Sr. Technical Designer, Footwear (Fit & PD)

ABOUT QUINCE 

Founded in 2018, Quince was built to challenge the idea that nice things have to cost a lot. Our mission is simple: to make really high quality essentials for really low prices, produced fairly and sustainably. We believe everyone deserves exceptional craftsmanship and timeless design without the traditional markups. Quince is a direct-to-consumer (DTC) model that cuts out middlemen and leverages just-in-time manufacturing to minimize waste and maximize value.

Quince is a tech company disrupting the retail industry by putting AI, analytics and automation at the center of everything we do. Our unwavering commitment to excellence and company values guide our teams and actions:

• Customer First: We prioritize customer satisfaction in every decision.

• High Quality: True quality means premium materials and rigorous production standards you can feel good about.

• Essential Design: We focus on timeless, functional essentials instead of chasing trends.

• Always a Better Deal: Innovation and transparency ensure value for both customers and partners.

• Social & Environmental Responsibility: We commit to sustainable materials, ethical production, and fair wages.

Quince partners with world-class manufacturers across the globe and serves millions of customers. With strong investor backing and a focus on sustainable growth, we are a company that is rapidly scaling while maintaining a commitment to quality, simplicity, and radical price transparency.

OUR TEAM AND SUCCESS 

At Quince, you will be part of a high-performing team that is redefining what quality, value, and sustainability mean in modern retail. We are a destination for builders, innovators, and operators to come together and challenge the status quo. Our collective ambition is bold. We are creating an entirely new category and customer experience – one that democratizes luxury and provides high quality products at radically low prices. That mission demands a world-class team committed to excellence. 

If you are motivated by impact, growth, and purpose, you will find a strong sense of belonging at Quince.

THE ROLE

Sr. Technical Designer / Product Developer, Footwear  

We’re looking for a Sr. Footwear Technical Design & Product Developer to join our growing team. In this role, you will lead the reset and build the foundation of quality and fit across men’s and women’s footwear at Quince.

Success in this position means combining hands-on product ownership with system-level improvements: you’ll directly run fit cycles for select priority silhouettes while establishing scalable standards and tools that ensure consistency across vendors, categories, and materials. You’ll define a footwear fit block and last library, reset tolerances and grading logic, and establish construction and material standards that raise the bar for quality. Your work will align Merchants, Product Development, and Footwear Sourcing teams, streamline tech packs, and result in a footwear fit system that reduces returns, improves comfort, and enables faster development as we scale.

Responsibilities

Leadership Expectations:

• Set direction: Define what “good fit” means in footwear at Quince and ensure teams are aligned on the same standards
• Drive alignment: Partner with Merchants and Footwear Sourcing so fit, construction, and quality expectations are consistent across vendors.
• Use data to solve problems: Leverage returns, wear tests, and customer feedback to identify issues and drive lasting fixes.
• Build for the future. Document blocks, lasts, tolerances, construction, standards and and testing procedures so future teams can work faster and more consistently.

Fit Expectations:

• Create 20–25 validated core fit blocks across men’s and women’s footwear.
• Build and maintain a digital last library by vendor and silhouette.
• Reset and document fit tolerances, grading rules, and fit intent by category.
• Lead the fit cycle from proto pullover through production: run fit sessions, evaluate construction, and establish wear test protocols.
• Identify fit outliers in the current assortment and propose corrections.
• Partner with Footwear Sourcing teams to update measurement charts and specifications in PLM.

Product Development Expectations:

• Define construction techniques, quality standards, and material performance requirements by silhouette.
• Develop a materials standards library with minimum testing criteria for leather and other key materials.
• Own Build Sheet creation with Merchants, ensuring construction, tolerances, BOMs, and testing callouts are included and accurate.
• Support reset of existing Build Sheets with updated fit blocks and specifications.
• Manage development timelines in partnership with Footwear Sourcing to ensure timely vendor submissions and on-time launches.
• Partner cross-functionally with Merchants, PD, and Sourcing teams in weekly syncs to drive execution and alignment.

Qualifications

Required: 

• 8+ years in footwear fit, development, or technical design
• Proven experience fitting and developing men’s and women’s footwear across multiple categories
• Deep understanding of last grading, sizing systems, construction, and fit wear testing
• Strong technical knowledge of footwear construction and material standards, especially leather
• Skilled at running effective fit sessions and communicating issues clearly to vendors
• Experience translating wear test and customer feedback into lasting improvements
• Proven ability to align cross-functional teams (PD, Merch, Footwear Sourcing, vendors)
• Detail-focused, proactive, and motivated to build scalable tools and systems

Physical Requirements:

• Lifting up to 50 pounds
• Standing and walking throughout the entirety of your shift
• Ability to go up and down stairs, use of ladders throughout the day as needed
• Bending, twisting, or kneeling may be required throughout the day for lifting or maneuvering objects
• May be asked to work outside or travel to shoots off-site as needed

WHY QUINCE?

Joining Quince means being part of a mission-driven team reshaping retail. You will work alongside talented colleagues, tackle meaningful challenges, and contribute to building a more sustainable, accessible future for customers and partners alike.

EQUAL OPPORTUNITY & HIRING INTEGRITY

Quince provides equal employment opportunities to all employees and applications for employment and prohibits discrimination and harassment of any type without regard to race, color, religion, age, sex, national origin, disability status, genetics, protected veteran or military status, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, or any other characteristic protected by federal, state, or local laws. 

Quince is committed to providing reasonable accommodations to qualified individuals with disabilities. If you need a reasonable accommodation to complete your application or to perform the essential functions of a role at Quince, please let us know by completing this accommodation form. We review all requests individually and will work with you to determine appropriate accommodations on a case-by-case basis.

Employment is contingent upon successful completion of a background check. Quince will conduct background checks in compliance with applicable federal, state, and local laws.

Security Advisory: Beware of Frauds

At Quince, we're dedicated to recruiting top talent who share our drive for innovation. To safeguard candidates, Quince emphasizes legitimate recruitment practices. Initial communication is primarily via official Quince email addresses and LinkedIn; beware of deviations. Personal data and sensitive information will not be solicited during the application phase. Interviews are conducted via phone, in person, or through the approved platforms Google Meets or Zoom—never via messaging apps or other calling services. Offers are merit-based, communicated verbally, and followed up in writing. If personal information is requested to initiate the hiring process, rest assured it will be through secure and protected means.