At Gracie Barra Wear (GB Wear), we serve the global Jiu-Jitsu community by delivering high-quality uniforms, gear, and lifestyle apparel that reflect the values of Gracie Barra. Our mission is Jiu-Jitsu for Everyone. The Junior Designer helps bring that apparel to life, turning ideas and briefs into clean, production-ready design files.
ROLE SUMMARY
Gracie Barra Wear is hiring a Junior Designer to support our Product team with day-to-day design and techpack work. This is a hands-on production role for a strong technical designer who can grow into apparel-specific work.
We are looking for someone with excellent software skills, especially Adobe Illustrator, who can take direction and turn it into clean, accurate files. Deep apparel knowledge is not required on day one. We will train it. What matters most is software fluency, learning speed, and attention to detail.
You will start by supporting our senior design and product work: building and revising techpacks, cleaning up and vectorizing art, preparing colorways and mockups, and keeping files organized. Over time you will take on more of the apparel-specific production process as you learn it.
CORE OUTCOMES (WHAT SUCCESS LOOKS LIKE)
- Clean, accurate, production-ready design files delivered on time
- Techpacks that are complete and error-free, so sampling and production run smoothly
- Fast, reliable turnaround on revisions and file updates
- Well-organized files and version history the whole team can follow
- Steady growth into apparel-specific design work over the first year
KEY RESPONSIBILITIES
ILLUSTRATOR PRODUCTION & VECTOR WORK
- Build clean vector work from scratch, not just tracing
- Work in complex multi-artboard files with organized layers and file structure
- Use the pen tool fluently; build grids and tables as vector elements with precise alignment and spacing
- Convert raster images (photos, scans, hand-drawn art) into clean, usable line art
PHOTOSHOP & ART PREP
- Handle color correction and colorway swaps
- Build compositing and mockups, placing art onto product photos or renders
- Work with layer masks, blend modes, and smart objects
- Create bitmap and repeat patterns, seamless or engineered, with correct repeat and tiling for print placement
- Move files between Illustrator and Photoshop without losing quality or editability
TECHPACK SUPPORT (TRAINED ON THE JOB)
- Learn techpack anatomy and structure: cover page, BOM, construction detail, POM/grading charts, and colorway pages, all built and maintained in Illustrator
- Make accurate revisions to existing techpacks after sampling, directly in the Illustrator files
- Read fit notes after sampling and translate them into clear revision notes
- Apply a basic Pantone/PMS color matching workflow
SAMPLE REVIEW SUPPORT (WITH GUIDANCE)
- Compare a physical sample against a techpack and flag discrepancies
- Log sample rounds (1st proto, 2nd proto, SMS, etc.) in Monday.com so status stays visible
CONCEPT & DESIGN SUPPORT
- Sketch and flat out a concept from a verbal or written brief
- Pull reference and inspiration and build simple moodboards
FILE ORGANIZATION & COMMUNICATION
- Keep files organized in Dropbox with consistent naming and version discipline
- Track tasks, status, comments, and due dates in Monday.com
- Flag confusion early instead of guessing; ask good questions and retain the answers
WHAT YOU'LL LEARN ON THE JOB
Apparel knowledge is not required going in. Here is what we will train you on:
- Apparel-specific vocabulary: seam types (flatlock, overlock, coverstitch vs. topstitch), trims, and print methods (discharge, water-based, plastisol)
- Fabric basics: GSM, fiber content, knit vs. woven
- The full techpack process, from build to post-sampling revisions
- Pantone/PMS color matching for apparel
- Our tools: Dropbox for file management and Monday.com for task and status tracking
HOW PERFORMANCE IS MEASURED (KPIS)
▬ Primary
- Techpack accuracy: a low error rate, with few production issues traced back to file errors
- On-time delivery of files and revisions
▬ Supporting
- Revision turnaround time
- File organization and version discipline (Dropbox and Monday.com hygiene)
- Cleanliness and quality of vector output
- Speed of ramp on apparel-specific skills
REQUIRED QUALIFICATIONS (WHAT YOU MUST ALREADY HAVE)
▬ Adobe Illustrator (expert-level, non-negotiable)
- Fast, clean vector work, building from scratch rather than tracing
- Comfortable with complex multi-artboard files, layers, and organized file structures
- Pen tool fluency; grids and tables as vector elements; precise alignment and spacing
▬ Adobe Photoshop (strong working knowledge)
- Color correction and colorway swaps
- Compositing and mockups
- Layer masks, blend modes, and smart objects
- Converting raster images into clean vector line art
- Building bitmap and repeat patterns with correct repeat and tiling
- Fluency moving files between Illustrator and Photoshop without losing quality or editability
▬ Design Fundamentals
- Strong grasp of typography, color theory, and layout/composition
- A portfolio of clean, organized, well-executed work (apparel experience not required)
- Can take verbal or written direction and translate it visually with minimal back-and-forth
IDEAL CANDIDATE PROFILE
▬ Traits That Matter Most
- Fast learner: absorbs a new domain (apparel) quickly
- Detail-oriented: understands that a small techpack error becomes a production problem
- Resilient and coachable: expects frequent correction while learning and does not take revisions personally
- Motivated and self-starting: asks good questions and retains answers rather than needing repeats
- Proactive communicator: flags confusion instead of guessing
▬ Nice-to-Haves (Not Required)
- Any exposure to apparel, textiles, or product design (personal projects, sewing, etc.)
- Prior experience with Dropbox and Monday.com or similar tools (Asana, Trello)
- Interest in athletic or performance wear
Pay: $25.00 - $30.00 per hour
Benefits:
- Dental insurance
- Employee discount
- Health insurance
- Paid time off
- Vision insurance
Work Location: In person
