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Senior technical designer skills for your resume and career

Updated January 8, 2025

5 min read

Quoted experts

Charles Jenckes,

Dr. Yousef Sardahi

Below we've compiled a list of the most critical senior technical designer skills. We ranked the top skills for senior technical designers based on the percentage of resumes they appeared on. For example, 10.4% of senior technical designer resumes contained sketch as a skill. Continue reading to find out what skills a senior technical designer needs to be successful in the workplace.

15 senior technical designer skills for your resume and career

1. Sketch

Here's how senior technical designers use sketch:

Submit revised specifications and fit correction: Including photo, sketch corrections or actual pattern corrections as necessary.
Interpreted fashion sketch concepts into flat technical detailed drawings in the Illustrator Designer program.

2. PLM

PLM stands for "product lifecycle management." This process is the management of a product's entire lifecycle, from when the product is first conceived and developed to when the product is sold and, eventually, disposed. A company may use PLM for a variety of reasons, most commonly to reduce the amount of errors in the manufacturing process and to ensure the product is sold more quickly.

Here's how senior technical designers use plm:

Conducted multiple fittings and communicated pattern corrections to vendors utilizing Flex PLM.
Put Sketches, specifications and pattern blocks into tech packs in Web PLM to send to vendors.

3. CAD

Here's how senior technical designers use cad:

Developed miscellaneous CAD software routines for automated drafting from databases.
Work with CAD system to design new retail Target stores following the Corporate Design Standards Manual and direction from Project Team.2.

4. Garment Construction

Garment construction is a technical skill requiring the skills and knowledge of basic sewing techniques. These techniques include seams, darts, gathers, application of stitches, pleats, and edge finishing. Additionally, knowledge of various types of seams like a flat seam, lapped seam, French seam, and slot seam along with cut and style play an important role in the appearance of any garment.

Here's how senior technical designers use garment construction:

Offered alternative garment construction for new styles avoiding possible production problems.
Approved garment construction upon evaluation and inspection of garments.

5. Prototyping

Here's how senior technical designers use prototyping:

Worked directly with overseas prototyping and production.
Conducted product design, prototyping, procurement, documentation and implementation of new products from inception through to production.

6. Tech Packs

A tech pack is an informative sheet that designers create to communicate with a manufacturer all the details and components necessary to turn a product into a finished product. It also serves as a "product contract" between a person and the manufacturer throughout the sampling and production process. Typically, designers include dimensions, materials, sketches, size specifications, colors, illustrations, hardware, grading, labels/tags, construction information, and legends. The tech pack is essential for quality control and also ensures that the submitted samples meet ones specifications exactly and that one does not waste time and money reproducing them if they are incorrect.

Here's how senior technical designers use tech packs:

Distributed tech packs to factories and/or sourcing offices as required, also requested and tracked prototypes for sample and stock approval.
Create Illustrator sketches with construction details and specifications for development tech packs based off original samples or inspiration photos / sketches.

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7. Patternmaking

Here's how senior technical designers use patternmaking:

Supervised off-shore factory patternmaking, small in-house sample room cutting & sewing.
Gained experience in patternmaking for mass production, technical illustrations and designs, product development and supervision of sample production.

8. Product Development

Product development is the complete procedure of creating a product from concept until release of the final product. Product development has many stages after which a product is released into the market. Identifying the need, creating the opportunity, conceptualizing a product, and providing a solution, all are different stages of product development.

Here's how senior technical designers use product development:

Coordinate with Product Development teams to prioritize fit comments following approval calendar.
Research and forecasting responsibilities to product development team.

9. Autocad

Here's how senior technical designers use autocad:

Established and disseminated corporate-wide AutoCAD standards to facilitate the overall design process employing multiple operators.
Design piping systems for Municipal Waste and Clear water piping systems using MicroStation V8, MPIPE 3D, and AutoCAD 2002.

10. Adobe Illustrator

Here's how senior technical designers use adobe illustrator:

Create spec sheets for manufacturers, including flat sketches made using Adobe Illustrator and graded spreadsheets Microsoft Excel.
Travel to oversea and domestic factories.Work with web PDM, PDS system, Adobe illustrator.

11. JavaScript

Here's how senior technical designers use javascript:

Created all site HTML, CSS, Javascript coding.
Created all site HTML, CSS and Javascript coding for English, English Canadian and French site versions.

12. UI

Here's how senior technical designers use ui:

Developed Java-based UI in collaboration with third party engineers.
Mentored newly hired UI developers.

13. Java

Java is a widely-known programming language that was invented in 1995 and is owned by Oracle. It is a server-side language that was created to let app developers "write once, run anywhere". It is easy and simple to learn and use and is powerful, fast, and secure. This object-oriented programming language lets the code be reused that automatically lowers the development cost. Java is specially used for android apps, web and application servers, games, database connections, etc. This programming language is closely related to C++ making it easier for the users to switch between the two.

Here's how senior technical designers use java:

Created Message Processing Java classes that would allow creation of a Structured Product object within Scrittura.
Implement Java Servlets to interpret requests, and translate them into operations on the model, and then display the result.

