Raw Material Research & Development Lead

St. John Knits; Anaheim (CA); On-site; USD 90,000 - 130,000; Full time

Job summary

St. John Knits seeks a Raw Material R&D Lead to drive sourcing and development of yarns, fabrics, and trims across all product categories.

This role partners with Design, Product Development, and Production from concept through bulk production to ensure materials meet quality, cost, and timing targets. Based in the Anaheim, CA corporate office, the candidate will manage global mill relationships, negotiate MOQs and lead times, and travel domestically and internationally as needed to source and

Qualifications

• 3–5 years of hands-on yarn, fabric, and/or trim sourcing and development in apparel or textile manufacturing.
• Technical knowledge of knitting, yarns, textiles, and trim development across woven and knit fabrics.
• Global yarn and textile mills with established vendor relationships.
• Proven ability to negotiate pricing, MOQs, and lead times with vendors.
• Strong project management to handle multiple seasonal timelines.
• Degree or diploma in textile/knit engineering, fashion, or related field, or equivalent work experience.
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office (Word, Excel, Outlook).
• Ability to travel domestically and internationally as needed.

Responsibilities

• Source new yarns, fabrics, trims, and raw materials globally while aligning with design vision.
• Evaluate and develop both woven fabrics and yarn and knit materials.
• Source and develop high-quality trims that fit the brand's seasonal vision.
• Bring new innovation and techniques across all raw material categories.
• Apply technical knowledge of knitting, yarns, textiles, and trim development to guide sourcing decisions.
• Manage testing of new fabrics, knits, and trims and collect data to support decisions.
• Manage seasonal color lab dipping, printing, and special weave requests.
• Develop and maintain relationships with mills and vendors worldwide, leveraging global landscape.
• Negotiate pricing, MOQs, and lead times with suppliers.
• Attend trade shows domestically and overseas to source new materials and identify innovations.
• Partner with Design, Product Development, and Production through all development stages to bulk.
• Maintain seasonal budgets and fabric/trim libraries and ensure on-schedule development.

Skills

Sourcing

Project management

Vendor relationships

Negotiation

Textile knowledge

Travel readiness

Education

Textile/Knit engineering degree

Tools

Microsoft Office

Job description

The Raw Material R&D Lead drives the sourcing and development of yarns, fabrics, and trims across all product categories, bringing deep technical textile expertise and strong global mill relationships to support the brand's seasonal design vision. This is an individual contributor role that partners closely with Design, Product Development, and Production from initial concept through bulk production, ensuring every raw material meets quality, cost, and timing requirements. The right candidate has direct, hands-on experience working for an apparel/fashion brand.

This role reports to the VP of Product Development; based in the Anaheim, CA corporate office with domestic and international travel.

ESSENTIAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

Material Sourcing & Development

• Source new yarns, fabrics, trims, and raw materials globally while keeping the design team's vision at the center of every decision
• Evaluate and develop both woven fabrics and yarn and knit materials
• Source and develop high-quality trims that fit the brand's seasonal vision
• Bring new innovation and techniques across all raw material categories

Technical Development & Quality

• Apply technical knowledge of knitting, yarns, textiles, and trim development — including knit stitches, knit gauge, and yarn sizing — to guide sourcing and development decisions
• Manage testing of new fabrics, knits, and trims, and collect proper data to support development decisions
• Manage seasonal color lab dipping, printing, and special weave requests

Mill & Vendor Relationships

• Develop and maintain relationships with mills and vendors worldwide, leveraging expertise in the global yarn and textile mill landscape
• Negotiate pricing, MOQs, and lead times with suppliers
• Attend trade shows domestically and overseas to source new materials and identify innovations

Cross-Functional Partnership & Administration

• Partner with Design, Product Development, and Production throughout all stages of development through bulk
• Maintain seasonal budgets and reports, and manage physical and digital fabric/trim libraries
• Maintain calendar timing to ensure on-schedule development
• Resolve material-related challenges as they arise

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS:

• 3-5 years of direct, hands-on experience in yarn, fabric, and/or trim sourcing and development within apparel or textile manufacturing
• Must have technical knowledge of knitting, yarns, textiles, and trim development, including knit stitches, knit gauge, and yarn sizing, across both woven weaves and knit fabrics
• Expertise in global yarn and textile mills, with established vendor relationships
• Proven ability to negotiate pricing, MOQs, and lead times with vendors
• Strong project management skills with the ability to manage multiple seasonal timelines simultaneously
• Degree or diploma in textile/knit engineering, fashion, or a related field preferred, or equivalent work experience
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office (Word, Excel, Outlook)
• Ability to travel domestically and internationally as needed