Cashmere Engineer Specialist

Job description

**ABOUT QUINCE** Quince is a destination for builders, creators, innovators, and operators who want to come together and challenge the status quo. Our mission is simple: make really high quality essentials for really low prices, fairly and sustainably. We deliver on that mission through a unique manufacturer-to-consumer (M2C) model eliminating the layers of traditional retail that add cost and result in consumers paying more than they need to. We find, build relationships with, and work directly with the manufacturing partners behind some of the world’s finest products. From there, our teams design smart, efficient operational processes and build and deploy proprietary technology, AI, and analytics to help us scale fast. What began with a small assortment of elevated basics has quickly grown into a cross-category brand spanning apparel, accessories, home goods, and more. Today, tens of millions of people across a growing number of countries come – and return – to Quince because they trust us to deliver. **OUR CULTURE** Quince is a culture built for builders by builders. Our way of working starts with a blank sheet of paper. We question conventional thinking, use technology and data to uncover new opportunities, and move quickly to turn ideas into reality. We aren’t interested in replicating how others do retail. We’re building a better way – at a speed and scale unlike anything that’s been done before. - We dream big and chase the hard problems others shy away from. Rejecting long-held assumptions is part of our company's DNA. Where conventional wisdom says you have to choose – soft or durable, speed or rigor, quality or price – we ask why that trade-off has to exist in the first place. - Our pace is fast and the bar is high because our customers expect a lot from us and we refuse to let them down. We believe the best results come from challenging ourselves, learning from one another, and building on each other's strengths. - Here, responsibility is not determined by role, tenure, or seniority. Every team member - no matter their level - has the opportunity to drive our business and shape our trajectory. If you’re someone who likes to imagine new possibilities and build better systems rather than plug-in to outdated ones, Quince is the place for you. **THE ROLE** **Cashmere Engineer Specialist** Dehaired Fiber Quality Control - Oversee the quality of dehaired cashmere fiber entering the supply chain, ensuring it meets Grade A specifications for micron, length, purity, and vegetable matter content. - Establish and enforce clear acceptance criteria for dehaired fiber, including maximum coarse hair content and minimum yield thresholds. - Inspect and approve incoming dehaired fiber lots before release to spinning mills, flagging any non-conforming material for return or rework. - Partner with dehairing facilities to optimize processes that maximize Grade A output while minimizing fiber damage or waste. Grade A Standards Enforcement - Define what constitutes Grade A cashmere for the organization. - Conduct regular audits of dehairing suppliers to ensure consistent adherence to Grade A specifications. - Work upstream with sourcing and herder cooperatives to improve raw fiber quality before dehairing, reducing Grade A rejection rates. Finished Yarn Quality Assurance - Evaluate finished cashmere yarns against required quality standards, including evenness, tensile strength, twist consistency, and surface cleanliness. - Test yarns for critical attributes such as pilling potential, colorfastness, and handfeel before approval for knitting production. - Identify and reject yarn lots that fail to meet quality thresholds, documenting defects and communicating findings to spinning mills. Cashmere Material Library - Build and maintain a physical and digital cashmere material library, cataloging dehaired fiber lots and finished yarns by key attributes (micron, origin, color, lot number, test results). - Organize the library to support cross-functional teams (R&D, Product Development, Sourcing, Production) in referencing past and current materials for development and troubleshooting. - Include reference standards for Grade A fiber and approved yarn constructions to serve as benchmarks for quality comparisons. - Update the library regularly with new fiber lots, yarn developments, and supplier samples, ensuring traceability from raw material to finished yarn. Root Cause & Corrective Actions - Investigate quality failures in finished yarns—such as neps, slubs, weak spots, or inconsistent dye uptake—to determine if the root cause lies in dehaired fiber, spinning, or finishing. - Collaborate with dehairing and spinning partners to implement corrective actions and prevent repeat issues. - Track quality trends across fiber lots and yarn batches to identify recurring supplier or process weaknesses. Testing & Lab Coordination - Coordinate with internal and external labs to conduct fiber and yarn testing (e.g., micron analysis, coarse hair count, tensile testing, evenness). - Interpret lab reports and make pass/fail decisions based on Grade A fiber specs and finished yarn quality requirements. - Maintain a database of test results for all dehaired fiber lots and finished yarn batches, linking results to the material library for easy reference. Cross-Functional Collaboration - Partner with Sourcing to ensure dehairing suppliers are selected and evaluated based on their ability to consistently deliver Grade A fiber. - Work with Production and Planning teams to flag quality holds on fiber or yarn that could impact production schedules. - Provide clear quality feedback to R&D and Product Development teams to inform yarn specifications and supplier requirements, using the material library as a reference tool. Documentation & Continuous Improvement - Maintain detailed records of fiber inspections, yarn test results, rejections, and supplier corrective actions within the material library system. - Drive initiatives to improve Grade A yield from dehairing partners and reduce variability in finished yarn quality. - Share quality insights across internal teams to support better sourcing, development, and production decisions. QUALIFICATIONS - Education: Degree in Textile Engineering, Material Science, or a related field. - Fiber & Yarn Expertise: Deep experience evaluating dehaired cashmere fiber (micron, coarse hair, length, purity) and finished cashmere yarns (evenness, strength, twist, appearance). - Grade A Knowledge: Strong understanding of Grade A cashmere specifications and how to enforce them with dehairing suppliers. - Defect Analysis: Ability to trace quality failures in finished yarns back to fiber quality or spinning process issues. - Testing Acumen: Familiarity with fiber and yarn testing methods (e.g., OFDA, micrograph analysis, tensile testing, evenness testing). - Supplier Collaboration: Experience working with dehairing facilities and spinning mills to drive quality improvements. - Material Library Experience: Demonstrated ability to organize and maintain a physical and digital material reference system. Preferred: - Experience with cashmere dehairing processes and coarse hair reduction technologies. - Knowledge of spinning mill quality control systems and yarn manufacturing. - Familiarity with traceability systems and digital library tools for material development. - Willingness to travel to dehairing and spinning facilities for quality audits. **WHY QUINCE?** Joining Quince means being part of a mission-driven team reshaping retail. You will work alongside talented colleagues, tackle meaningful challenges, and contribute to building a more sustainable, accessible future for customers and partners alike. **EQUAL OPPORTUNITY & HIRING INTEGRITY** Quince provides equal employment opportunities to all employees and applications for employment and prohibits discrimination and harassment of any type without regard to race, color, religion, age, sex, national origin, disability status, genetics, protected veteran or military status, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, or any other characteristic protected by federal, state, or local laws. Quince is committed to providing reasonable accommodations to qualified individuals with disabilities. If you need a reasonable accommodation to complete your application or to perform the essential functions of a role at Quince, please let us know by completing [this accommodation form](https://forms.gle/DpJ11jHa1WbqfUWB9). We review all requests individually and will work with you to determine appropriate accommodations on a case-by-case basis. Employment is contingent upon successful completion of a background check. Quince will conduct background checks in compliance with applicable federal, state, and local laws. *Security Advisory: Beware of Frauds* At Quince, we're dedicated to recruiting top talent who share our drive for innovation. To safeguard candidates, Quince emphasizes legitimate recruitment practices. Initial communication is primarily via official Quince email addresses and LinkedIn; beware of deviations. Personal data and sensitive information will not be solicited during the application phase. Interviews are conducted via phone, in person, or through the approved platforms Google Meets or Zoom—never via messaging apps or other calling services. Offers are merit-based, communicated verbally, and followed up in writing. If personal information is requested to initiate the hiring process, rest assured it will be through secure and protected means.