The Company:

Founded in 1978, Cabot Hosiery Mills is an American manufacturer of premium socks with uncompromised comfort, durability, and fit. With a family of brands including Darn Tough Vermont, Wide Open, and Cabot & Sons, our mission is to make the world’s best socks, in Vermont, USA and back them with our Unconditional Lifetime Guarantee. We are family owned, three generations strong and have yet to produce our best sock.

Job Summary:

At Cabot Hosiery Mills, we’re driven by craftsmanship, purpose, and a relentless pursuit of better. As one of the fastest-growing performance sock brands, we’re looking for an Innovation Developer to bring new ideas to life — transforming imagination into durable, high-performing products built to outlast and outperform. This role sits at the intersection of design, product development, and innovation — where creativity meets technical excellence. You’ll lead the development of forward-thinking prototypes that push the limits of materials, machine capabilities, and sustainable innovation.

As a key connector across Design, Product Development, and Manufacturing, the Innovation Developer will explore what’s possible, challenge assumptions, and champion ideas that enhance comfort, durability, fit, and function — the foundation of everything we make. If you love the process of discovery, thrive in a fast-moving environment, and find joy in turning ideas into tangible, testable realities, this role was made for you.

Compensation for this role is $80,000- $90,000 annually, based on experience.

Key Responsibilities:

• Partner with the VP of Product and Innovation, Design Manager, and Product Development Manager to build prototypes that explore future-focused stitch constructions, machine capabilities, and new technologies.
• Stay informed and inspired by outdoor and sportswear trends, athlete needs, and emerging technologies that influence how people move and perform.
• Attend tradeshows, vendor meetings, and innovation workshops to scout new ideas and technologies that could elevate our products and processes.
• Collaborate closely with Product Developers and the Samples Team to evolve prototypes that align with design intent, brand direction, and functional goals.
• Lead fit sessions using live models to assess comfort, performance, and durability. Iterate based on wear trials and testing to refine every detail.
• Translate innovation into stories — partnering with design and marketing to connect technical advancements to brand narratives and business opportunities.
• Partner with Sourcing to identify and test new materials that drive innovation while supporting lean manufacturing, cost targets, and sustainability initiatives. (Experience with Merino wool and natural fibers is a plus.)
• Work with the Sustainability Team to integrate responsible innovation that reduces impact while enhancing product longevity.
• Partner with quality, sourcing, vendors, and manufacturing to ensure technical feasibility, scalability, and production readiness.
• Offer expert guidance on materials and construction to support the transition from prototype to production.
• Manage timelines, milestones, and progress documentation to ensure projects stay on track.
• Communicate clearly and consistently with internal and external partners to maintain alignment from concept through commercialization.
• Perform other duties that advance innovation and reinforce our commitment to making the best socks in the world.
• Travel domestically and internationally as needed for innovation scouting and development.

Qualifications:

• Proven ability to lead concept-to-prototype development with a focus on innovation, functionality, and manufacturing readiness.
• Portfolio demonstrating visionary thinking and hands-on execution — from exploratory concept work to finished prototypes.
• Advanced proficiency in CAD and comfort working between digital and physical prototyping environments.
• Exceptional storytelling and visualization skills to bring early ideas to life for a variety of audiences.
• Deep understanding of materials, manufacturing processes, and knit construction — both traditional and experimental.
• Hands-on experience with sampling, measuring, taping, and iterative prototyping.
• Strong written, visual, and verbal communication skills; adept at building cross-functional relationships to bring ideas to life.
• Solid command of Illustrator, Photoshop, PLM, and Microsoft products.
• Passion for outdoor activity — whether hiking, running, skiing, or snowboarding — and an understanding of product performance in real-world environments.

Education/Experience:

• Bachelor’s Degree in a relevant field such as Apparel/Fashion Design, Industrial Design, or Textile Sciences.
• Alternative to Education qualification: A Bachelor's degree in any discipline combined with a thorough global knowledge base and work experience in soft goods product innovation, development, or manufacturing.
• 5+ years of experience in soft goods apparel/accessories or industrial design, with a strong focus on innovation, merging materials, or advanced manufacturing. A focus on sock and hosiery preferred.

Working Conditions:

• Manufacturing and office environment – occasional exposure to machinery, noise, and other conditions.
• Flexible nature to manage competing and changing priorities.
• Travel locally to all the organization's sites and locations.
• Occasional domestic and international travel to attend trade shows, visit vendors, research market and innovation opportunities as needed.

At Cabot Hosiery Mills, we have a list of shared company values – one of them is We Value Differences. Where you come from, how you identify, your age, and other descriptions are something that makes you, you, and we respect that. We’re an honest group of people and work hard, if you like that, we encourage you to apply.

This job description should not be interpreted to be a complete list of all the duties, qualifications and responsibilities performed by the jobholder. To maintain organizational flexibility, the organization has the discretion to add, drop or change at any time the duties, responsibilities and expectations of this position. This job description does not constitute an offer of employment, continuous employment or an employment contract. Reasonable accommodations will be considered to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions of this position.