Professional Patternmaking & Sewing Instructor
Job Description
Position Overview
The New York School of Design (NYSD) is seeking a highly skilled, technically precise, and passionate fashion professional to serve as an Instructor in Patternmaking & Sewing.
The ideal candidate is a master of flat pattern drafting, draping, and garment construction, and can articulate these technical methodologies to a highly diverse student body.
Key Responsibilities
- Course Delivery: Instruct courses in Flat Patternmaking (sloper manipulation, drafting, grading), Fashion Draping, and Sewing (couture finishes, structured tailoring, sample assembly).
- Lab Management & Safety: Supervise the construction lab, ensuring students operate industrial sewing machines, overlockers, steam irons, and cutting equipment safely and professionally.
- Assessment & Feedback: Conduct rigorous reviews and technical inspections of student work to ensure construction matches retail-ready and luxury industry standards.
- Academic Administration: Maintain detailed lesson plans, student attendance logs, and grading sheets in strict compliance with NYSED BPSS and MSA-CESS accreditation requirements.
- Mentorship: Provide one-on-one coaching during studio hours to help students troubleshoot fit issues and material performance.
Qualifications
· Bachelor’s or Master's Degree (MFA) in Fashion Design, Apparel Production, or a closely related field.
· Professional Industry Experience: A minimum of five (5) years of verifiable, recent experience working as a Professional Patternmaker, Sample Maker, Technical Designer, or Couturier within the fashion industry.
· Technical Mastery: Demonstrable expertise in:
- Flat pattern drafting from measurements and master sloper manipulation.
- Draping on standard and customized professional dress forms.
- Industrial sewing machinery operation, troubleshooting, and edge finishes.
· Licensure Readiness: Must meet the minimum requirements to obtain a NYS BPSS Teacher License (NYSD will assist in the licensing process, but candidate must possess the requisite years of industry experience and a bachelor’s degree).
· Teaching Experience: Prior experience teaching patternmaking and sewing at an accredited post-secondary institution or vocational school.
Compensation & Benefits
- Hourly Rate: Competitive hourly rate (commensurate with technical experience and credentials).
- Employee Status: Processed as a standard W-2 employee (retaining all statutory protections, workers' compensation, and payroll taxes handled via Gusto).
- Licensure Support: NYSD sponsors and facilitates the NYS BPSS Teacher Licensing process, including reimbursement of approved pedagogical training modules for the transition to a Full License.
How to Apply
Interested candidates should submit the following to NYSD HR email address.
- A current CV/Resume detailing your professional industry experience.
- A digital portfolio or photographs of garments you have personally drafted, draped, and constructed (showing both exterior design and interior technical finishes).
- A brief cover letter outlining your philosophy on teaching traditional technical skills to modern, diverse design students.
