Job Description

Mission : to drive the development of innovative, consumer-centric socks, apparel and footwear products by combining sustainability, technology and creativity. The developer will focus on advancing manufacturing practices, elevating product quality, and meeting market trends through thoughtful innovation. 

Key Characteristics : 

• Detail Oriented 
• Entrepreneurial 
• Collaborative 
• Creative Problem Solver 
• Analytical 
• Organized 
• Direct 
• Driven 

Roles : 

• Manage development timeline and milestones 
• Support and partner with the design and development team to ideate, and develop new concepts into commercially viable products. 
• Research and evaluate new yarns, technologies, and processes to help ensure we’re always pushing boundaries for newest innovations. 
• Conduct detailed reviews of prototypes to ensure products meet design specifications and performance standards. 
• Generate tech packs for both innovation and inline development. 
• Research competition, and marketplace strategies to identify trends, category performance, competitive threats, and opportunities to support business decisions. 
• Communicate with external partners, including mills and suppliers, to maintain innovation and product excellence. 
• Develop and execute testing protocols for product samples ensuring they have at least 3 points of excellence. 
• Responsible for cost analysis and maintaining project budgets 

Performance Measurements :

• Number of New Product Concepts Developed 
• Prototyping Efficiency 
• First pass yield rate for samples/prototypes 
• Patent applications filed 
• On-time project completion rate 

Required Qualifications : 

• 2+ years of experience in sock or footwear industry 
• Experience creating product 
• Understanding of material applications for product use 
• General knowledge of product constructions, product manufacturing and testing protocols 
• Degree in a related field or equivalent job experience (apparel, textiles, technology, engineering) 
• Ability to work on Adobe Creative Cloud specifically Adobe Illustrator 
• Proven track record of developing novel solutions or improvements in product 

About FutureStitch: 

FutureStitch is a leading global textile and technology company. Known for making advanced performance socks, knit shoes, and sleeves, and better known for its large impact in industrial ecological progress and social change. FutureStitch works with an array of distinguished brands, including New Balance, Lululemon, Stance, Hoka, and other premium labels. FutureStitch prides itself in innovating new solutions for destructive norms. FutureStitch employs several hundred individuals in multiple countries with two primary production hubs in China and the United States. The company enjoys the highest global LEED Platinum Certification for energy efficiency and environmental responsibility and the esteemed SA8000 Certification for social accountability. FutureStitch has a primary focus on employing justice-impacted women and men, measuring its success not only by profitability, but by employee health, retention and recidivism. Through its comprehensive life skills program, Second Stitch, employees receive not only job opportunities but also training, support, and hope. FutureStitch is part of a new generation of companies addressing the needs of people and planet through better product, increased responsibility, and thoughtful ingenuity. 

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