Junior Product Developer

Junior Product Developer

Bad Birdie is looking for a highly organized and detail-oriented Junior Product Developer to support the development of our apparel collections from initial concept through production readiness. Reporting to the Product Development Manager, this person will help keep samples, materials, product information, development trackers, and vendor communication organized and moving forward. You will work closely with Product Development, Design, Technical Design, and other cross-functional teams to make sure information is accurate, samples are where they need to be, and important development details do not fall through the cracks.

This is a hands-on role for someone who enjoys apparel, understands the importance of the details, and takes pride in keeping a fast-moving product development process organized. The right person communicates clearly, follows through consistently, and is comfortable managing several priorities at once.

Role Details

Reports to:

Product Development Manager

Location:

Scottsdale, AZ HQ

Schedule:

Full-time, on-site

What Success Looks Like

• All incoming and outgoing product samples are accurately logged, organized, distributed, and easy for the team to locate.
• Seasonal sample racks, past-season archives, and product-development work spaces are consistently organized and maintained.
• The fabric, lab dip, strike-off, and trim libraries contain accurate information and can be easily used by the Product, Design, and Technical Design teams.
• Seasonal style information, comments, approvals, and product details are current and accurate in Centric PLM.
• Development trackers reflect the latest status, decisions, deadlines, and next steps.
• Vendor and supplier follow-ups are timely, clear, and properly documented.
• The Product Development Manager and cross-functional partners trust that details are being captured, communicated, and followed through without repeated reminders.
• Samples, materials, and product information are ready when needed for fittings, photoshoots, sales meetings, product seeding, and seasonal milestones.

What You'll Be Responsible For

Sample Management

• Own the day-to-day organization and movement of development, photoshoot, sales, marketing, and product-seeding samples.
• Log and track incoming and outgoing packages for the Product team.
• Distribute samples to the appropriate teams and follow up on outstanding sample needs.
• Maintain seasonal sample racks and an organized archive of prior-season samples.
• Partner cross-functionally to ensure samples are available for fittings, photoshoots, sales meetings, and other key milestones.
• Identify missing, late, or incorrect samples and communicate issues quickly.

Fabric, Trim, and Material Organization

• Own and maintain the fabric and material library.
• Ensure fabric swatches include relevant information such as supplier, cost, composition, and seasonal use.
• Maintain organized records of lab dips, strike-offs, trims, and other material submissions.
• Support communication and coordination between the Product Development team and trim suppliers.
• Help ensure suppliers receive the information and materials needed to execute successfully.

PLM and Product Data

• Maintain accurate seasonal style information in Centric PLM.
• Enter and update sample comments, strike-off comments, approvals, material details, and other product-development information.
• Support the Design and Product Development teams with seasonal PLM updates.
• Review tech packs and system information for accuracy, completeness, and consistency.
• Help identify missing or conflicting product information before it creates delays.

Product Development Support

• Maintain product-development trackers, timelines, and status updates.
• Communicate comments, approvals, and next steps to suppliers in a clear and timely manner.
• Assist with the creation and maintenance of tech packs, including materials, specifications, and construction details.
• Support vendor and supplier communication throughout the development process.
• Attend fittings and capture relevant comments, decisions, and follow-up items.
• Coordinate closely with Product Development, Design, Technical Design, Merchandising, and other partners to keep seasonal development moving.
• Flag risks, delays, missing information, or quality concerns before they become larger problems.

What You Bring

• 1 to 2 years of experience in apparel product development, production, technical design, product operations, or a closely related area.
• Foundational knowledge of apparel construction, fabrics, trims, and manufacturing processes.
• Strong attention to detail and a high level of accuracy.
• Excellent organization and the ability to manage multiple priorities and deadlines.
• Clear written and verbal communication skills.
• A reliable follow-through style. When you own something, the team knows it will get done.
• Comfort communicating with vendors, suppliers, and cross-functional partners.
• Ability to identify missing information, ask thoughtful questions, and solve problems.
• Ability to work effectively in a…