Vans: Technical Designer

Now that you’ve found the job description, what’s next?

Vans is the original brand rooted in the authentic lifestyle of skateboarding. We are driven by our mission to inspire and empower everyone to live “Off The Wall” – embracing the youthful spirit of freedom, non-conformity, and relentless progression. Yesterday’s “Off The Wall” moment is today’s new normal, and at Vans, we believe in constantly outdoing ourselves. Together with our communities across the globe, our vision is to push culture forward because we believe that the pursuit of progression never ends. We are constantly inspired by the future generation of positive catalysts within our community.  

So, before we get to the job details, take a minute to learn a little more about us – our values and our culture. If you can see yourself working side-by-side with a team of people who think and live “Off the Wall,” Vans just may be the place for you.

To learn more about our values and our culture, visit Vans Careers or www.vans.com.

What will you do?

A day in the life of a Technical Designer at Vans looks a little like this.

Reporting to the Senior Manager, Technical Design, the Technical Designer owns fit integrity and technical execution for Vans Global Apparel from concept through production across assigned categories. This role partners closely with Design, Product Development, Merchandising, and VF Sourcing to bring Vans’ creative vision to life—delivering consistent fit, quality, and craftsmanship that meet the expectations of our global consumer across men’s and women’s product.

As a subject matter expert in pattern development, this role plays a critical part in evolving how we build product—championing innovative approaches to fit, evolving processes, and continuously elevating technical standards to support the brand’s growth and creative expression.

This position is key in translating Vans’ design intent and Off the Wall mindset into technically sound, production-ready product that reflects the brand’s heritage, authenticity, and connection to action sports and street culture.

Let’s break down that day-in-the-life a bit more.

• Translate design intent into technically executable fit by identifying risks early and driving solutions.
• Develop and approve technical specifications grounded in approved blocks, standards, and/or market samples.
• Review samples ahead of fittings to ensure prior fit and construction comments are resolved.
• Lead fit sessions with clarity and authority, driving issue resolution and next-step alignment.
• Deliver clear, actionable fit comments to factory partners.
• Update existing block patterns to align with Vans and VF standards.
• Oversee the block pattern library and keep it organized.
• Drive new block pattern development while balancing seasonal priorities to elevate fit consistency and uphold Vans fit standards.
• Leverage benchmarking and market research to evolve fit and inform continuous improvement.
• Execute to Vans Product Development calendars and SOPs, delivering fit comments and approvals accurately and on time.
• Partner with VF Regional teams to meet timeline, quality, and production requirements.

What do you need to succeed?

We all have unique skills that we bring to work and celebrate every day. For this role, there are foundation skills you’ll need to succeed and excel. Additionally, while formal education in a related field is great to have, we are most interested in your 7+ years of experience and professional achievements.

The foundation skills you will need in this position are:

• 7+ years of experience in Technical Design across men’s and women’s apparel, with expertise spanning tops, bottoms, outerwear, denim, knits, and wovens.
• Strong ability to assess garment fit on live models and fit forms, with a trained eye for proportion, balance, functionality, fabric behavior, and a range of body profiles.
• Hands-on patternmaking experience, including pattern development, grading, and garment sizing; strong technical pattern knowledge is required.
• Working knowledge of the apparel product lifecycle, from design concept through production.
• Solid understanding of garment construction, manufacturing processes, materials, trims, and finishing techniques.
• Strong proficiency in Microsoft Office and Adobe Illustrator/Photoshop.
• Experience working in PLM systems (Enovia/Flex or equivalent).
• Working knowledge of Gerber, Optitex, or Browzwear.
• Detail-oriented, articulate, and highly organized, with effective verbal and written communication sk