Footwear Design Assistant

Footwear Design Assistant — Contract

Location: New York City (On-site preferred)
Compensation: $25/hr

About the role

Atoms is looking for a curious and detail-oriented Footwear Design Assistant who loves to research, observe, and translate insights into design ideas. You’ll help the team stay connected to what people actually want — by understanding the market, the culture, and the product stories behind every great shoe.

What You'll Do

Research Atoms and competitor brands to understand product direction, materials, and pricing.

Visit stores, talk to customers, and observe shopping behavior to learn what people are buying and why.

Consolidate insights into clear, usable reports for the marketing and product teams.

Help design new functional, minimal, and everyday footwear ideas — colors, collaborations, and concepts — even beyond current launch schedules.

Stay tuned to cultural, design, and material trends shaping the next generation of footwear.

What we're looking for

A naturally curious mind that loves connecting dots between design, culture, and consumer behavior.

Strong organizational and presentation skills — your research should inspire creative action.

Proficiency with design tools like Figma, Photoshop, or similar.

Someone who thrives in a fast, iterative environment and values clarity and simplicity in design.

Who should not apply

Those who avoid fieldwork or real-world research.

Anyone not willing to dig deep into details and learn fast.

People who rely only on online research without going out and talking to customers.

Anyone resistant to feedback or experimenting with new tools and ideas.