazing benefits including:

• Subsidized health, vision, and dental plans.
• Paid sick leave.
• Retirement plans with a company match.
• Free online training through Aquent Gymnasium.

What You’ll Gain

• Invaluable exposure to end-to-end product creation processes within a leading industry player.
• Hands-on experience with advanced color systems and cutting-edge tools.
• The opportunity to work across a broad spectrum of materials, suppliers, and global teams.
• Deeper expertise in scaling color from initial concept through to mass production.