Associate Designer- Men’s Outerwear & Accessories

Carhartt•Dearborn, MI

1d•Hybrid

About The Position

The Associate Designer brings ideas to life by translating consumer needs, market opportunities, and brand vision into innovative product solutions. Working across Design, Merchandising, and Product Development, the role supports the creative process from consumer research and market inspiration through concept creation, sketching, rendering, prototyping, and final refinement. The Associate Designer helps create durable, functional, and meaningful products for consumers. The position is in Men’s Outerwear & Accessories and is based in a hybrid work environment in Dearborn, Michigan. The associate works on-site regularly as needed and collaborates with cross-functional teams to support seasonal direction, product development, and design milestones.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree in Apparel Design or a related field; equivalent work experience may be considered in lieu of a degree.
0–1 years of work experience in apparel design.
Knowledge of apparel design and garment construction.
Knowledge of fabrics, trims, and color within the apparel and textile industry.
Proficiency with Adobe Creative Cloud, including Illustrator and Photoshop, and 3D modeling or rendering tools such as CLO3D.
Experience with a Web PDM/PLM system or similar.
Excellent interpersonal skills and the ability to develop strong business relationships.
Excellent written and oral communication skills with all levels, including management and external partners.
Outstanding organizational skills, including the ability to prioritize workload and manage multiple projects simultaneously.
Excellent attention to detail.
Ability to manage or create visual tools within the time and budget set for go-to-market milestones.
Ability to work some weekends if necessary.
Ability to travel domestically and internationally, up to 20%.

Responsibilities

Assist in creating consumer-focused designs for an assigned category or subcategory that meet or exceed consumer needs.
Collaborate with the Insights Team and consumers to create relevant, functional designs.
Plan and participate in job-site visits, consumer insight surveys, round tables, and similar research activities.
Research the industry, materials, and relevant technologies to support and develop seasonal direction.
Plan and participate in market trips and trade shows to gather product and material insights.
Sketch designs in 2D and/or 3D for presentation and technical specification.
Partner with the Design Resources Art Team to develop seasonal art concepts and category direction.
Work with cross-functional teams to follow seasonal direction, deliver high-quality products, and meet go-to-market milestones.
Partner with Product Development and Raw Material teams on seasonal direction for raw materials, color, and wash development.
Assist with in-season design handoffs to Product Development and Technical Design teams.
Manage and maintain Design-owned PLM responsibilities.
Attend fit sessions, support the design point of view, and document necessary edits.
Present ideas and concepts to the design team and cross-functional partners, develop storytelling skills, and support presentations at key meetings and milestones.
Partner with the Design Resources Presentation team to prepare for key meetings.