Production Art & Digitizing Lead

Quince; Santa Fe Springs (CA); On-site; USD 60,000 - 75,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Bonus and equity possibilities

Job summary

Quince is seeking a Production Art & Digitizing Lead in Santa Fe Springs, CA. In this fully on-site role, you'll ensure artwork quality before production, overseeing a high-volume facility that decorates thousands of items daily.

The ideal candidate has over 5 years of experience in embroidery digitizing, is proficient in software like Pulse and Adobe Suite, and can manage complex workflows efficiently. Join our mission to provide high-quality, affordable products!

Qualifications

• 5+ years of hands-on embroidery digitizing & art prep in high-volume production.
• Expert-level digitizing software experience for fast, clean output.
• Strong Adobe tools comprehension for file optimization.

Responsibilities

• Evaluate incoming artwork for production readiness.
• Digitize embroidery designs at production speed.
• Mentor & train junior staff.

Skills

Embroidery digitizing

Adobe Illustrator

Adobe Photoshop

Leadership/mentoring

Vendor management

Detail-oriented

Tools

Pulse

Wilcom

Hatch

Job description

ABOUT QUINCE

Founded in 2018, Quince was built to challenge the idea that nice things have to cost a lot. Our mission is simple: to make really high quality essentials for really low prices, produced fairly and sustainably. We believe everyone deserves exceptional craftsmanship and timeless design without the traditional markups. Quince is a direct-to-consumer (DTC) model that cuts out middlemen and leverages just-in-time manufacturing to minimize waste and maximize value.

Quince is a tech company disrupting the retail industry by putting AI, analytics and automation at the center of everything we do. Our unwavering commitment to excellence and company values guide our teams and actions:

• Customer First: We prioritize customer satisfaction in every decision.
• High Quality: True quality means premium materials and rigorous production standards you can feel good about.
• Essential Design: We focus on timeless, functional essentials instead of chasing trends.
• Always a Better Deal: Innovation and transparency ensure value for both customers and partners.
• Social & Environmental Responsibility: We commit to sustainable materials, ethical production, and fair wages.

Quince partners with world-class manufacturers across the globe and serves millions of customers. With strong investor backing and a focus on sustainable growth, we are a company that is rapidly scaling while maintaining a commitment to quality, simplicity, and radical price transparency.

OUR TEAM AND SUCCESS

At Quince, you will be part of a high-performing team that is redefining what quality, value, and sustainability mean in modern retail. We are a destination for builders, innovators, and operators to come together and challenge the status quo. Our collective ambition is bold. We are creating an entirely new category and customer experience - one that democratizes luxury and provides high quality products at radically low prices. That mission demands a world-class team committed to excellence.

If you are motivated by impact, growth, and purpose, you will find a strong sense of belonging at Quince.

THE ROLE

Production Art & Digitizing Lead

As the Production Art & Digitizing Lead, you are the final quality check for all artwork before it goes to production. Our B2B facility decorates 5000 items a day using five different methods: embroidery, heat transfer, embossing, sew-in tags, and luggage printing. You are responsible for making sure every design file is flawless, correctly formatted, and ready to be produced perfectly.

Reporting to the Operations Manager, you will evaluate incoming artwork, digitize embroidery designs at production speed to prepare file specs for all decoration types, establish art standards and QC checkpoints, manage vendors, mentor junior staff, and track KPIs tied to art quality. At 99% QA, art quality determines whether we ship or rework.

This is a fully on-site role, Monday through Friday during regular business hours in Santa Fe Springs, CA.

Responsibilities

• Evaluate all incoming artwork for production readiness - assess resolution, color mode, file format, specs across all 5 decoration types; reject non-conforming art with actionable feedback.
• Digitize & process embroidery designs at production speed - create stitch files optimized for garment/placement/machine; managing 5000 embroidery units/day.
• Prepare file specs for all decoration types - color separations for heat transfer, specs for embossing/tags/print; optimize for production machinery.
• Enforce zero tolerance on art defects - identify & block at-risk files before production floor; track root causes and elevate to Production Lead.
• Own Art Specification Standard - document all decoration type requirements, best practices, machine constraints; update quarterly.
• Build & maintain file library - 500+ approved production files (logos, designs, separations); enable faster repeat order turnaround.
• Establish QC checkpoints - define stitch ranges, density rules, quality gates for each decoration type.
• Mentor & train junior staff - onboard 1-2 junior digitizers/coordinators; conduct daily stand-ups during ramp; develop training for production teams.
• Manage vendors - negotiate SLAs with external digitizing vendors; monitor quality, elevate issues.
• Track & report KPIs - own Art Rejection Rate, File Rework Rate, Digitizing Turnaround, File Quality Audit, Art-Related Defect Rate, Client Revision Cycles; report weekly to Production Lead.

Qualifications

Required

• 5+ years of hands-on embroidery digitizing & art prep in high-volume apparel/B2B production.
• Expert-level digitizing software experience (Pulse, Wilcom, Hatch) - fast, clean, run-ready output without errors.
• Adobe Illustrator & Photoshop at production level - file optimization, color separations, print production.
• Experience with proven art workflows at scale.
• Deep embroidery machine knowledge - stitch limits, constraints, thread color, garment interactions.
• Screen print color sep, DTG file optimization, heat transfer specs.
• Ability to troubleshoot art production failures & implement corrective changes.
• Leadership/mentoring experience - comfortable training junior staff & establishing standards.
• Vendor relationship management & SLA negotiation.
• Detail-oriented; can manage multiple complex workflows without errors.
• Clear and professional communicator - can explain art issues to clients & production teams.

Preferred

• Art operations management or QA/production coordination experience.
• Industrial embroidery machine operation (Tajima, Barudan, Melco, etc).
• Production metrics & KPI reporting experience.
• WMS systems & order-based production scheduling exposure.
• Working proficiency of Spanish a plus.

PHYSICAL REQUIREMENTS

• This is a fully on-site role, present on the production floor Monday through Friday during shift hours.
• Ability to stand and walk the production floor for the duration of a shift (8+ hours).
• Lifting up to 40 pounds - moving garment boxes, supplies, and equipment.
• Ability to work in a production environment with machinery noise, ink, and chemical exposure (PPE provided).

Pay Range

60,000 USD - 75,000 USD

Bonus and equity may also be provided for eligible roles.

All posted ranges are reflective of base salary and may vary depending upon experience level and location.

Equal Opportunity & Hiring Integrity

Quince provides equal employment opportunities to all applicants and prohibits discrimination and harassment of any type without regard to race, color, religion, age, sex, national origin, disability status, genetics, protected veteran or military status, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, or any other characteristic protected by federal, state, or local laws.

Quince is committed to providing reasonable accommodations to qualified individuals with disabilities. If you need a reasonable accommodation to complete your application or to perform the essential functions of a role at Quince, please let us know by completing this accommodation form.

Employment is contingent upon successful completion of a background check. Quince will conduct background checks in compliance with applicable federal, state, and local laws.