Product Development Lead, Sustainable Materials & Innovation

Levi Strauss & Co. is hiring a Product Development Lead for Sustainable Materials & Innovation in San Francisco, CA. The role focuses on integrating sustainability into products, particularly through recycled cotton. Responsibilities include collaborating with teams, overseeing product development, establishing fabric qualifications, and ensuring quality standards. Candidates should have 7 years of experience in apparel development and proficiency in fabric processes. The position requires in-office presence 3 days a week.
About the Role Levi Strauss & Co. is seeking an experienced Product Development Lead for Sustainable Materials & Innovation. This role is crucial for defining, validating, and scaling sustainability into commercial products, with a focus on incorporating recycled cotton and other preferred fibers while maintaining product quality and consumer experience. Key Responsibilities Collaborate with cross‑functional teams (Product Creation, Materials Supply Chain, Global Sustainability, Innovation) to integrate sustainable practices. Lead end‑to‑end product development for sustainable materials, translating innovation into manufacturing‑ready solutions. Define a fabric qualification framework for integrating recycled cotton by fabric type, construction, weight, performance, and finishing. Establish commercialization gates from concept through pilot and scale, ensuring alignment on quality, cost, and timing. Build partnerships with mills and suppliers to assess capability, manage pilots, validate manufacturability, and support scale‑up. Oversee durability and performance criteria for redeveloped fabrics, including wash/wear, abrasion, tensile strength, pilling, dimensional stability, and colorfastness. Partner with Quality and Testing teams to define fit‑for‑purpose lab and wear testing protocols. Guide root‑cause analysis and corrective actions for material and fabric quality issues. Maintain data and systems discipline, ensuring materials meet technical specifications, compliance standards, and brand expectations, with accurate documentation in PLM and other product systems. Manage development execution against the Go‑To‑Market calendar, ensuring timely delivery of prototypes, samples, and pre‑production materials. Partner with Global Design to expand and scale material and product innovations. Collaborate with Sustainability and Compliance teams to embed Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) readiness, circularity, and regulatory requirements into product development processes. About You 7 years of experience in apparel product development, materials development, fabric R&D, or textile engineering. Proficiency in fabric construction, fiber behavior, finishing processes, and their impact on durability and performance. Proven experience leading development programs from concept through production. Background in quality, testing, and performance standards for apparel fabrics. Experience working directly with mills, suppliers, and global sourcing partners. Ability to lead without formal authority in a matrixed organization. Familiarity with circularity, regulatory considerations in apparel, and experience with recycled cotton or other preferred fibers is a plus. Work Environment Hybrid work schedule based in our San Francisco, CA headquarters. Expected in‑office presence 3 days per week (typically Tuesday‑Thursday), with flexibility based on business needs. Compensation & Benefits Expected starting salary range: $92,300 - $135,300 per year. Total rewards package includes base pay, incentive plans, 401(k) matching, paid leave, health insurance, product discounts, and more. Benefits and incentive compensation vary by role; details available upon request. Location: San Francisco, CA, USA Employment Type: Full Time EOE M/F/Disability/Vets #J-18808-Ljbffr