Technical Apparel Developer & Designer
Technical Apparel Developer & Designer
Youer is seeking out a creative and collaborative team member to work on all things product. This person will work in tandem with the Creative Director and will be responsible for product ideation, design, sourcing, sample fitting, technical development and the whole process between idea -> the tech pack hand off at the factory.
Our style is heavily influenced by the fine art world, high fashion, streetwear, and the expression of the original individuals who wear our clothes. Because we are heavily direct-to-consumer, we are a fluid brand that explores many identities depending on what’s feeling exciting and interesting. Our products will and do reflect this, and we design from a story first. We believe clothes are tools for self expression and creating multi-dimensional customer experiences. Youer does not solely identify as an outdoor clothing company.
If you’re looking for a playground on which to explore design that plays with form and function in whimsical ways and many dimensions, we’ll get along well. If you’re looking to design and develop technical outdoor apparel this might not be the right position for you.
Note, this position will work very closely with our Creative Director and Founder, Mallory Ottariano. For the last 10 years, she has been the face of the company and sole designer so the brand is heavily personalized to her undulating style. She’s looking for a wildly creative individual to pass this hat to but will continue be a present voice in the design process.
The Product Developer will be responsible for
- Market research/content ingestion for ideation and creation of seasonal product lines
- Visualizing design ideas, creating specs, sourcing and color selection, and technical illustrations
- Creating tech packs
- Working closely with our Production & Supply Chain Manager to keep our factories on-track
- Working with material vendors and suppliers
- Producing product specs and making sure they’re maintained throughout production
- Working with our factories to coordinate all prototyping/sampling including materials sampling
- Executing fit sessions and accurately communicating changes to the factory
The right product development manager will have
- A strong design sensibility beyond just fashion
- 4+ years of product development experience (or education experience) in apparel and/or product management experience with an understanding of managing product from concept to completion.
- Knowledge of materials used in our collection and the manufacturing processes we use
- Strong knowledge of costing, garment construction, pre-production and production coordination.
- A strong ability to develop and maintain relationships both internally and with suppliers/manufacturers.
- Ability to handle several tasks and projects simultaneously in a fast-moving environment.
- Intermediate to advanced skills in the Adobe Creative Suite (primarily Photoshop & Illustrator), as well as Procreate
- Excellent problem-solving skills, and the ability to act quickly under pressure
- A willingness to wear some different hats when needed, as everyone chips in at this small business.
We would be stoked if you also have:
- A degree in fashion, design, merchandising, or similar
- Experience working in USA apparel manufacturing
- Experience developing custom fabrics
- Experience working for a small business
- Experience working with Gerber pattern software
- Strong fabric knowledge
- Experience working for a contemporary, DTC brand
This is a full-time in-person position at our Missoula Montana headquarters.
Salary range: $53k-$65k depending on experience and fit
Benefits include:
- 2 weeks PTO + holidays
- Monthly phone plan stipend
- IRA and contribution matching
- Free Youer product
- Employee discount at Youer
for questions, reach out to mallory@shopyouer.com