Melissa & Doug
Product Designer Contractor
Melissa & Doug, Wilton, Connecticut, us, 06897
Imagine working for a company with a mission you can truly believe in, a playful and energetic culture, a talented team of coworkers, and a bright future! Melissa & Doug, the toy company committed to igniting imagination and a sense of wonder in all children so they can discover their passions and purpose, is looking for a Product Designer contractor. In this role, you'll be an essential part of creating thoughtfully designed toys that encourage children to see the extraordinary in the ordinary, the possible in the impossible.
ROLE OVERVIEW
We are seeking a Product Designer contractor to be located onsite in our Wilton, CT headquarters on a hybrid schedule, and will report to the Product Director. As a Product Designer contractor, you will develop a wide range of original children's products that will deliver on M&D's mission while driving incremental revenue growth at omni channels. You should be incredibly creative and have experience bringing products to market from concept through production. You should have an excellent sense of form, the ability to design age-appropriate products, and an understanding of what makes products market-viable. You will work closely with Content, Licensing, and Packaging Designers as well as our Engineers, Product Development, and Quality Assurance/Compliance teams. The ideal candidate should be a self-motivator and able to work independently under tight deadlines and a background in designing children's products and /or toys is a definite plus.
Responsibilities:
Understand and follow consumer trends, insights, and marketing briefs to create unique products that deliver on M&D's mission.Develop a range of innovative children's products in a wide range of materials including wood, plastic, metal, and fabric.Render designs quickly to present to and get approval from the management team.Develop accurate 2D and 3D product specifications and drawings, accounting for cost, ergonomic, safety, and manufacturing limitations.Conduct market research.Develop an entire cohesive collection of coordinated products.Build prototypes in a workshop or using a 3D printer, when necessary.Work with the Content team on graphic and editorial assets and apply illustrations and graphics to products.Review and provide comments on manufacturing drawings and overseas-made prototypes.Work with Packaging and Structural Packaging teams on the layout of product in packaging and overall packaging size.Communicate extensively throughout the design process on creative with Content, Licensing, and Packaging teams and in development with Engineers, Product Development, Quality Assurance and Compliance teamsMiscellaneous duties as assignedRequirements:
BFA or equivalent degree in Industrial or Product Design.5+ years of consumer product or toy design experience.Superb ideation and conceptual skills.Excellent sketching skills to quickly communicate ideas.Knowledge of a wide variety of materials and manufacturing processes, especially wood and plastics.Complete understanding of design for manufacturing with knowledge of cost drivers, capabilities and limitations.Creative problem solving and analytical skills.Understanding of safety, ergonomic, and design needs of children.Superb technical drawing skills combined with a strong attention to detail.Ability to create prototypes on 3D printers to test concepts3D CAD: Expert knowledge of Solidworks and ability to render in Keyshot2D CAD: Adobe Creative Suite, including Illustrator, Photoshop, and AcrobatKnowledge of Powerpoint and/or Google SlidesExcellent verbal and written communication skills and the ability to interact professionally with a wide variety of people.
OUR STORY
It all started in 1988 with a boy, a girl, and a dream to make meaningful toys that would inspire hands-on, imaginative play. From classic wooden toys to realistic pretend play sets, Melissa & Doug makes well-crafted toys that are developed with care to be passed down from generation to generation or shared family to family. Whether it's creating high-quality toys that are made to last, planting trees to restore the resources we use, or ensuring our products encourage open-ended play for all kinds of kids, we're on a journey to make the world a better, more sustainable place.. While the company approaches $1 billion at retail annually, the quality of every toy, the experience of every child, and the trust of every parent remains at the center of everything we do. To learn more about our mission and commitment to sustainability, go to MelissaAndDoug.com
Melissa & Doug proudly goes beyond being an equal opportunity employer, we work hard to sustain and enhance the natural and organic inclusivity that is fostered every day, by every associate. We don't do this because anyone tells us this is important, we do it because we genuinely want every person who comes to work here to be treated with respect and dignity and to be comfortable being their most authentic, genuine selves.
