Sample Technician, Soft Goods

POSITION: Sample Technician

LOCATION: Bozeman, Montana, USA

EMPLOYMENT TYPE: Hourly, In-Person

DEPARTMENT: Product

ROLE:

The Sample Technician works on a team with the Product Developer and the Designer through a process-oriented approach to refine and develop product initiatives as defined by the Head of Product. The Sample Technician is responsible for physical prototypes and is also a technical resource for the rest of the team regarding materials and construction.  

DUTIES:

The Sample Technician will be responsible for physical assembly of development prototypes and reference samples. From this perspective the Sample Technician will also give feedback on the build, suggesting ways to streamline or simplify the construction while preserving the fit, function and quality level of the original design intent. This will require extensive knowledge of sewing construction, production processes and machinery. It will also require communication and collaboration with all members of the internal Product Team.  

The Sample Technician will document relevant build details such as type and quantity of raw materials, cut lengths, and sub-assembly stages during each build. This information will be submitted to Product Development for inclusion in the production documents. These documents will be checked for accuracy by the Sample Technician during construction of the final reference samples prior to submission to factory. 

The Sample Technician will also support the development process through the creation of mock-ups and test units as needed. These assemblies may explore new or unfamiliar materials or constructions, and it is the responsibility of the Sample Technician to collaborate with the Designer to troubleshoot and work these problems in order to find solutions that further the development path. 

The Sample Technician must be detailed and thorough. They will closely follow specifications and work through any errors, ambiguities or difficulties in collaboration with the rest of the Product Team so that the physical sample and the supporting documentation are in alignment with each other. Accuracy and thoroughness will be more important than speed in the duties of the Sample Technician. 

The Sample Technician will participate and feel ownership in the physical shop space. Regular tool and equipment maintenance, raw material labeling and organization and periodic cleaning will contribute to a tidy and orderly shop environment. 

PRIMARY RESPONSIBILITIES: 

Prototype and sample assembly 

Mock-up and field test assembly 

Provide insight and feedback on the physical build of EVERGOODS product developments 

Record relevant raw material data for use in the BOM and SPEC 

Check final BOM and SPEC for accuracy before submitting to production 

Regular organization and maintenance of the shop, including its tools and materials 

AREAS OF SUPPORT: 

Lend technical expertise to inquiries from Customer Service and Marketing  

Advise Customer Service on the viability of any product repair and execute repair if required 

Track raw material stock and notify Product Development in time to replenish 

Product fulfillment (shipping) during periods of high volume or when others are out of office 

RELEVANT SKILLS: 

Broad knowledge of sewing materials and construction techniques 

Hands-on sewing expertise 

Familiarity with cut and sew manufacturing processes 

Measurement in fractional inches and metric decimals 

Basic understanding of sewing machine adjustment and maintenance 

An open mind and willingness to explore new materials and constructions 

Basic use of Google Workspace to access relevant documents such as BOMs, SPECs, etc 

Basic use of spreadsheets (Microsoft Excel) 

EMPLOYEE CONDUCT: 

It is the responsibility of every employee to contribute to a positive work environment through cooperative and professional interactions with co-workers, customers and vendors. 

EQUAL EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITY: 

All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without discrimination on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, protected veteran status, disability, or any other factors prohibited by law.