Design & Development Assistant - Apparel

Love To Dreamtm; Sydney; Hybrid; AUD 50,000 - 70,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Hybrid work

Mentorship from Manager

Job summary

Love to Dream is expanding its Sydney Design & Development team and seeks a Design & Development Assistant to support artwork, CAD execution, colourways, and PLM data accuracy. You will report to the D&PD Manager and own a defined set of execution tasks from CAD flats to sample room organisation.

This hands-on, entry-to-early‑career role offers mentorship, exposure to tech packs, specifications, and the end-to-end product development process within a global apparel brand.

Qualifications

• Experience in apparel/design or related field.
• Proficient in Adobe Illustrator; eager to learn CAD and PLM.
• Highly organized with strong attention to detail.
• Willing to travel to Zetland Sydney at least 3 days a week.

Responsibilities

• Design execution and artwork development for assigned styles.
• Maintain PLM style records and BOM data with accuracy.
• Manage the sample room and track samples from proto to approval.
• Collaborate cross-functionally and keep product data current in PLM.

Skills

Adobe Illustrator

CAD

Tech packs

PLM systems

Artwork/Artworking

Education

Apparel/Textile design qualification

Tools

PLM software

BOM management tools

Excel

Job description

• Build your career in Technical Design & Product development - apparel
• Build your career in Technical Design & Product development - apparel
• Fast-growing, global, baby sleepwear brand
• Location Zetland/Sydney, hybrid work, great company culture

About Love to Dream

Love to Dream is a leading Australian baby sleep brand with a global presence, sold across Australia, the US, UK, EU, and Canada. Known for innovative design and uncompromising safety standards, we are growing our Sydney-based Design & Product Development team to support an expanding product range and increasing market demand.

Why we're hiring

We're expanding the Sydney Design & Product Development team and are recruiting a Design & Development Assistant to support day‑to‑day design execution and sample room operations. You will work closely with our experienced Design & Product Development Team, supporting our growth, whilst learning and building your career!

About the role:

The Design and Development Assistant supports the Sydney Design & Product Development (D&PD) team in bringing product concepts to life, with a focus on artwork, CAD execution, colourway development, and PLM data accuracy. Reporting to the D&PD Manager, you will take ownership of design execution and data management tasks that keep the seasonal range moving, from CAD flats and textile artwork through to sample room organisation and style records.

This is a hands‑on, entry‑to‑early‑career role for someone who wants to build a career in technical apparel design and product development. You will work closely with the D&PD Manager, learning how tech packs, specifications, and sample approvals come together, while owning a defined set of execution and data tasks yourself.

Key responsibilities

1. Design Execution & Artwork

• Produce CAD flat drawings in Adobe Illustrator for assigned styles
• Develop colourway options and mock‑ups for range review
• Translate design direction into repeat textile artwork, including print placements, as required
• Specify print placement, scale, and colour separations; prepare factory‑ready art files to supplier specification
• Build visual range plans layouts, and creative assets for seasonal presentations
• Maintain and curate the digital asset library

2. PLM & Data Management

• Enter and maintain PLM style records and BOM data with accuracy
• Own SKU coding and governance across the range
• Maintain component and trim records

3. Sample Management

• Manage the sample room; organisation, logging, and tracking of all samples from proto through to approval
• Maintain the strike‑off and lab dip library

4. Cross-Functional Collaboration

• Support the D&PD Manager on tech pack and CAD execution for assigned styles
• Attend weekly design and development meetings and contribute to product review discussions
• Keep all product data in the PLM system current, accurate, and complete
• Create and maintain Visual Range Plans that the whole business relies on to track seasonal progress.
• Follow the critical path — proactively prioritise, flag risks early, and ensure every seasonal milestone lands on time.

The Requirements:

To be successful, you will demonstrate:

• Some experience (entry‑early career) and/or qualifications in apparel, textile, or product design
• You are confident in Adobe Illustrator and keen to build your skills in CAD, tech packs, and PLM systems.
• You are highly organised, detail-oriented, and comfortable managing multiple tasks (sample logging, artwork files, SKU records) without letting anything slip.
• You are eager to learn the end‑to‑end product development process and want hands‑on exposure to how a global apparel brand takes a design from concept to bulk production.
• Experience with babywear, sleepwear, or safety-regulated apparel is a plus but not essential.
• Must be based in Sydney and able to travel to Zetland minimum 3 days per week

Our Mission & Values

At Love to DreamTM, we believe today's little dreamers are the shapers of tomorrow. We want to celebrate the power of sleep with every product and brighten our world, one little dreamer at a time. Our core values inspire each of us every day:

• Dare to Dream
• Lead with Love
• Inspired by Families
• Made with Love

What We Offer

• An Australian brand with a global presence — products sold in AU, US, UK, EU, and Canada
• A hands‑on entry point into technical design and product development
• Direct mentoring from the Design & Product Development Manager
• A small, tight-knit team where your contribution is visible and valued