WHO YOU’LL WORK WITH

We’re looking for a Principal AI/ML Innovator, Generative AI Design to join the Performance Engineering Lab, reporting to the Director of Advanced Product Intelligence. The Performance Engineering Lab, within the Advanced Digital Creation Studio, is focused on exploring new concepts for Nike products, such as footwear or apparel, and bringing understanding of product function using predictive engineering tools. 

As a Principal AI/ML Innovator, Generative AI Design, you’ll work closely with multidisciplinary teammates across Engineering, Digital Design, Human-Centered Design, and Product Creation to deliver Generative AI capabilities that unlock new creative potential. This role bridges technology and design, empowering our teams to harness data, computation, and Generative AI to reimagine how we conceive, prototype, and deliver our products. You’ll develop and integrate relevant advancements in Generative AI into the creative workflows of innovators designing and engineering distinctive physical products. 

WHO WE ARE LOOKING FOR

We are looking for a creative, hands-on technologist who thrives at the intersection of AI, design, and product creation. You have demonstrated experience and expertise in applying generative image models and building custom workflows that empower creators. You’re excited by the potential of fine-tuning models using publicly available and proprietary datasets. You bring a strong user-centered mindset to technical problem-solving, translating cutting-edge AI into tools & capabilities that designers love to use and that create meaningful business impact. You stay ahead of emerging AI/ML trends and are eager to explore and share their potential within a dynamic, highly creative innovation environment. You see AI as a collaborator, not just a tool, and you know how to build systems that amplify, not replace, human ingenuity.

What you bring:

•    8+ years in creative technology, applied AI/ML, or related roles.
•    Bachelor’s degree in Computer Science, Engineering, Design Technology, or a related field. Will accept any suitable combination of education, experience and training.
•    Hands-on experience with Generative AI image diffusion models and workflows. 
•    Demonstrated experience curating and preparing custom image datasets for model training and experimentation.
•    Strong collaborative mindset, with the ability to interface with both engineers and product designers.
•    Excellent communication, stakeholder management, and leadership skills.
•    Deep curiosity about the evolving role of AI in creativity—and a commitment to building thoughtful, empowering tools for others.
•    Ability to influence build/buy decisions in AI & ML
 

WHAT YOU’LL WORK ON

As a Principal AI/ML Innovator, Generative AI Design, you’ll be at the forefront of developing & integrating cutting-edge Generative AI capabilities into Nike’s product innovation process. You will:

•    Design and prototype 2D and 3D AI tools & capabilities that help designers rapidly visualize and explore new footwear and apparel concepts.
•    Develop and refine modular, generative workflows.
•    Gather and create datasets to fine-tune generative models, equipping designers with the ability to more precisely incorporate data of interest.
•    Work in close collaboration with ML Engineers to experiment with and deploy customized generative models that support design agility and inspiration.
•    Translate your technical innovations into intuitive, designer-friendly tools that embed seamlessly into the creative workflow of Nike’s product teams.
•    Explore emerging Generative AI technologies and capabilities to assess their application in product innovation. Act as a bridge between early-stage AI research and real-world application. 
•    Communicate complex technical concepts to non-technical audiences. 
•    Build executive support for AI initiatives and champion their adoption across the organization.
 

We offer a number of accommodations to complete our interview process including screen readers, sign language interpreters, accessible and single location for in-person interviews, closed captioning, and other reasonable modifications as needed. If you discover, as you navigate our application process, that you need assistance or an accommodation due to a disability, please complete the Candidate Accommodation Request Form.