Associate Product Designer, New Brands

📍 Job Overview

Job Title: Associate Product Designer, New Brands

Company: Just Play, LLC

Location: El Segundo, CA

Job Type: Full-Time

Category: Product Design / Creative Operations

Date Posted: 2026-09-24

Experience Level: 2-5 Years

Remote Status: On-site

🚀 Role Summary

• Drive innovation and concept generation for new Intellectual Property (IP) brands within the children's consumer goods sector, focusing on toy categories like plush, dolls, and collectibles.

• Translate consumer insights, market trends, and emerging technologies into compelling and commercially viable product designs.

• Develop and articulate 2D and 3D product concepts through sketches, illustrations, and models for internal review and stakeholder presentations.

• Collaborate effectively within a small, agile team environment, fostering a culture of creative ideation and execution.

• Coordinate with external partners, including model makers, sculptors, and soft goods designers, to ensure seamless product development and manufacturing.

📝 Enhancement Note: This role is positioned within a "New Brands" team, indicating a focus on early-stage product development and the creation of novel IP. The emphasis on "Ideate" and "Idea Creator" highlights the crucial function of generating unique concepts before the formal product design phase.

📈 Primary Responsibilities

• Spearhead the ideation and conceptualization of new designs and product opportunities for Just Play's emerging IP brands.

• Execute the full spectrum of idea generation and product design, from initial concept sketches to detailed design specifications.

• Design and develop new IP brands, ensuring cohesive visual identity and product line consistency.

• Contribute to a collaborative team dynamic, actively participating in brainstorming sessions and design critiques.

• Present and communicate product concepts effectively to design, marketing, and senior management teams, articulating the vision and rationale behind each design.

• Liaise with and manage external resources, including model makers, sculptors, and soft goods designers, to bring concepts to life and ensure manufacturability.

📝 Enhancement Note: The responsibilities emphasize a blend of creative ideation and practical design execution, requiring the candidate to not only "think outside the box" but also to "problem-solve the idea into reality." This suggests a need for strong conceptual thinking coupled with an understanding of the practicalities of toy development.

🎓 Skills & Qualifications

Education: While not explicitly stated, a Bachelor's degree in Industrial Design, Product Design, Graphic Design, or a related field is typically expected for Associate Product Designer roles with 2+ years of experience.

Experience: A minimum of 2 years of dedicated experience in toy design or a closely related product design field. Experience with product categories such as plush, dolls, and play sets/accessories is highly preferred.

Required Skills:

• Proficiency in Adobe Creative Suite (e.g., Photoshop, Illustrator, InDesign) for visual design and concept development.

• Foundational understanding of 3D CAD software for product modeling and visualization.

• Knowledge of materials and manufacturing processes specific to toy development and children's consumer goods.

• Ability to manage multiple projects concurrently, demonstrating strong organizational and time management skills.

• Keen awareness of current industry trends, consumer preferences, and emerging technologies in the toy market.

• Understanding of key toy features, play patterns, and user engagement strategies.

• Aptitude for "blue-sky thinking" and innovative problem-solving to translate abstract ideas into tangible products.

• Strong written and verbal communication