Rolex R&D Project Manager — Garment Construction
- Location
- GenevaGenevaSwitzerland
- Seniority
- Mid-Level
- Industry
- Fine Watches & Horology
- Posted
- May 16, 2026
About Rolex
Rolex is a Swiss luxury watch manufacturer renowned for precision engineering, artisanal craftsmanship and vertical integration of design and production. Operating independently under a private foundation, the maison combines haute-horology tradition with discreet, innovation-driven operations across design, engineering and manufacturing.
Rolex in Geneva seeks an R&D Project Manager (Garment Construction) to lead apparel development, prototyping and industrialisation.
Role & Responsibilities
- Lead end-to-end R&D projects for garment construction, from technical brief through prototyping, testing and industrialisation.
- Define and translate technical specifications and assembly methods into robust production processes and clear documentation.
- Coordinate cross-functional teams including design, quality, manufacturing and external suppliers to ensure on-time delivery of prototypes and pre-production samples.
- Develop and validate sewing techniques, stitch plans and assembly sequences to meet luxury-quality and durability standards.
- Manage project schedules, budgets and risk mitigation; report progress to stakeholders and propose corrective actions when necessary.
- Oversee supplier selection, performance monitoring and transfer to manufacturing; support sourcing of specialised materials and components.
- Establish testing protocols and acceptance criteria; analyse test results and drive iterative improvements.
- Create and maintain technical dossiers, construction drawings, fit notes and production-ready specifications for handover to operations.
Qualifications
- Degree in textile engineering, materials science, fashion technology, industrial engineering or equivalent technical discipline.
- Proven track record (several years) in apparel product development, technical R&D or industrialisation within premium or technical apparel environments.
- Deep knowledge of garment construction techniques, pattern engineering and sewing production methods.
- Strong project management capability with experience coordinating multidisciplinary teams and external partners.
- Practical familiarity with prototyping workflows and manufacturing constraints; experience with supplier trials and pilot production.
Skills
Experience
Mid-level candidate with several years of hands-on experience in apparel R&D, product development or industrialisation, ideally within a premium, technical or luxury manufacturing environment. Demonstrated history of delivering prototypes to production under strict quality and timing constraints.
Education
Bachelor's or Master's degree in textile engineering, materials science, fashion technology, industrial engineering, or a related technical discipline.
Workplace
This position is based in Geneva, Geneva, Switzerland.
Culture
Rolex cultivates a culture of precision, discretion and relentless quality: teams operate in a technically rigorous, craft-oriented environment where engineering excellence and attention to detail are paramount. Collaboration among design, production and quality functions is highly valued, and continuous improvement is driven through quiet expertise rather than publicity.
About Cerulean
Cerulean is the definitive career portal for the global luxury industry. We match exceptional professionals with exclusive opportunities at the world's most prestigious brands. From haute couture and fine watchmaking to prestige beauty, hospitality, and boutique retail, Cerulean centralises luxury employment to help you find the career for which you were destined.
Frequently Asked Questions
The luxury industry is characterised by a diverse and nuanced nomenclature. Esteemed houses frequently employ proprietary terminology, and even within a single organisation like Rolex, titles may vary across global markets to reflect local conventions. To ensure absolute clarity, Cerulean assigns a standardised, industry-coherent canonical title to every listing. However, it is worth noting that this role is functionally synonymous with «Apparel Development Project Manager», «Technical Apparel Project Lead», «Garment Construction Engineer», «Textile R&D Project Manager», «Apparel Industrialisation Manager», and other variations. Our sophisticated search architecture anticipates these variations, ensuring that inquiries using related terms will seamlessly yield the exact roles you desire.