Lead Technical Developer- Internal Development and Innovation

Carhartt, Inc.; Kentucky; Hybrid; USD 70,000 - 110,000; Full time

Job summary

Carhartt, Inc. is seeking a Lead Technical Designer for Internal Development and Innovation. The role focuses on elevating technical product details and ensuring scalable, quality outcomes across internal manufacturing.

You will build collaborative relationships with internal and external partners, balancing cost, quality, and design inputs while driving innovative solutions. The position combines hands-on design leadership with cross-functional collaboration in a hybrid work setting.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Apparel & Textile Design, Fashion Design, Fashion Merchandising, or a related field.
• Minimum 6 years of relevant work experience with at least 2 years of leadership.
• Experience in Apparel, Retail, or Consumer Products industries.
• Strong technical design development with focus on innovation and quality.

Responsibilities

• Manage Technical Development activities for products produced in internal manufacturing facilities.
• Coordinate with Global TD + PD category teams to ensure consistency in fit, function, and construction.
• Align CCS/product with vision and plans from Technical Design Director and Global Product Initiatives.
• Hind-sight Crafted Series/special projects and share learnings.
• Develop and maintain technical information to support contractors, engineering, and quality.
• Foster cross-functional relationships with peers and leaders.
• Prioritize initiatives and act with urgency.
• Create technical drawings at sewing operation level (Quality Specifications & Visual Depictions).
• Build and maintain a technical drawing library; PLM or similar tools preferred.
• Partner with leadership to align on strategic and tactical plans.

Skills

Leadership experience

Apparel industry

Project management

Technical design

Education

Bachelor’s degree in Apparel/Textile Design or related field

Job description

Position Details

Title: Lead Technical Designer- Internal Development and Innovation

Department: Supply Chain Services- Internal Development

Reports to: Sr. Manager, Internal Product Development and Innovation

Location: Irvine, Kentucky or Dearborn, MI

Job Classification: Hybrid

Job Summary

The Lead Technical Developer takes technical product details to the next level of innovation and quality to support the internal manufacturing operations. This role is accountable to ensure any requests are accepted, scoped, balanced, and acted upon in a timely manner. This position is responsible for balancing the Technical Design aspects of the product, coupled with the viable integration with an engineering focus of scalability and effective outcomes. This incorporates costing, quality limitations and expectations, style development inputs, and technical support of the engineering teams.
The Lead Technical Developer builds and fosters strong collaborative relationships with internal/external partners, and cross functional teams whilst fostering a sense of quality excellence.

Associate Responsibilities

• Manage the Technical Development activities for all products that are produced within the internal manufacturing factories.


• Work with Global TD + PD category teams to ensure consistencies between all product and mainline Carhartt product. This includes fit, function, construction and details.


• Align any CCS/product with the vision and strategic plans provided by the Technical Design Director, Corporate Strategies, and Global Product Initiatives.


• Accountable for hind‑sighting each Crafted Series/special project and paying forward any learnings.


• Work to align and expand overall detailed technical information that will help promote in depth specifics that support the needs of our contractors, engineering and quality.


• Foster Relationship with cross functional peers, associates and leaders.


• Ensure prioritization of initiatives and operate with a sense of urgency.


• Create technical drawings (Quality Specifications & Visual Depictions of Part Details) at the sewing operation level


• Create & maintain technical drawing library to house standard operations to support and streamline future product development activities. PLM software knowledge preferred, or comparable drawing software


• Partner with Senior Manager, Director of Business Development, and Quality to ensure team alignment and linkage to all strategic and tactical plans.

Required Education

• Bachelor’s degree in Apparel & Textile Design, Fashion Design, Fashion Merchandising, or a related field; or equivalent years of related experience in lieu of degree.

Required Skills & Experience

• Minimum of 6 years of relevant work experience, plus a minimum of 2 years’ individual leadership experience: examples include, but not limited to: leading projects, leading company initiatives, leading in creation of and/or roll out of new processes, etc.

• Apparel, Retail, or Consumer Products industry.


• Project management skills preferred


• Strong technical design development and apparel industry background; the successful candidate will be a leader in technical design, development and merchandising with a focus on innovation and quality.

Physical Requirements and Working Conditions

• Officeenvironment

• Travel up to 30% domestic and/or internationally

• Moderate lifting, up to 20 lbs.

• This position has a Hybrid location: Associate will work on-site regularly as needed for work activities.


• Carhartt is a tobacco free workplace.