About Learning Resources

We are on a mission to bring learning to life! We are Learning Resources® , and we have been helping parents and teachers build generations of amazing kids since 1984. Voted among the Chicago Tribune’s Top Workplaces in 2020, 2021 and 2022, we’re a 150-person strong, family-owned company on a mission to bring learning to life with our award-winning products, including Toy of the Year winners Tumble Trax®, Botley® the Coding Robot, and Coding Critters™. From ABCs and 123s to fine motor and STEM skills, our educational toys offer kids the building blocks they need to succeed in school and develop a lifelong love of learning. We pride ourselves on being committed to our employee’s personal and professional development, a thriving culture and a diverse, creative atmosphere. Along with our culture and competitive benefits package, we offer opportunities for training and development by Harvard and UCLA professors as well as in-demand, motivating external speakers. We are looking for professionals who are truly just kids at heart! We hope you’ll come join our award-winning team today!

Team & Position Description

We are seeking an Industrial Designer I to join our dynamic design team! What makes us stand out? We create award-winning, durable, and fun products for teachers, parents, children, and pets. Join us and be a part of something awesome!

What You’ll Do Day To Day

Create sketches, 3D models, renderings, and specification documents to communicate design concepts both internally and with outside vendors.
Develop new products under the guidance of senior team members.
Operate 3D printers to create models for reviewing assembly, user testing, and presentations.
Support user testing and online surveys to validate design concepts.
Participate in cross functional product brainstorming sessions, contributing innovative ideas and solutions.
Participate in design reviews and provide constructive feedback to improve designs.

What We’re Looking For (Key Performance Objectives)

Aid in designing and prototyping 13-18 products annually within timelines of product delivery. This will be a combination of children’s and pet products.
Prepare 3-5 concepts for user testing through prototyping or renderings to build user testing data.
Gain proficiency in 3D printers and prototyping within the first 90 days.
Conduct thorough research on the latest trends in the toy industry to inspire and develop innovative product ideas. This involves engaging in trend research 2-3 times per year.
Perform in-depth research on the latest trends in the pet industry to generate and develop innovative product ideas. This entails conducting trend research 1-2 times annually.
Participate in 1-2 continuous improvement projects within the product development and industrial design team annually.
Incorporate feedback from collaborative sessions into your idea generation process, showing adaptability and refinement based on team input.
Prepare finished renderings for presentations, product reviews, and sales presentations 3-4 times annually.

Preferred Qualifications

Experience with plastic materials and general manufacturing process.
BS/BA in Industrial Design, toy design or equivalent.
Able to solve problems creatively and/or knowing when to seek help.
Ability to quickly iterate design concepts, either through sketch or 3d modelling.
Proficient in 3D CAD (Rhinoceros preferred) and rendering software (KeyShot)
Portfolio demonstrating innovative thinking with on-trend designs in consumer products, preferably with some toy design.

We are a drug-free workplace and an EEO employer.

Please note: This role will be filled by our internal recruitment team, so no assistance is needed from any outside staffing agency at this time.

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Industrial Designer I

Industrial Designer