14. Development Process

Here's how senior technical designers use development process:

Created, managed, and directed the design and development process of the launching of the MOTOR LIMITED Men's collection.
Piloted streamlined development process in infant/toddler boy sportswear to reduce time spent on product that did not move to bulk production.

15. Quality Standards

Quality standards are a specific level of standards of products that are set by the companies for the customers that have to be met and maintained throughout the process until the time of delivery. Quality standards are information that includes the customer's requirements, guidelines, and characteristics for the needed final product or service.

Here's how senior technical designers use quality standards:

Communicated daily with overseas vendors to ensure workmanship and quality standards.
Worked with production team to maintain garment delivery deadlines while maintaining fit and quality standards synonymous with the Polo brand.

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What skills help Senior Technical Designers find jobs?

Tell us what job you are looking for, we’ll show you what skills employers want.

What skills stand out on senior technical designer resumes?

Charles Jenckes

Assistant Professor, University of North Carolina at Charlotte

For new graduates
1.Where the candidate went to school and what was studied
2.GPA
3.Any successful internships
4.Projects completed by the student

What senior technical designer skills would you recommend for someone trying to advance their career?

Dr. Yousef Sardahi

Associate Professor of Mechanical Engineering, Marshall University

In the next 3-5 years, several skills are expected to become increasingly important in the mechanical engineering field:

Advanced Computational Skills: Proficiency in simulation and modeling software (like ANSYS, SolidWorks, or MATLAB) will be crucial as these tools become more integral in designing and testing complex systems.
Robotics and Automation: With industries moving towards automation, skills in robotics, automated systems, and knowledge of AI integration will be highly sought after.
Additive Manufacturing and 3D Printing: Expertise in 3D printing and additive manufacturing techniques will be valuable as these technologies revolutionize product development and manufacturing processes.
Renewable Energy Technologies: As the world shifts towards sustainable energy sources, mechanical engineers with knowledge in solar, wind, and other renewable energy technologies will be in high demand.
Data Analysis and IoT: Skills in data analytics and understanding the Internet of Things (IoT) will be important as more mechanical systems are connected and produce large amounts of data.
Materials Science: Knowledge in advanced materials, such as composites or smart materials, will be crucial for developing more efficient and sustainable products and systems.
Systems Engineering and Integration: The ability to understand and integrate various subsystems within a larger system will be key, especially in complex projects.
Project Management and Leadership: As projects become more complex, skills in project management and leadership will be essential for overseeing projects and leading teams effectively.
Interdisciplinary Collaboration: The ability to work effectively across disciplines, understanding aspects of electrical engineering, computer science, and even business, will be increasingly important.
Communication and Soft Skills: Strong communication skills, both for technical and non-technical audiences, along with teamwork and problem-solving skills, will always be invaluable in the engineering field.

What type of skills will young senior technical designers need?

Neil Littell

Associate Professor and Kraft Family Scholar, Ohio University

I believe that all young graduates should focus on building their soft-skills in addition to building technical skills. New graduates' ability to apply technical skills, in conjunction with being a great team member who is well-liked and can communicate well, combine to form a powerful synergy for conquering the job market. Being involved in student organizations such as SME (the Society of Manufacturing Engineers) or ATMAE (the Association of Technology, Management, and Applied Engineering) are great places to volunteer, learn, and grow both soft and technical skills. I see a trend in students who are pursuing certificates, in addition to their undergraduate degrees, to communicate their interest in specific fields aligned to the jobs they desire. For example, at Ohio University, we offer undergraduate certificates in project management, lean/six-sigma, and sales, among many others. These certificates exist as groupings of classes designed to go further in an area than a typical undergraduate experience. I am also seeing students pursue industrial certifications as a way to prove what they can do. ATMAE, SME, and others provide these certifications. Our program requires each of our students to participate in at least one certification exam; usually, the Certified Manufacturing Specialist exam through ATMAE.

What hard/technical skills are most important for senior technical designers?

Mike DeVore Ph.D.

Professor & Program Chair, Cincinnati State Technical & Community College

-Computer-Aided Design

-Knowledge of manufacturing processes

-A good mathematics foundation

-Technical communication

-Problem solving

Do you want to know more?

List of senior technical designer skills to add to your resume

The most important skills for a senior technical designer resume and required skills for a senior technical designer to have include:

Sketch
PLM
CAD
Garment Construction
Prototyping
Tech Packs
Patternmaking
Product Development
Autocad
Adobe Illustrator
JavaScript
UI
Java
Development Process
Quality Standards
Product Categories

Bulk Production
Design Development
Technical Specifications
Aided Design
Construction Standards
FIT Sessions
Technical Expertise
Overseas Vendors
QC
QA
Grade Rules
Direct Reports
Pattern Corrections
Technical Issues
Sweaters
Live Models

GIS
Adobe Photoshop
Overseas Factories
Solidworks
Outerwear
Denim
Production Approval
Product Line
Web PDM
Sew Knits
Production Issues
Construction Issues
Toddler
Sample Development

Updated January 8, 2025

Zippia Team

Editorial Staff

The Zippia Research Team has spent countless hours reviewing resumes, job postings, and government data to determine what goes into getting a job in each phase of life. Professional writers and data scientists comprise the Zippia Research Team.

Updated January 8, 2025

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