CAD ARTIST JOB DESCRIPTION TEMPLATE

A CAD Artist translates seasonal trend direction into print-ready artwork. This role owns the journey from initial colorway development through production-packaged files sent to overseas mills - a point where creative intent must survive technical constraints like color reduction limits and sublimation specs. Deadlines don't flex. Neither do printers.

As the CAD Artist, you develop saleable, production-ready print and pattern artwork aligned with seasonal brand strategy, working within margin requirements and printer color limitations across multiple brand calendars simultaneously. You collaborate daily with designers, the Trend Department, and merchandising teams, maintaining an organized library of print assets that supports key milestone meetings from concept through mill delivery.

Career Impact: Deep hands-on experience in repeat layout, color separation, and sublimation print development builds specialized technical credibility that is highly portable across apparel and innerwear brands.

Business Impact: Your artwork directly determines whether seasonal collections reach sampling on schedule, with print packages that mills can execute without costly correction rounds.

Growth Opportunity: Managing print development across multiple brands simultaneously accelerates the path toward Senior CAD Artist or Print Design Lead roles within apparel product teams.

• Develop seasonal print and pattern artwork from concept through production-ready files, including repeat layouts and colorway variations.
• Create color separations and reduce color counts to meet printers' technical limitations without compromising design intent.
• Prepare print packages for overseas mills, both electronically and as hard copy, aligned with production standards.
• Collaborate with the Trend Department to develop seasonal color palettes and make informed recommendations on print direction.
• Design flat sketches of garments, including bras and shapewear, to support design and merchandising workflows.
• Build and maintain an in-house library of print, pattern, and applied art designs organized by season.
• Troubleshoot artwork, measurements, and placements based on mill feedback and production requirements.
• Partner with design and merchandising teams to populate seasonal brand roadmaps, planograms, and assortment boards for key milestone meetings.

• Bachelor's degree in art, textile design, or graphic design, or AA Fashion degree with equivalent work experience.
• 3 or more years of experience in apparel CAD and print development, with exposure to women's or innerwear categories.
• Proven ability to develop print repeats, index files, and prepare complete print packages for overseas production.
• Knowledge of print techniques, capabilities, and limitations including sublimation and watercolor-style prints.
• Understanding of garment construction as it relates to print placement and repeat development.
• Ability to manage multiple brand calendars simultaneously while meeting all seasonal deadlines.

• Experience developing prints specifically for innerwear, sleepwear, or intimates categories.
• Familiarity with seasonal selling tools including trend presentations, color swatch palettes, and planograms.
• Exposure to working directly with overseas mills and troubleshooting production-stage artwork issues.

• Print package acceptance rate, reflecting how often mill submissions require no major revision.
• Colorway development turnaround time, measured against seasonal calendar milestones.
• On-time delivery rate of print packages to overseas mills across concurrent brand calendars.
• Library completeness rate, tracking how consistently seasonal print assets are archived and accessible.
• Typical tools: Vector and raster design software (commonly Illustrator and Photoshop); productivity tools (commonly Excel and Outlook).

• Base Salary Range: $55,000 to $75,000 per year
• Bonus: Discretionary, typically 0 to 5% of base salary
• Equity: Not typically offered at this level
• Health Benefits: Medical, dental, and vision coverage
• PTO: 10 to 15 days per year plus standard holidays
• Common Perks: Sample sales access, seasonal product allowances, hybrid work options

Figures are estimates based on general US market benchmarks and may be outdated. Adjust based on location, company size, and seniority level.

Employment decisions are made without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, disability, genetic information, or any other characteristic protected under applicable federal, state, and local law. Candidates requiring reasonable accommodations during the application or interview process are encouraged to request them. Final offers are contingent on successful completion of a background check. Applicants must be authorized to work in the United States.

The CAD Artist owns the creation, manipulation, and color development of all product design artwork in coordination with the seasonal calendar, delivering print packages and colorways aligned with brand strategies. Working closely with designers and overseas production partners, the CAD Artist ensures artwork meets production standards across repeat designs, screen print graphics, and embroidery.

Key Responsibilities

• Oversee creation of all textile design artwork, including repeat designs, color separation, screen print graphics, logos, and embroidery.
• Develop and maintain seasonal palettes aligned with brand strategies.
• Create artwork and print repeats, index files, develop colorways, and prepare print packages for overseas both electronically and hard copy.
• Develop flat sketches and collaborate with designers to implement design concepts consistent with brand strategies.
• Prepare artwork packages aligned with production standards and maintain in-house library of print, pattern, and applied art designs.
• Remain current on emerging art, color, and textile techniques and trends for art development and strategy.

Required Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree preferred.
• 1-3 years of experience as a CAD artist or textile designer.
• Expert in creating artwork and print repeats, indexing files, developing colorways, and preparing print packages for overseas both electronically and hard copy.
• Experience with women's apparel prints and watercolor type prints, including sublimation prints.
• Proficient with Adobe Photoshop and Illustrator.

The CAD Artist leads circuit design, simulation, layout, and verification activities across advanced CMOS and BiCMOS process technologies, delivering production-ready designs that meet project schedules and customer requirements. Reporting within an engineering team, the CAD Artist supports senior members in project planning while mentoring junior engineers across tape-out milestones.

Core Functions

• Involve in circuit design, simulation, layout, and verification activities.
• Follow the Project Execution Plan, Project Schedule, Work Assignment, and EDA tool usage plan.
• Participate actively in customer project reviews.
• Develop circuits in technologies with feature sizes such as 0.18um, 150nm, 90nm, and 65nm CMOS and BiCMOS processes.
• Support senior team members in project planning and execution.
• Mentor and guide junior members of the team.

Qualifications and Experience

• 2-4 years of relevant experience in analog and mixed signal circuit design.
• Experience working with technologies including 65nm, 90nm, 130nm, 0.18um, and 0.25um CMOS and BiCMOS processes.
• Knowledge of high speed and low power CMOS design techniques.
• Strong knowledge of MOS device physics, analog circuits, and switched capacitor circuits.
• Knowledge of scripting and modelling languages such as Ocean and Verilog-A.
• Strong team and interpersonal skills.

The CAD Artist supports teammates and cross-functional partners with the creation of print, pattern, and color CADs for Hanes Women's Innerwear and Champion Innerwear and Sleepwear, building production-ready, trend-right artwork that contributes to business growth and brand leadership. Collaborating with the Trend Department, Design, and Merchandising teams, the CAD Artist shapes seasonal color and print direction across multiple brands simultaneously while meeting all calendar deadlines.

Primary Duties

• Develop and design saleable prints based on trend, market research, and competition.
• Collaborate and communicate with team members and cross-functional partners to drive results.
• Work with the Trend Department to make informed recommendations on seasonal color and prints.
• Develop seasonal selling tools with other CAD artists and Design and Merchandising teams.
• Design brand-appropriate prints within the margin requirements of the company.
• Troubleshoot artwork, measurements, and placements based on the needs of mills.
• Provide detailed flat sketches of bras and shapewear from garments.

Skills and Qualifications

• BA or BS degree in art, textile design, or graphic design, or AA Fashion degree with 5 years of equivalent experience.
• 5 years of industry experience required.
• Strong knowledge of print techniques and technical knowledge of print capabilities, limitations, and methods.
• Understanding of garment construction as it relates to print development.
• Proficient in Mac, Illustrator, Photoshop, Acrobat, Excel, Outlook, and other applicable MS Office tools.
• Ability to handle multiple projects in a fast-paced, team environment while meeting all calendar deadlines.