Sr. Manager, Product Teardown Lab (Apparel)

ABOUT QUINCE 

Founded in 2018, Quince was built to challenge the idea that nice things have to cost a lot. Our mission is simple: to make really high quality essentials for really low prices, produced fairly and sustainably. We believe everyone deserves exceptional craftsmanship and timeless design without the traditional markups. Quince is a direct-to-consumer (DTC) model that cuts out middlemen and leverages just-in-time manufacturing to minimize waste and maximize value.

Quince is a tech company disrupting the retail industry by putting AI, analytics and automation at the center of everything we do. Our unwavering commitment to excellence and company values guide our teams and actions:

• Customer First: We prioritize customer satisfaction in every decision.

• High Quality: True quality means premium materials and rigorous production standards you can feel good about.

• Essential Design: We focus on timeless, functional essentials instead of chasing trends.

• Always a Better Deal: Innovation and transparency ensure value for both customers and partners.

• Social & Environmental Responsibility: We commit to sustainable materials, ethical production, and fair wages.

Quince partners with world-class manufacturers across the globe and serves millions of customers. With strong investor backing and a focus on sustainable growth, we are a company that is rapidly scaling while maintaining a commitment to quality, simplicity, and radical price transparency.

OUR TEAM AND SUCCESS 

At Quince, you will be part of a high-performing team that is redefining what quality, value, and sustainability mean in modern retail. We are a destination for builders, innovators, and operators to come together and challenge the status quo. Our collective ambition is bold. We are creating an entirely new category and customer experience – one that democratizes luxury and provides high quality products at radically low prices. That mission demands a world-class team committed to excellence. 

If you are motivated by impact, growth, and purpose, you will find a strong sense of belonging at Quince.

THE ROLE:

Sr. Manager, Product Teardown Lab 

We’re looking for a Sr. Manager, Product Teardown Lab to join our growing team. In this role, we’re hiring a Product Lab Manager to establish and lead our in-house lab, ensuring every new product meets Quince’s standards for durability, functionality, and consistency.

Success in this position means running ~20-30 product teardowns per month that combine lab test results, competitive benchmarking and consumer feedback (ratings, reviews) into actionable insights for product development. You will also own the orchestration of the lab itself, ensuring instruments are installed, maintained, calibrated, and certified, while building the systems, SOPs, and reporting frameworks that make the lab a backbone of Quince’s product quality engine.

Responsibilities

• Orchestrate the Lab – Manage installation, calibration, certification, and service schedules for all instruments (Martindale, universal tester, QuickWash, launderometer, spectrophotometer, air permeability tester, leather softness tester, etc.).
• Maintain Equipment Uptime – Ensure instruments are fully operational, consumables are stocked, and preventive maintenance is on schedule.
• Run Product Teardowns – Conduct ~30 monthly teardowns, combining lab data, competitor analysis, and customer insights to identify performance gaps and opportunities.
• Define and Enforce Standards – Write category-specific protocols (ASTM, AATCC, ISO) with pass/fail thresholds and checkpoints by development stage.
• Translate Data into Action – Provide go/no-go decisions, design-to-value insights, and vendor accountability frameworks.
• Systematize Operations – Build SOPs for testing, calibration, reporting, and teardown processes; manage certifications and audit trails.
• Scale and Integrate – Train PD, Tech, and Sourcing teams on lab outputs; partner with 3rd-party labs for overflow capacity and vendor testing alignment.
• Close the Loop – Link lab results to reviews, returns, and CX data to continually refine standards.

Qualifications

Required: 

• Bachelor’s degree in Engineering, Materials Science, Textile Science, or related field.
• 7+ years in product quality, lab testing, teardown analysis, or QA.
• Direct experience orchestrating lab operations, including instrument installation, calibration, certification, and vendor service contracts.
• Hands-on expertise with ASTM, AATCC, ISO test methods and instruments.
• Proven ability to run competitive teardowns and integrate results with customer insights.
• Strong documentation, SOP development, and cross-functional communication skills.
• Track record of improving product performance and reducing cost through testing and design-to-value.

Physical Requirements:

• Lifting up to 50 pounds
• Standing and walking throughout the entirety of your shift
• Ability to go up and down stairs, use of ladders throughout the day as needed
• Bending, twisting, or kneeling may be required throughout the day for lifting or maneuvering objects
• May be asked to work outside or travel to shoots off-site as needed