Senior Tech Designer

SourceLab Search; New York (NY); On-site; USD 120,000 - 130,000; Full time

Job summary

SourceLab Search seeks a Senior Technical Designer specializing in Women’s Knits to build and lead the technical design function from concept through final approval.

You will partner with Design, Merchandising, Production, and Sourcing to translate design intent into high-quality, well-fitting knit product, lead fittings, establish fit standards, and manage samples through production in a fast-paced environment.

Qualifications

• 10+ years of Technical Design experience in apparel.
• Extensive experience in Women’s apparel, with emphasis on knitwear.
• Expert-level understanding of women’s fit, garment construction, specifications, grading, and measurement standards.
• Strong technical knowledge of knit fabrics and construction, including stretch, gauge, finishing, and wash considerations.

Responsibilities

• Own and lead the technical design process for Women’s knit products from development to final production approval.
• Partner with Design, Merchandising, Production, and Sourcing to translate design intent into commercially viable, well-fitting product.
• Lead fit sessions and make confident decisions on fit, construction, measurements, and garment functionality.
• Communicate technical direction and revisions to overseas factories and development partners.
• Manage the sample and fit process, ensuring timely reviews, revisions, and approvals.
• Collaborate with cross-functional teams to ensure consistency across product categories and seasons.

Skills

Technical Design

Knitwear

Garment Construction

PLM Systems

Tools

Centric PLM

FlexPLM

Job description

We are seeking an experienced Senior Technical Designer specializing in Women’s Knits to help build and establish the technical design function. This role will be a key partner to Design, Merchandising, Production, and Sourcing, owning the technical execution and fit of women’s knit product from initial concept through final approval.

The ideal candidate brings deep expertise in women’s knitwear, a strong understanding of fit and garment construction, and the confidence to lead fittings and make technical decisions independently. This person will play an important role in establishing fit standards, technical processes, and best practices as the Women’s business grows.

$120K-$130K

4 days in office

Key Responsibilities

• Own and lead the technical design process for Women’s knit products from initial development through final production approval.
• Partner closely with Design, Merchandising, Production, and Sourcing to translate design intent into commercially viable, well-fitting, high-quality product.
• Lead fit sessions from start to finish, making confident decisions regarding fit, construction, measurements, proportions, and garment functionality.
• Apply advanced knowledge of knit construction, including fabric behavior, stretch and recovery, gauge, stitch construction, finishing, and wash considerations.
• Develop and maintain accurate specifications, construction details, measurement standards, grading, and fit comments.
• Communicate detailed technical direction, fit comments, construction requirements, and revisions to overseas factories and development partners.
• Manage the sample and fit process, ensuring samples are reviewed, commented on, revised, and approved according to established timelines.
• Work directly with fit model agencies to schedule and manage fittings and ensure appropriate fit models are utilized for each product category.
• Attend and lead customer-facing fittings and technical meetings when required.
• Partner with customers and retail accounts on fit-related communication, approvals, technical requirements, and product execution.
• Utilize and maintain PLM systems, ensuring technical information, specifications, comments, and approvals are accurate and up to date.
• Identify potential fit, construction, quality, or production issues early and proactively develop solutions that protect product integrity and delivery timelines.
• Help establish Women’s fit standards, blocks, measurement standards, and technical guidelines for the Women’s division.
• Establish and improve technical design processes, workflows, and best practices to support the growth of the Women’s business.
• Collaborate with cross-functional partners to ensure consistency and alignment across product categories and seasons.
• Mentor and support junior technical designers as the team develops, providing guidance on fit, construction, specifications, and technical problem solving.
• Contribute to the development of scalable technical standards and processes across the organization.

Required Qualifications

• 10+ years of Technical Design experience within the apparel industry.
• Extensive experience in Women’s apparel, with a strong emphasis on knitwear.
• Expert-level understanding of women’s fit, garment construction, specifications, grading, and measurement standards.
• Strong technical knowledge of knit fabrics and construction, including stretch, recovery, gauge, stitch types, finishing, and garment wash considerations.
• Proven ability to independently lead fittings and make confident, commercially sound fit and construction decisions.
• Strong experience communicating directly with overseas factories, vendors, and sourcing partners.
• Experience managing the complete sample and fit process from initial development through production approval.
• Experience working directly with retail customers and/or customer technical teams is strongly preferred.
• Experience with PLM systems such as Centric, FlexPLM, or similar; training will be provided on proprietary systems.
• Highly organized and able to manage multiple styles, categories, priorities, and deadlines in a fast-paced environment.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to clearly communicate technical information to both internal and external partners.
• Demonstrated ability to collaborate effectively with Design, Merchandising, Production, Sourcing, and Quality teams.
• Previous experience mentoring or managing junior technical design team members is preferred.

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience building or establishing technical design processes for a new category, brand, or division.
• Experience developing women’s knit blocks, fit standards, and measurement specifications.
• Experience with Plus Size fit and grading.
• Experience across additional Women’s categories such as Wovens, Sweaters, and Outerwear.
• Working knowledge of Men’s and/or Kids apparel is a plus.
• Experience working in a vertically integrated, private-label, or multi-brand apparel environment is a plus.