Designer, Design & Development (Toys)

Location: Universal City, California, United States. Hybrid schedule requiring office work a minimum of four days per week; travel may be required.

Salary: $72,000–$85,000 per year.

Company

hirify.global is a media and entertainment company developing and distributing film, television, streaming, theme park, consumer product, and gaming experiences through brands including Universal Pictures, DreamWorks Animation, and Universal Destinations & Experiences.

What you will do

• Develop innovative toy concepts and guide licensed products from early ideation through production.
• Partner with toy licensees throughout product development, providing creative direction through draw-overs, visual references, design notes, and product approval systems.
• Translate characters, stories, and franchise attributes into product features, play patterns, and collectible experiences.
• Create concept sketches, product renderings, mood boards, visual storytelling, technical design materials, and presentations.
• Lead design projects with internal and external cross-functional teams while balancing product objectives, consumer needs, and timelines.
• Use research, consumer insights, trends, competitive products, and cultural influences to identify white-space opportunities and shape product innovation.

Requirements

• 3+ years of design and development experience.
• Bachelor’s or Associate’s degree, preferably in toy design, industrial design, product design, or graphic design.
• Excellent communication and presentation skills, including the ability to provide clear, thoughtful creative art direction to partners and vendors.
• Ability to prioritize and multitask in a dynamic, deadline-driven environment with multiple product development calendars.
• Strong organizational, interpersonal, and detail-oriented skills for collaboration across multifunctional departments.
• Understanding of age-appropriate play patterns and experience with preschool, plush, playset, action figure, vehicle, role-play, collectible, or related toy categories.
• Curiosity about consumer behavior, emerging toy trends, technology, innovation, and new ways to play.
• Proficiency in Photoshop, Illustrator, Keynote, and relevant product-development software.
• Ability and willingness to learn and integrate company-approved AI workflows.

Nice to have

• Experience with licensed entertainment IP, style guides, and character-driven product development.
• Portfolio examples involving toy, children’s, character-based, or other three-dimensional product design.

Culture & Benefits

• Hybrid work arrangement with a minimum of four office days per week; office requirements may change.
• Company-sponsored medical, dental, and vision insurance.
• 401(k), paid leave, tuition reimbursement, discounts, and other benefits.
• Collaborative work with toy licensees and cross-functional Category, Retail, Franchise, and product-development teams.

Hiring process

• Submit a professional portfolio showing product ideation, sketching, creative problem-solving, and design development.
• Portfolio work should demonstrate the full product lifecycle from concept to shelf, including sketches, trend research, pattern and print development, overlays or redlines, technical design packages, sampling iterations, and final products.
• All submitted work must be original and clearly identify the candidate’s individual design contributions; external candidates may be required to attend an in-person interview.