Key Responsibilities and Required Skills for Knitter Assistant

🎯 Role Definition

As a Knitter Assistant, you are the hands-on specialist at the heart of our knitwear production. You will be responsible for the seamless operation of our advanced industrial knitting machines, transforming yarn into high-quality fabric and garment components. This role requires a keen eye for detail, a passion for quality, and a proactive approach to machine operation and maintenance. You'll work closely with knitting technicians, designers, and the wider production team to ensure our products meet a high standard of excellence, troubleshooting issues as they arise and contributing to a safe, efficient, and collaborative manufacturing environment. This position is a fantastic entry point into the world of modern textile manufacturing with significant opportunities for growth.

📈 Career Progression

Typical Career Path

Entry Point From:

Production Assistant
Textile or Fashion School Graduate
Manufacturing Associate
Apparel Production Intern

Advancement To:

Senior Knitter / Lead Knitter
Knitting Machine Programmer
Textile Technician
Production Supervisor

Lateral Moves:

Quality Control Inspector
Sample Coordinator / Sample Knitter
Yarn Inventory Specialist

Core Responsibilities

Primary Functions

Operate and monitor a bank of industrial knitting machines (e.g., Stoll, Shima Seiki) to produce fabric and garment panels according to precise technical specifications.
Skillfully thread yarn through machine guides, tensions, and needles, ensuring correct and secure setup for each production run.
Conduct rigorous and frequent in-process quality control checks on knitted fabric to proactively identify and flag defects such as dropped stitches, holes, yarn flaws, or tension inconsistencies.
Read and interpret complex technical packets, production orders, and digital knitting patterns to ensure 100% accuracy in the final product.
Make precise adjustments to machine settings, including stitch density, speed, and yarn tension, to maintain stringent quality standards and optimize output.
Perform routine and preventative machine maintenance, including daily cleaning, oiling, and the systematic replacement of needles and other consumable parts to ensure peak performance.
Troubleshoot and resolve minor machine stoppages, such as yarn breaks or needle faults, in a timely manner to minimize production downtime.
Collaborate directly with senior knitting technicians and programmers to diagnose and resolve more complex mechanical or programming issues.
Carefully remove finished knitted panels or fabric rolls from the machine, ensuring they are handled properly to prevent damage.
Maintain meticulous and accurate production records, logging output quantities, machine downtime, defect rates, and other key performance indicators.
Manage the yarn inventory for assigned machines, ensuring the correct yarn cones are staged and loaded, and communicating any potential shortages to the supervisor.
Prepare and attach identification tags to all completed work, ensuring traceability by style number, size, color, and production lot.

Secondary Functions

Support ad-hoc data requests and exploratory data analysis related to production efficiency and defect rates.
Contribute to the organization's goals for safety, waste reduction, and continuous improvement.
Collaborate with business units, particularly the design and sampling teams, to translate new concepts into feasible, high-quality knitted samples.
Participate in sprint planning and agile ceremonies within the data engineering team if applicable to a data-driven production environment.
Assist in the setup and complete changeover of knitting machines for new styles, patterns, or yarn types.
Provide constructive feedback to designers and programmers on the knittability and production feasibility of new designs.
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Keep the immediate work area clean, organized, and free of hazards in accordance with company safety and 5S standards.
Sort and bundle finished knitted panels by size, color, and style in preparation for linking, finishing, or shipping.
Inspect incoming yarn cones for defects, color matching, and proper winding before they are introduced into production.
Participate in training sessions to stay updated on new machine features, software, and production techniques.

Required Skills & Competencies

Hard Skills (Technical)

Industrial Knitting Machine Operation: Hands-on experience or training on Stoll, Shima Seiki, or similar industrial knitting equipment.
Technical Document Interpretation: Ability to read and understand production orders, tech packs, and pattern diagrams.
Quality Control: Strong ability to visually inspect textiles for defects and inconsistencies.
Basic Machine Maintenance: Mechanical aptitude for cleaning, oiling, changing needles, and performing minor adjustments.
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Yarn Knowledge: Familiarity with different fiber types, yarn counts, and their properties in a knitting context.
Computer Literacy: Basic computer skills to operate machine interfaces and input production data.
Troubleshooting: Ability to diagnose and resolve common machine errors and yarn-related issues.
Knitwear Construction: Foundational understanding of how knitted panels are constructed and assembled into a finished garment.

Soft Skills

Attention to Detail: Meticulous and precise in all aspects of work, from machine setup to quality inspection.
Problem-Solving: A proactive and analytical approach to identifying and resolving production challenges.
Time Management: Ability to manage tasks efficiently across multiple machines in a fast-paced environment.
Communication Skills: Clear and effective communication with team members, technicians, and supervisors.
Teamwork & Collaboration: A cooperative spirit and willingness to support colleagues to achieve team goals.
Manual Dexterity: Excellent hand-eye coordination and the ability to handle fine yarns and small machine parts.
Resilience: Ability to stand for extended periods and perform repetitive tasks with sustained focus.

Education & Experience

Educational Background

Minimum Education:

High School Diploma or equivalent.

Preferred Education:

Vocational Certificate or Associate's Degree in a related field.

Relevant Fields of Study:

Textile Science or Technology
Fashion Design & Production
Manufacturing Technology

Experience Requirements

Typical Experience Range: 0-3 years.

Preferred: 1+ years of experience in a textile manufacturing, apparel production, or similar industrial environment. Entry-level candidates with a strong mechanical aptitude and a desire to learn are highly encouraged to apply.