Apparel Testing Expert (a) - Sports Industry

As the Apparel & Accessories Testing Expert, you will serve as the voice of the athlete and consumer throughout the product creation journey. You will take ownership of testing strategies, research methodologies, and validation programs that ensure products meet the highest standards of comfort, quality, durability, and performance.Key responsibilities include:

• Define and execute end-to-end product validation strategies across apparel and accessories categories.
• Design and conduct qualitative and quantitative research initiatives, including consumer interviews, focus groups, wearer trials, perception studies, and field testing programs.
• Lead physical product testing activities, ensuring rigorous evaluation of comfort, fit, usability, durability, and performance.
• Translate complex testing results and consumer feedback into actionable recommendations for Product Development, Design, Materials, and Product Strategy teams.
• Partner closely with stakeholders to influence product decisions throughout the development lifecycle.
• Establish efficient testing processes, methodologies, timelines, and reporting standards.
• Build and maintain a network of athletes, consumers, and testers to support ongoing validation initiatives.
• Deliver competitor benchmarking, market insights, and product performance analyses to identify opportunities for innovation.
• Drive continuous improvement of testing frameworks, tools, databases, and reporting capabilities.

• 4+ years of experience within product testing, consumer research, product development, user experience research, biomechanics, human factors, textile engineering, or a related discipline.
• Proven experience conducting product research methodologies such as consumer interviews, focus groups, wear testing, field testing, and product validation studies.
• Strong understanding of physical product development processes and how consumer insights influence product decisions.
• A rigorous, structured, and evidence-based approach to research and testing.
• Demonstrated ability to work independently, take ownership of projects, and drive outcomes with minimal supervision.
• Excellent stakeholder management and communication skills, with the ability to confidently influence senior cross-functional partners.
• Strong analytical capabilities with the ability to transform testing data into clear business recommendations.
• High levels of organisation and project management skills.
• Experience within the sports, sporting goods, performance apparel, outdoor, athletic, or adjacent consumer products industry would be highly advantageous.
• Fluent English communication skills; additional European languages are considered a plus.

• Opportunity to join a globally recognized sportswear and innovation-driven organization.
• High visibility across Product, Design, Development, and Innovation teams.
• International working environment based in Zurich.
• Hybrid work model.