Product Designer - Bedding

Jazwares, LLC • Minneapolis, MN

14h • Hybrid

About The Position

The Product Designer will successfully design and develop innovative, high-quality products for our exciting new bedding brand, SquishPillow. This role requires a balance of creative thinking, comfort-driven textile design, and strategic execution to support and align with brand objectives. The ideal candidate possesses a user-centric mindset, strong problem-solving abilities, and a passion for turning playful concepts into cozy, tangible products.

Requirements

• Bachelor’s Degree in Textile Design, Industrial Design, Toy Design, or an industry-relevant field is a plus
• 3+ years of relevant experience, ideally with a focus on soft goods, plush, bedding, or children's home furnishings
• 1+ years of experience working with global manufacturing factories (Asia preferred)
• Strong understanding of soft-goods manufacturing, fabrications (such as ultra-soft micro-fibers, plush knits), and pattern-making
• Exhibit interest and knowledge of the current trends/innovations as well as an understanding the competitive marketplace in the toy industry
• Proactively observes and gain understanding of the competitive marketplace including current trends and innovation
• Computer proficiency in Microsoft Office & G-Suite
• Strong proficiency in Adobe Creative Suite (illustrator, photoshop, and InDesign) or other similar tools
• Strong project management skills
• Able to work cross functionally and reciprocally with multiple departments
• Able to work independently or collaboratively
• Knowledge of materials and multiple manufacturing processes
• Knowledge of working with licensed brands
• Exceptional visual, verbal, and written communication skills
• Able to multitask, organize, prioritize, and manage time efficiently
• Demonstrates a strong design sense, including a well-developed sense of aesthetics

Responsibilities

• Instrumental in generating new bedding, plush pillow, and home-textile concepts that translate character IP into comfortable, functional play-and-rest experiences.
• Deliver end to end product design including research, concepts, prototypes, and user testing
• Champion great design in our high-quality products and help assure they are within target cost and QA/QC requirements
• Create innovative comfort and bedding systems centered around premium materials, tactile usability, and superior aesthetics
• Builds consensus between members throughout the design process
• Work collaboratively with your branding, product management, engineering, packaging, licensor, and other internal team partners to create product that is the best fit for the brand and meets licensor requirements
• Attend Brand brainstorming to obtain enough information for product design
• Successfully present and communicate concepts to the brand, development, management, and licensor teams
• Ensure delivery of precise, clear, and complete product turnover specifications and ensure they fully understood by the international team/factory
• Work with outside vendors
• Collaborate on material selection, fabric sourcing, and fill specifications to ensure all SquishPillow products meet strict standards for softness, durability, and safety.
• Responsible for completing, reviewing, documenting specification changes, submitting for licensor approval, and providing comments for illustrative turns, sculpts, paint masters, and sample reviews
• Work closely with brand/management teams to resolve development issues, while assuring designs meet the target cost, schedule, and brand standards
• Participate in the entire life cycle of project development from a concept through initial ideation, refinement, prototype execution, and turn over packages to development teams
• Champion high quality designs and products that are within target cost and QA/QC requirements
• Collaborate with packaging design team to assure product and packaging are aligned
• Perform other duties as assigned

Benefits

• Basic medical insurance that is 100% company-paid for employees and their children
• Employee basic life and AD&D insurance
• 401(K) retirement program with Jazwares matching up to 4% of pretax or post-tax deferrals
• Short and long-term disability
• Tuition reimbursement
• Flexible work schedule
• Monday through Thursday on-site, with an optional WFH on Fridays
• Up to 20 workdays fully remote each year
• Time Off for vacation and sick leave
• Opportunity to volunteer for up to 16 hours a year on community service projects

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Mid Level