Toy Development Jobs in California (NOW HIRING)

Job Title: Associate Product Designer, New Brands

Department: Creative-New Brands

Reporting To: Sr. Director, New Brands Team

Location: El Segundo, CA

Salary: $60,000 - $75,000 annually

Company Overview:

Just Play is a passionate, trend-driven leader in the children's consumer goods industry. We create innovative toys and consumer products that inspire imaginative play for children and families around the world. Working with many of the world's leading entertainment brands, we design, manufacture, and distribute exceptional products to major mass retailers throughout North America and globally.

Job Summary:

Just Play is seeking a creative and enthusiastic Associate Product Designer to join our New Brands Team. The innovative team is focused on developing exciting new product opportunities across multiple toy categories, including plush, dolls, collectibles, playsets, and more.

In this role, you will leverage your understanding of consumer insights, emerging trends, and new technologies to create innovative toy concepts that can be transformed into successful products. You will communicate ideas through sketches, illustrations, renderings, and 2D and/or 3D concept models while collaborating closely with Design, Marketing, and Product Management throughout the development process.

The ideal candidate is a highly creative thinker with exceptional ideation and visualization skills, strong sketching and illustration abilities, and a passion for bringing original toy concepts to life. Experience designing products in categories such as dolls, plush, collectibles, or playsets is highly desirable.

Principal Responsibilities:

• Generate original product concepts and new intellectual property (IP) ideas for Just Play's New Brands portfolio.
• Develop innovative toy concepts from initial ideation through design execution.
• Design and develop products across multiple toy categories, including plush, dolls, collectibles, playsets, and accessories.
• Create compelling sketches, illustrations, renderings, and 2D and/or 3D concept models to communicate design intent.
• Present product concepts and design solutions to Design, Marketing, Product Management, and senior leadership.
• Collaborate effectively within a small, cross-functional team throughout the product development process.
• Partner with external resources, including model makers, sculptors, and soft goods designers, to bring concepts to life.
• Research consumer insights, industry trends, competitive products, and emerging technologies to inspire innovative product development.
• Manage multiple projects simultaneously while meeting deadlines in a fast-paced environment.

Minimum Qualifications:

• 2+ years of toy design or related consumer product design experience.
• Passion for creativity, innovation, and the toy industry.
• Experience designing products in one or more toy categories, including plush, dolls, collectibles, playsets, or accessories.
• Strong sketching, illustration, visualization, and concept development skills.
• Proficiency in Adobe Creative Suite.
• Working knowledge of 3D CAD software.
• Experience developing products for licensed brands or original intellectual property.
• Experience creating presentation-quality concept artwork and product renderings.
• Excellent written, verbal, presentation, and interpersonal communication skills.
• Strong organizational and time management skills.
• Understanding of toy materials, manufacturing processes, and product development.
• Familiarity with the toy development process from concept through production.
• Knowledge of current toy trends, consumer preferences, and children's play patterns.
• Creative, "blue-sky" thinker with the ability to transform innovative ideas into manufacturable products.
• Ability to manage multiple projects simultaneously while maintaining attention to detail.
• Ability to work independently as well as collaboratively in a team environment.
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office, including PowerPoint, Outlook, Teams, and Excel.
• Portfolio demonstrating strong ideation, concept development, sketching, and product design skills is required.

Just Play is an equal opportunity employer. We welcome all applicants without regards to race, sex, age, color, religion, national origin, veteran status, disability, sexual orientation, gender identity, genetic information or any characteristic protected by law.