Job Description
Job Overview:
Technical Designer (Private Label)
Duties & Responsibilities, including but not limited to the following:
Job Title: Technical Designer (Private Label)
Department: Design
Location: Glendale, CA – In office
Reports To: Director of Product Development
About the Role
We are seeking a Technical Designer to support our expanding mass-market private-label Women's and Juniors apparel programs. This role owns the technical design process from concept through bulk production - ensuring fit consistency, manufacturability, compliance, and quality while supporting aggressive timelines and large-scale volume. You will partner closely with internal cross-functional teams and global factory partners to meet retailer expectations and drive product accuracy the first time.
Key Responsibilities
Fit & Product Excellence
- Lead internal fittings for Women's & Juniors tops, dresses, sweaters, denim, bottoms, knits, wovens, and lounge using both live and form models.
- Evaluate fit, balance, proportion, and construction with a focus on consistent mass-market fit standards.
- Strong knowledge of elevated, high-end, construction details
- Translate design intent into scalable technical solutions that support efficiency, cost, and manufacturability.
- Maintain and evolve standardized body blocks, size specs, grading, and tolerances across programs.
Technical Documentation & Communication
- Build and maintain high-accuracy tech packs including graded specs, BOMs, and construction call-outs.
- Issue clear, concise fit and construction comments to factories after each fitting.
- Manage proto, SMS, PP, and TOP approvals - identifying risks before production.
- Ensure version accuracy across PLM and alignment with retailer systems and standards.
Cross-Functional Partnership
- Partner with Design to preserve aesthetic intent while ensuring construction feasibility and cost targets.
- Collaborate with Production, Sourcing, QA/Compliance, and Merchandising to resolve fit and construction challenges.
- Support Sales & Account teams with retailer-specific fit standards and feedback expectations.
Mass-Market & Private-Label Focus
- Interpret and execute multiple mass-retail fit, testing, labeling, compliance, and performance standards.
- Anticipate and mitigate the impacts of shrinkage, wash, and fabric variability.
- Ensure alignment to delivery calendars and milestone approvals to support on-time execution at scale.
- Drive factory consistency across regions, facilities, and washhouses.
Qualifications
Experience & Skills
- 4+ years of Technical Design experience in Women's and/or Juniors apparel for mass-market retail.
- Strong understanding of private-label development, retailer approval processes, and compliance standards.
- Advanced knowledge of garment construction, patternmaking, grading, shrinkage behavior, textiles, and wash techniques.
- Proven fitting expertise across multiple categories including:
- Knits & wovens
- Sweaters
- Denim & bottoms
- Dresses & tops
- Lounge/casual apparel
- Proficiency with PLM platforms, Adobe Illustrator, and Excel.
- Experience working directly with offshore factories and navigating timezone-based workflows.
- Exceptional technical communication skills with strong attention to detail.
- Ability to manage multiple programs and shifting priorities in a fast-paced, high-volume environment.
Education
Degree in Technical Design, Patternmaking, Apparel Production, Fashion Design, or related field preferred.
Soft Skills That Matter
Detail-driven, organized, and solution-oriented
Calm and confident leading fittings and negotiations
Strong collaborator and proactive communicator
Comfortable working in a deadline-driven, high-volume environment
Success in This Role Looks Like
Reliable, repeatable fit across deliveries, factories, and programs
Reduced sample rounds and faster approvals
Strong factory partnerships built on clarity and trust
Consistent on-time delivery
Minimal production issues due to early technical oversight
Why MAD Engine
MAD Engine is a global leader in fashion and pop culture apparel, offering a collaborative and creative environment that values technical excellence and speed to market. This role provides the opportunity to support private label fashion programs while working cross-functionally to deliver high-quality products to wholesale partners.
