Production Assistant

Overview

Forty Knots is a high-end leather goods studio that does design and production work for luxury brands here in the United States and abroad. I relocated our production studio from New York’s Garment District to a renovated barn-shop outside of Greenwich, NY.

I have been operating as a solo design studio for the past few years but I do need another set of hands for the larger jobs that come through the shop. I am looking for a production assistant that is detail oriented, self sufficient, and willing to work on their feet.

You’ll learn the art of saddle-stitching, bag and accessories design, product development, and high-end leather goods construction. You'll run rivet and button presses, glue machines, hydraulic leather punching machines, and our CNC cutting machine that we have as well. Due to the nature of the work that we do, tasks can be repetitive (ie. set 100 snaps, edge paint 100 belts, etc).

You’ll have the opportunity to work with brands and designers in a creative and dynamic studio environment. The job requires focus, attention to detail, and an emphasis on personal safety. The ideal candidate will enjoy working with their hands and respect the craftsmanship required for quality handmade goods. This is not a cut and sew sweatshop. This is a quality over quantity environment.

That being said, the right candidate should feel comfortable with repetitive tasks and staying on their feet in the shop. There's quite a bit of production work these days and that means we're making dozens if not hundreds of the same item for clients. But if you think tossing on your headphones and making things out of leather sounds interesting, feel free to apply.

No experience is required and I’ll happily train the right person. That being said, I do ask that you not apply if you're not interested in making leather goods. Training takes time. If you're interested in the job, please include a brief letter/message about your experience with leather or crafts in general.

Schedule

This is a highly flexible position and I am willing to work around any schedule. If you’re available full-time, 9-5, M-F that’s great. If you can only work two days a week, nights and weekends that’s perfectly acceptable as well. For me, this is about having another set of hands in the shop that I can rely on to maintain my studios high standards. If you'd only like to work a couple of hours a week helping punch out leather pieces, or gluing up items, thats fine as well.

Responsibilities

• Assembly and construction of leather goods.
• Opportunities for industrial design and custom product development for high-end hospitality and private label clients.
• Operation of leather goods machinery (hot stamping machines, cutting presses, industrial sewing machines, cnc cutters etc)
• Use of leather working hand tools (cutting and skiving knives, edge bevelers, etc)
• Needs to be detail oriented, capable of staying on the same task for a full work day, and maintaining a safe working environment around them.

Salary

· $18-30 depending on experience and skillset. To put it simply: the more skills you develop, the more you make. I feel that it’s important for salary to progress alongside skillset. My previous shop assistant was at $24 by month 5.

Please send me a quick note telling me a bit about yourself and why this type of work interests you. There's no need for leatherwork experience but I'd like to know why you think its a good fit. I know cover letters are a pain so no need for anything like that. Just shoot me a note so I know you're interested.

Job Types: Full-time, Part-time, Temporary

Pay: $18.00 - $28.00 per hour

Expected hours: 6 – 30 per week

Benefits:

• Flexible schedule
• Professional development assistance

Schedule:

• 10 hour shift
• 12 hour shift
• 4 hour shift
• 8 hour shift
• Monday to Friday

Work Location: In person

Salary : $18 - $28