Technical Design

Job DescriptionFutureStitch is a fully vertical circular manufacturer that believes business should be a force for good. We are the team behind products for some of the world’s leading brands and organizations, including Stance, New Balance, the NBA, and MLB. What sets us apart is our focus on innovation — from our lab at MIT to our Oceanside factory that creates employment opportunities for second-chance hires, FutureStitch is pushing what’s possible in advanced knitting and manufacturing.In 2027, FutureStitch will expand into new product categories, including performance base layers, while launching SECONDS — a regenerative design collective built around the power of second chances for both people and materials. Through advanced recycling and circular manufacturing technologies, we transform waste into new materials and products that bring together thoughtful design, performance, craftsmanship, and sustainability.As we grow beyond socks and into broader apparel categories, we are looking for a Technical Designer / Developer who is detail-oriented, comfortable working in a fast-paced environment, and excited to help build and develop great product from the ground up.THE ROLEWe’re looking for a Technical Designer & Developer to own the technical backbone of our product: patterns, fabrics, specs, tech packs, and the fit work that turns a concept into something real.This is a hands-on, execution-first role — but it’s not a purely supporting one. You’ll be trusted to lead the technical development of a program outright: carrying it from concept handoff through fit approval and production-ready spec, setting the technical standard, and making the calls that determine how the product gets built. Your scope is apparel, base layer, and accessories.If you like solving construction problems, want real ownership of how a garment comes together, and want to see your patterns become product rather than a queue of tickets, this is the job.WHAT YOU’LL OWNLead the technical development of assigned programs — own the construction approach, the fit standard, and the spec package from concept handoff to production readinessDraft, develop, grade, and correct patterns from design concepts, sketches, and reference garments — digitally and by handBuild and maintain size charts, grade rules, and block libraries by categoryTranslate design intent into buildable construction: seam methods, trims, closures, panel logic, and finishingRecommend and qualify fabrics against end use — weight, content, hand, stretch and recovery, drape, and shrinkageBuild patterns and specs around finite and salvage material families, where the yardage on hand defines what is possibleOwn fabric consumption and yield estimates that feed costing and material orderingBuild and maintain complete, production-ready tech packs — BOMs, POMs, construction detail, artwork placement, and labelingHold spec accuracy and revision control so the factory is always working from the current versionRun fit sessions, evaluate samples against spec and intent, and write clear, decisive fit commentsSurface technical risk early with a recommended path forward, and mentor junior developers on the craftQUARTERLY OBJECTIVESQ4 2026 — Onboard and AssessOnboard into our process, tools, and standards — the blocks, size charts, specs, and tech packs we are working from todayAssess the current SECONDS and base layer lines from a technical standpoint: fit, construction, materials, and spec accuracyRecommend and execute the tweaks that make the existing line better — pattern corrections, construction changes, and spec cleanupQ1 2027 — New Product DevelopmentOwn the technical development of new apparel and accessory product from concept handoff forwardDraft the patterns, qualify the materials, and build the tech packs that carry new styles into samplingSet the construction and fit direction on new product rather than inheriting itQ2 2027 — Own and BuildHold technical development for a full seasonal range independentlyTurn the block, spec, and construction libraries into a system the rest of the team can work fromBring material and construction recommendations to the front of the process rather than reacting to them downstreamKEY CHARACTERISTICSTechnical Expert — strong understanding of garment construction and the ability to assess how a garment was built, identify issues, and recommend the right solutionMaterial-Fluent — understands how different fabrics behave and how material selection impacts pattern, fit, construction and performance.Product-Minded — you think about product in three dimensions, not just on the page, and you care what goes into the worldAccountable — you can be handed a program and trusted with the technical solve; you chase the answer instead of waiting for itDetail Oriented — specs, measurements, and revisions are handled carefully, because you know what a decimal costs downstreamClear Communicator — you write fit comments and factory emails that leave no room for interpretation, across time zones and languagesQUALIFICATIONS4+ years in technical design, product development, or pattern making within apparel, knitwear, or performance productDemonstrated pattern making and grading skill — flat pattern and digital; hand sewing and sample making is a strong plusDeep working knowledge of knit and woven fabrics — construction, fiber content, weight, stretch and recovery, shrinkage, and how each behaves through sew and wearProven track record building complete tech packs that a factory can execute without a second conversationDirect experience running fit sessions and owning the fit process for a category or programExperience developing product with overseas factory partners and communicating technical detail across time zonesFluency in CAD or pattern software (Gerber, Optitex, Browzwear, CLO, or equivalent) and Adobe Illustrator; comfort in Excel and PLM systemsThe judgment and communication skills to lead the technical side of a program, not just execute a task listTHE DETAILSFull-time, hybrid — 3–4 days in office, 1–2 days from homeBased primarily in San Clemente, CA, with approximately one day a week at our Oceanside manufacturing facilityScope: apparel, base layer, and accessoriesOccasional international travel in support of development$85-95,000.00 based on experience and skill level