Associate Technical Designer

Overview The Associate Technical Designer is responsible for managing the fit and construction of garments for a single category of DICK’s Sporting Goods vertical brand products (approximately 30‑40 products/season). The role requires delivering high‑quality products that meet brand standards, athlete expectations for aesthetic, quality and fit, while maintaining design intent, margin targets and on‑time deliverables. The Designer collaborates with the Product Manager and Design team to translate product design and style vision into consistent fit and quality levels through the development of technical specifications. Job Duties & Responsibilities Fit Development Facilitate fit sessions to document technical adjustments based on design feedback, improve garment adherence to specifications, construction, appearance and fit. Analyze all changes and translate information into a technical package ensuring alignment with TD/Sr. TD. Develop block pattern and technical specifications by brand/classification in support of the brand profile and design vision, including technical illustrations, construction details, seam specifications, measurement specs and trim requirements. Track, record and organize garments and information to ensure timely fit sessions from first prototype to production approval; create and maintain a fit matrix by brand and product type; organize pattern blocks; overlap and compare patterns in Optitex for management; plot patterns for review and correction. Work cross‑functionally with Design, Product Management, Sourcing and Merchandising teams to align on brand intent. Participate in milestone development meetings to provide insight on measurement specifications and product history to engineer development costs. Communicate with overseas vendors for tech pack and sample development questions; make recommendations in collaboration with cross‑functional teams on specs, patterns, construction and techniques to improve fit, balance and overall garment quality. Partner with HK office TD team for product execution and problem solving; participate in production quality issue escalation to QC and TD Directors, providing background information and recommending solutions. Ensure all time and action calendar deadlines are met; identify potential roadblocks and provide leadership with recommendations to navigate them without impacting delivery time. Tech Pack Creation and Maintenance Participate in tech pack hand‑offs at the start of each season; complete the technical portion of new tech packs and build construction sketches; work with cross‑functional partners to fill in missing information for final vaulting to vendor. Interpret designers’ vision and define it through specifications and detail drawings for clear, concise and accurate tech packs on all relevant aspects. Ensure accuracy of tracking reports, ETA of sample arrival and cut dates in alignment with the calendar; follow up with vendors as needed to meet milestone dates and escalate any potential delays to leadership promptly. Competitive Research and Analysis Review specifications and grades to ensure marketplace relevancy for the consumer. Provide updates and recommendations. Purchase competitor’s samples, measure samples, and document specs onto competitive review forms. Assist in analyzing data and presenting information to Design, Product Management and Merchandising when necessary. Conduct wear tests to ensure product specifications meet the intended athlete’s expectations for quality. PLM Track arrival of samples; organize and maintain garments in the sample room and file hard‑copy patterns; prioritize garments with Technical Designer. Keep tracking reports updated in Qlik and other enterprise platforms. Communicate and partner with design, sourcing and manufacturing teams to protect set specifications. Work on cost‑effective garment construction methods with Technical Designer. Attend milestone meetings and weekly brand meetings. Qualifications The ideal candidate is an experienced apparel technical designer, with relevant experience in athletic, outdoor or golf categories at a successful design firm or retailer. The candidate must have in‑depth knowledge of fit fundamentals, including grading, patternmaking, apparel construction and manufacturing methods, and be able to ensure product maintains design intent while meeting margin targets and on‑time deliverables. #J-18808-Ljbffr DICK'S Sporting Goods