Lauded as one of the most well know design and innovation brands in the world today, IDEO is an award-winning global design firm that is spearheading the movement to embrace design and design thinking. The multidisciplinary firm isn’t just responsible for designing end-products, but also helping businesses evolve and innovate, as well as allow individuals and companies to foster a culture of creative problem-solving through IDEO U, their online design-university. IDEO’s Play Lab is looking for a Senior Toy Designer to join their team in Palo Alto, California.
The Opportunity
IDEO’s Play Lab is looking for a talented, build-focused designer to join our toy invention team. As a senior designer, you will work closely with a skilled team of designers and engineers to dream up and bring toy concepts to life through prototyping. IDEO’s Play Lab creates innovative, fun, and engaging products and experiences with a focus on toys for kids. Will you join us in inventing the next generation of toys?
Responsibilities
• Join an experienced, interdisciplinary team of makers
• Support junior team members
• Generate new to-the-world toy ideas
• Identify toy invention opportunities
• Tinker, explore, and validate toy concepts
• Create high quality working prototypes
• Push our team to improve the quality of our work
• Solve complex mechanical challenges
• Explore and push concepts further through sketching
• Create engaging videos of prototypes and concepts
• Share our inventions with clients
• Have fun every day!
Requirements
• 2+ years of build experience
• A passion for making and inventing new ideas
• Experience bringing products to market
• An interest in toys and playful experiences
• Well developed skills in hand prototyping, rapid prototyping, and CAD
• Experience prototyping and solving complex mechanical challenges
• Experience self-guiding and leading projects
• A well developed, efficient project workflow
• A background in industrial design or engineering
• An aptitude for operating shop machinery
• Great communication and collaboration skills
• Motivation, initiative, and attention to detail
• An ability to generate ideas quickly
• Knowledge of how things are made
• Experience in and knowledge of the toy industry is a major plus
Some Previous Toy Inventions To Check Out
• Alpha Training Blue
• Flip Slide
• Barbie Dream Camper
• Paw Patrol Flip & Fly
• Barbie Sparkle Lights Mermaid
• Shopkins Super Mall
• Hungry Bunnies
• Little Live Pets Hedgehog
• Imaginext DC Super Friends R/C Mobile Command Center
• Barbie Hello Dreamhouse
Additional Information
Question For You
Please include your answer to the following question in your cover letter.
If you could redesign a toy: what would it be, why should it be redesigned, how might you make it better?
Application
Our ideal candidate is a builder at heart – who thrives on making things real. In addition to your resume and cover letter (with pop quiz answer), please submit examples of your work and capabilities – Design projects, mechanisms, electronics, personal projects, shop skills, etc. We look forward to hearing from you
Location
Palo Alto (California), USA.
Check out all the latest design openings on Yanko Design Job Board
Or recruit your ideal candidate by posting a job here!
