Yarn & Materials Developer

• Minimum of 3 years' experience in material development, yarn development, seamless development, performance fabric development, or related technical product development.
• Strong technical knowledge of seamless materials, fibres, yarns, and knit constructions.
• Good understanding of seamless circular knitting technology, preferably Santoni or equivalent machinery.
• Knowledge of yarn covering methods, yarn draw-in processes, feeder allocation, plating, yarn pathing, and yarn tension principles within seamless circular knitting.
• Ability to assess how fibre composition, yarn selection, stitch architecture, elastane construction, and machine settings influence fit, compression, recovery, opacity, handfeel, durability, and production consistency.
• Strong understanding of seamless knit structures including rib, mesh, jacquard, tuck, float, plating, engineered ventilation, and body-mapped support zones.
• Good understanding of garment technology, seamless construction, fit, grading principles, and body-zone performance requirements.
• Strong knowledge of laboratory testing and commercial testing standards for performance activewear and seamless products.
• Ability to interpret laboratory testing, wear trial results, and supplier performance data to identify opportunities and resolve technical challenges.
• Good understanding of colouration, dyeing, and finishing processes relevant to seamless yarns and garments.
• Experience working directly with yarn suppliers and seamless manufacturing partners throughout the development lifecycle.
• Strong understanding of sustainable practices within yarn, material, and product development.
• Excellent communication and stakeholder management skills, with the ability to collaborate effectively across internal and external teams.
• Strong problem-solving skills and the ability to proactively identify risks and propose practical solutions.
• Excellent attention to detail, organisation, and technical documentation standards.
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office and PLM or similar product lifecycle management systems.
• Ability and willingness to travel when required.

Preferred

• Experience working with Santoni seamless suppliers or equivalent circular knitting manufacturers.
• Experience developing women's and/or men's seamless activewear products.
• Knowledge of sculpting, compression, body-mapping, engineered ventilation, and support zone technologies.
• Experience working with covered elastane, air-covered yarns, textured yarns, recycled polyamide/polyester yarns, and performance synthetic yarns.
• Experience managing yarn libraries, stitch architecture libraries, material platforms, or innovation programmes.