Toy Designer

Job Description

Job Description

Job Title: Toy Designer

Location: Lakewood, NJ

Hire Type: Direct Hire

Pay Range: $70,000 - $90,000

Work Type: Full-Time

Work Model: Remote

Work Schedule: Monday-Friday, 8am – 5pm

Recruiter Contact: Karissa Lubberts | View phone number on us.fitly.work| View email address on us.fitly.work

Nature & Scope:

Positional Overview

The Imagine Group is recruiting for a Toy Designer on behalf of our client, a leader in redemption merchandise and technology, supplying plush items, toys, prizes, and novelties to family entertainment centers across the amusement industry. If you’re looking to shape what comes out of the claw machine next, this is the role for you!

In this role, you will be responsible for conceiving, developing, and bringing to market new toys and prizes across BMI's redemption product line, including plush, capsule toys, crane kits, novelties, and general hardgoods. This role owns the design process end-to-end — from initial concept sketches and trend research through technical specifications, factory sampling, and final production approval — ensuring every item is on-trend, cost-effective, safety-compliant, and ready to perform on a redemption counter.

Role & Responsibility:

Tasks That Will Lead to Your Success :

• Design original toy and prize concepts across multiple redemption categories — plush, capsule toys, crane kits, novelties, and hardgoods — from initial sketch through final approved artwork.
• Develop color palettes, structural details, and material choices (molded plastic, die-cast, plush, electronics) that balance visual appeal with manufacturability and cost.
• Create detailed design packages, spec sheets, CAD drawings, and technical documentation that factories can execute accurately.
• Maintain a consistent design calendar aligned with seasonal launches, trade show timing, and buying team needs across all product categories.
• Partner directly with overseas factories to translate concepts into first-round prototypes, tooling, and samples.
• Review and redline factory samples for color accuracy, structural integrity, safety, and fidelity to the original design intent.
• Coordinate material, trim, and component selections that meet BMI's cost targets and durability standards.
• Support occasional factory visits to review production quality, tooling progress, and troubleshoot sampling issues on-site.
• Track toy, novelty, and character trends across pop culture, licensing, and the broader toy industry to keep BMI's line ahead of the curve.
• Attend industry and toy trade shows to scout emerging styles, competitor lines, and new manufacturing capabilities.
• Recommend new product concepts, categories, sizes, and price points based on redemption operator feedback and sell-through data.
• Work closely with the buying team to align new product designs with catalog strategy, pricing tiers, and seasonal assortments.
• Partner with marketing to supply artwork and product imagery for catalogs, email blasts, and trade show materials.
• Collaborate with quality assurance and sourcing on compliance testing (CPSIA, ASTM F963) prior to production release.

Skills & Experience

Qualifications That Will Help You Thrive

• 3+ years of experience designing toys, novelties, or consumer products, ideally spanning multiple categories (plush, hardgoods, capsule/vending items).
• Strong portfolio demonstrating original product design, illustration, and manufacturing knowledge across varied materials.
• Proficiency with design software (Adobe Illustrator, Photoshop, or equivalent) and familiarity with CAD tools for structural design.
• Understanding of toy manufacturing processes, materials, and factory sampling workflows.
• Strong attention to detail and ability to manage multiple design projects across product categories against overlapping deadlines.

Preferred

• Experience designing for redemption, amusement, or arcade prize industry specifically.
• Familiarity with licensed character guidelines and working within brand style guides.
• Experience communicating directly with overseas factories on sampling, tooling, and revisions.
• Bachelor's degree in Toy Design, Industrial Design, Illustration, or a related field.