We hire for character, kindness, humanity, and experience . . . therefore, all qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race; religion; age; sex; national origin; color; ancestry; physical, mental, or learning disability; sexual orientation; transgender status; gender identity and expression; veteran or military status; along with any and all other legally protected characteristics. In that light, we will provide reasonable accommodations consistent with applicable law as it relates to disability and religious beliefs/practices.
ROLE OVERVIEW
We are seeking a Product Designer contractor to be located onsite in our Wilton, CT headquarters on a hybrid schedule, and will report to the Product Director. As a Product Designer contractor, you will develop a wide range of original children's products that will deliver on M&D's mission while driving incremental revenue growth at omni channels. You should be incredibly creative and have experience bringing products to market from concept through production. You should have an excellent sense of form, the ability to design age-appropriate products, and an understanding of what makes products market-viable. You will work closely with Content, Licensing, and Packaging Designers as well as our Engineers, Product Development, and Quality Assurance/Compliance teams. The ideal candidate should be a self-motivator and able to work independently under tight deadlines and a background in designing children's products and /or toys is a definite plus.
Responsibilities:
Understand and follow consumer trends, insights, and marketing briefs to create unique products that deliver on M&D's mission.Develop a range of innovative children's products in a wide range of materials including wood, plastic, metal, and fabric.Render designs quickly to present to and get approval from the management team.Develop accurate 2D and 3D product specifications and drawings, accounting for cost, ergonomic, safety, and manufacturing limitations.Conduct market research.Develop an entire cohesive collection of coordinated products.Build prototypes in a workshop or using a 3D printer, when necessary.Work with the Content team on graphic and editorial assets and apply illustrations and graphics to products.Review and provide comments on manufacturing drawings and overseas-made prototypes.Work with Packaging and Structural Packaging teams on the layout of product in packaging and overall packaging size.Communicate extensively throughout the design process on creative with Content, Licensing, and Packaging teams and in development with Engineers, Product Development, Quality Assurance and Compliance teamsMiscellaneous duties as assignedRequirements:
BFA or equivalent degree in Industrial or Product Design.5+ years of consumer product or toy design experience.Superb ideation and conceptual skills.Excellent sketching skills to quickly communicate ideas.Knowledge of a wide variety of materials and manufacturing processes, especially wood and plastics.Complete understanding of design for manufacturing with knowledge of cost drivers, capabilities and limitations.Creative problem solving and analytical skills.Understanding of safety, ergonomic, and design needs of children.Superb technical drawing skills combined with a strong attention to detail.Ability to create prototypes on 3D printers to test concepts3D CAD: Expert knowledge of Solidworks and ability to render in Keyshot2D CAD: Adobe Creative Suite, including Illustrator, Photoshop, and AcrobatKnowledge of Powerpoint and/or Google SlidesExcellent verbal and written communication skills and the ability to interact professionally with a wide variety of people.
OUR STORY
It all started in 1988 with a boy, a girl, and a dream to make meaningful toys that would inspire hands-on, imaginative play. From classic wooden toys to realistic pretend play sets, Melissa & Doug makes well-crafted toys that are developed with care to be passed down from generation to generation or shared family to family. Whether it's creating high-quality toys that are made to last, planting trees to restore the resources we use, or ensuring our products encourage open-ended play for all kinds of kids, we're on a journey to make the world a better, more sustainable place.. While the company approaches $1 billion at retail annually, the quality of every toy, the experience of every child, and the trust of every parent remains at the center of everything we do. To learn more about our mission and commitment to sustainability, go to MelissaAndDoug.com
Melissa & Doug proudly goes beyond being an equal opportunity employer, we work hard to sustain and enhance the natural and organic inclusivity that is fostered every day, by every associate. We don't do this because anyone tells us this is important, we do it because we genuinely want every person who comes to work here to be treated with respect and dignity and to be comfortable being their most authentic, genuine selves.
We hire for character, kindness, humanity, and experience . . . therefore, all qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race; religion; age; sex; national origin; color; ancestry; physical, mental, or learning disability; sexual orientation; transgender status; gender identity and expression; veteran or military status; along with any and all other legally protected characteristics. In that light, we will provide reasonable accommodations consistent with applicable law as it relates to disability and religious beliefs/practices.