Lead - Apparel Testing

In short

Product Testing is the voice of the athlete and the consumer at On. We ensure every product delivers a premium, high-performance experience by combining scientific rigor with real-world insight.

As Apparel and Accessories Testing Lead, you will be responsible for validating products from development through to market, focusing on specialized, high performance sport categories. You’ll work in a fast-paced, collaborative environment and act as a key partner across Design, Development, Materials, and Strategy to ensure excellence in the wearing experience including comfort, durability, and performance.

Your mission

Command the Validation Strategy: Define and execute rigorous testing strategies across durability, comfort, and performance, taking charge of specialized testing programs. You will identify testing requirements based on product briefs and target consumers, confidently owning the end-to-end testing process.

Uncover the Truth in Data: Lead qualitative and quantitative apparel and accessories testing, perception studies, and real-world validation to ensure our products reflect authentic athlete and consumer needs. Integrate consumer insights, scientific expertise, and performance analysis into standardized, evidence-based product evaluations.

Drive Confident Decisions: Translate complex testing results into powerful insights that enable confident decision-making and elevate product excellence across the organization. You will analyze performance and durability data, including behavior and attitudinal insights, developing clear reports for project stakeholders.

Influence Product Creation: Conduct hands-on performance testing, directly presenting key findings and improvement recommendations to critical stakeholders. Deliver benchmarking and competitor insights to spot opportunities for true innovation and product differentiation in the global sports arena.

Build the Testing Ecosystem: Establish highly efficient testing processes, timelines, and feedback loops aligned seamlessly with Product Creation calendars. You will actively build and maintain a dynamic tester network of agile, high-performance athletes that supports both everyday testing needs and urgent project timelines. Set up high-energy testing events and initiatives to drive deep engagement within the testing community.

Elevate Operations: Work seamlessly with testing systems and databases to ensure accurate, high-quality data and optimized reporting flows. As a leader, you will contribute significantly to team goals, process improvements, and the continuous evolution of our testing methodologies.

Your story

A strategic thinker and natural leader with a proven track record of managing complex projects or product validation cycles from concept to market.

You possess a deep understanding of specialized, high-performance sports apparel and accessories, and know how to balance scientific testing rigor with real-world, human-centric feedback.

You are an exceptional communicator who can translate dense data and testing metrics into clear, actionable recommendations to cross-functional teams

You are highly organized and capable of building out robust tester networks, establishing efficient processes, and managing global testing logistics.

You have 7+ years of experience in a field focused on the human experience with a product or service. We are excited to hear from candidates from diverse backgrounds, including but not limited to:

Apparel Product Testing or Development

User Experience Research (UXR)

Biomechanics or Kinesiology

Materials Science or Textile Engineering

Ergonomics or Human Factors

Sports Marketing or Athlete Management

High-Performance Coaching

You are willing to travel globally and have the flexibility to work outside of typical hours to align with athlete schedules and events.

A clear communicator in English, both verbal and written.

Your Team

You'll be a leader in a global team fueled by a culture of relentless discovery. We test and validate our product promises, transforming athlete feedback and scientific data into market-leading performance. While our creation partners work to make products great, our mission is to prove they're great. Based in Zurich, our team of Footwear, Apparel & Accessories, and Lab experts is the ultimate destination for individuals dedicated to enhancing the consumer experience.