Design Assistant

Men’s Design Assistant

Location: San Francisco, hybrid

Salary Range $70,000 - $75,000

Jr. Associate

Marine Layer designs and manufactures its own line of casual apparel. We have 50 of our own stores (and counting) across the country, along with a thriving ecommerce and wholesale business. Our success has been built on a small, hard-working team that has a lot of fun and passionately believes in what we are building. We’ve managed to transition from a start-up into a national brand by staying true to our roots and thoughtfully expanding the team with some incredibly talented (and fun) people who want to help us build something special. That’s where you come in…

At Marine Layer our commitment to being a positive impact on our communities and planet is at the core of our mission as a B Corporation. We embed social and environmental responsibility into our operations, including employee training focused on these issues and managerial roles that explicitly address performance in these areas.

Job Description

Marine Layer is looking for a Design Assistant to support our Men's Design team across the full product development cycle. This is a hands-on, detail-oriented role ideal for someone early in their design career who wants exposure to every stage of apparel development. You'll work closely with designers, Tech Design, and Production to keep the men's line moving smoothly season over season.

Scope

Design Support & Concept Development

Assist designers in creating seasonal concept boards, mood boards, and trend presentationsHelp translate design direction into sketches, CADs, and flat drawings using IllustratorResearch trends, competitive product, fabrics, and styling to support design conceptsMaintain and organize the design team's inspiration and reference archiveSample & Line Management

Track incoming samples against the development calendar and flag missing or late submissionsOrganize and maintain the sample room, ensuring styles are labeled, sorted, and easy to locate for fittings and reviewsBuild and maintain line sheets, style summaries, and seasonal assortment trackersPrepare samples and materials for fit sessions, design reviews, and market appointmentsMaterials & Trim Coordination

Request and organize fabric swatches, lab dips, and trim submits from vendorsMaintain the materials library, keeping fabric and trim cards current and accessibleSupport designers in tracking approval status of fabrics, trims, and washesTechnical & Administrative Support

Assist with tech pack creation and updates, ensuring specs and comments stay currentHelp maintain PLM system entries, including style numbers, BOMs, and status updatesCoordinate communication with vendors and factories on routine development requestsSupport the team with general administrative tasks — scheduling fittings, ordering supplies, preparing meeting materialsCross-Functional Collaboration

Partner with Tech Design, Merchandising, and Production to keep styles moving through the development calendarAttend fit sessions and design reviews, taking notes and tracking follow-up action itemsNice to Haves

Familiarity with PLM or similar product development systemsBasic understanding of garment construction and technical specsExperience working in a fast-paced, seasonal apparel calendar

Qualifications

Bachelor's degree in Fashion Design, Apparel Merchandising, or a related field, or equivalent experience0–2 years of experience in apparel design or product development; internship experience in menswear a plusProficiency in Adobe Illustrator and PhotoshopStrong organizational skills and close attention to detail, with the ability to juggle multiple styles and deadlinesGenuine interest in menswear, streetwear, and current market trendsClear communicator, comfortable coordinating across design, tech, and production teamsA proactive, can-do attitude and willingness to jump into whatever the team needs

Perks

Flexible time offHealth, Vision, and Dental Insurance available401k with MatchingFlexible Spending AccountsParental LeaveWellness AllowanceCell Phone Reimbursement

TO APPLY

Check out our website and shoot [email protected] your resume, portfolio, and a thoughtful email on why you’re our next women’s designer. Cover letters are for the birds…

Marine Layer is proud to be an equal opportunity employer that welcomes applicants and employees of all genders, races, backgrounds, orientations, and nationalities.

Guess we’ve made it big …

We heard someone out there is using fake job offers from us for a phishing scam. Wishing them bad vibes, but also wanted to share a few tips on how to stay safe.

We keep it direct when it comes to recruitment: our hiring communications will always come from a @marinelayer.com accountDouble check the email address: most hiring messages come from either [email protected] or [email protected] someone’s asking you to buy supplies for your first day, it’s not us. (We’d hook you up with that)We will never ask for personal information before onboarding. Keep that to yourself.

Just follow these four steps, watch out for sketchy links, and you too can ruin a scammer’s day.