What does a Technical Designer do?
Technical designers work in the fashion industry and take garments from concept to shelf-ready products. They bring creative designs and adapt them into tangible products. They work and develop a plan with manufacturers and ensure that the finished product meets their company’s quality standards. They discuss designs with a fashion designer to generate realistic and practical compromises and draft initial sketches for approval and review.
Technical designers draft a final design in a software system including AutoCAD and coordinate with manufacturers and vendors to produce the design. When a final product is delivered, technical designers review and inspect it for quality. They measure garments and accessories to align with specifications, attend product fittings, and collaborate with vendors. They identify potential problems with products and follow through to ensure concerns or flaws are resolved as scheduled. They must travel both domestically and internationally to meet with manufacturers, designs, and vendors. Technical designers need a bachelor's degree in fashion or related fields.
- Participate in the validation of EDC studies when requested.
- Use design tools to document and maintain configuration design control.
- Manage, create, develop and maintain complex systems designs by preparing design layouts, modifying existing designs and integrating systems elements.
- Manage new feature requests, product backlog, and prioritization process.
- Develop, maintain and release electrical/mechanical drawings, systems designs or engineering documentation and data by applying company, industry and governmental standards.
- Coordinate activities and products with cross-functional groups, internal partners and external suppliers.
- Use design tools to prepare documentation and incorporate design changes.
- Develop and maintain product installation designs and part designs ranging from simple to moderately complex.
- Coordinate activities and products with internal partners and external suppliers.
- Assist managers in data collection for productivity, quality, timelines and resource planning.
- Conduct team meetings and provide guidance to programmers and data managers.
- Assign tasks and responsibilities to team members, in a manner that optimizes team capability and deliver timely and accurate results.
- Manage and work on security dashboard to manage service action items and compliance activities as they become defined or discovered.
- Design and develop solutions to keep software and systems in sync to fulfill the data and reporting requirements.
- Manage source code.
- Bachelor's Degree in computer science, engineering, information systems, or information technology.
- Experience with 3D Studio Max, LEED, PLM, InDesign, LMS, CAD and AutoCAD software and systems.
- Fluency in pattern making, building information modeling, illustration and 3D Modeling.
- A natural collaborator with strict attention to detail.
- Prior experience as a consultant.
Technical Designer Salaries
Average Base Pay
Technical Designer Career Path
Learn how to become a Technical Designer, what skills and education you need to succeed, and what level of pay to expect at each step on your career path.
Years of Experience Distribution
Technical Designer Insights
Boeing“get to work on many cool projects and big airplanes with really nice individual people.”
Kate Spade New York“Not sure what pay is for full time associates but pay was good for freelance”
Fashion To Figure“Good people in my division designer is great to work with”
Gensler“Salary is good but not the best”
Gensler“bad work and life balance”
Brooks Brothers Far East“Not all but most people were nice to work with.”
“Great people to work with everyone is nice.”
Gensler“The opportunity to collaborate and learn from some of the best in the industry.”
Frequently asked questions about the role and responsibilities of a Technical Designer
When working as a Technical Designer, the most common skills you will need to perform your job and for career success are CAD Software, Adobe Photoshop, Security Clearance, AutoCAD and Revit.
- Creative Designer
- Design Manager
- Creative Director
- Designer
The most common qualifications to become a Technical Designer is a minimum of a Bachelor's Degree and an average of 0 - 1 of experience not including years spent in education and/or training.