Team & Position Description:

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 for the last five consecutive years, we’re a 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 employees’ 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 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!

What We Offer:

• A dynamic, fun, and collaborative team culture that encourages creativity and innovation.
• Competitive salary and benefits, along with opportunities for personal and professional development.
• The chance to work on a diverse range of toy brands, including pet toys, and help shape the retail presence of a growing, innovative company.

If you're passionate about packaging design and want to make an impact in an innovative, family-oriented company, we’d love to hear from you!

What we’re looking for (Key Performance Objectives):

1. Packaging Design and Development:
   • Lead the design and development of innovative and sustainable packaging solutions for a diverse range of toy products, ensuring the packaging meets brand aesthetics, functional requirements, and retail expectations. We are looking for someone with experience designing open packaging structures that are on trend and resonate with consumers, making products stand out on retail shelves.
   • You will have the opportunity to work on multiple child toy brands and a pet toy line, collaborating across teams to create engaging, consumer-friendly packaging for playful and educational products.
   • KPI: Complete 100% of packaging designs within project deadlines, maintaining a 95% approval rate from design and marketing teams.

2. Sustainability Initiatives:

   • Drive efforts to incorporate sustainable materials and practices in packaging design, aiming to reduce waste and improve recyclability across all products.
   • KPI: Increase sustainable material usage by 15% year-over-year, ensuring 100% implementation for all new product lines.

3. Collaboration with Cross-Functional Teams:

   • Work closely with product designers, marketing, and supply chain teams to ensure packaging meets branding, cost, and manufacturing requirements, fostering open communication across all teams.
   • KPI: Ensure 100% of packaging solutions align with product and brand guidelines, maintaining open communication with cross-functional teams to meet project milestones.

4. Prototype Development and Iteration:

   • Develop prototypes of new packaging concepts, iterating on designs through physical mockups and testing. Lead iterative improvements based on feedback to finalize packaging solutions.
   • KPI: Achieve a 90% success rate for packaging prototypes passing durability and transport tests on the first attempt.

5. Cost Optimization and Process Improvement:

   • Continuously evaluate and improve packaging processes to reduce costs, enhance efficiency, and ensure product quality.
   • KPI: Identify and implement at least three cost-saving packaging improvements annually, contributing to overall production efficiency.

6. Compliance with Industry Standards:

   • Ensure all packaging designs comply with global safety and environmental standards, including labeling requirements and child safety regulations.
   • KPI: Achieve 100% compliance with international toy packaging standards and regulations across all product lines.

Requirements:

Education:

• Bachelor's degree in Packaging Engineering/Design, Industrial Design with a Packaging Focus, or a related field.

Experience:

• 3-5 years of experience in packaging design, development, and testing, specifically for toys or playful consumer-facing product lines. Experience designing retail packaging for toys will be highly preferred, but candidates with experience in similar industries (such as games, pet products, or other child-focused products) are also encouraged to apply.
• Experience with materials selection, structural packaging design, and packaging production processes (e.g., die-cutting, thermoforming, injection molding).
• Proven ability to manage multiple projects simultaneously and meet deadlines in a fast-paced environment.
• Experience designing open, consumer-facing packaging structures that engage and resonate with consumers, and creating packaging solutions that align with current retail trends.

Technical Skills:

• Proficiency in CAD software (e.g., ArtiosCAD, Rhino, Keyshot) for creating 3D packaging designs, dielines, retailer-facing packaging/planogram renders, and experience creating technical packaging specifications.
• Familiarity with sustainable packaging materials and practices, aiming to design packaging solutions that are both functional and environmentally responsible.
• Strong understanding of manufacturing processes and supply chain impacts on packaging, ensuring packaging can be efficiently produced and transported without compromising product quality.
• Experience working with vendors and suppliers to develop and source packaging components.
• Knowledge of packaging testing protocols (e.g., ISTA standards) to ensure durability and compliance.

Portfolio Submission:

• Applicants are required to submit a portfolio or samples of retail packaging work (ideally in the toy industry or playful consumer-facing products) that demonstrates innovative design, creativity, and an understanding of the retail space. This could include actual packaging designs, prototypes, or a design-focused case study.

Ideal Attributes:

• Creative Thinker: Ability to generate innovative packaging solutions that provide a competitive edge in the retail environment.
• Team Player: Experience working in a collaborative, cross-functional team, with strong interpersonal and communication skills to share ideas and feedback.
• Proactive and Resourceful: Ability to take the initiative, solve problems, and make solid decisions throughout the packaging design process.
• Deadline-Oriented: Ability to manage multiple projects simultaneously, adhering to timelines and ensuring packaging is delivered on schedule.
• Detail-Oriented: Ability to maintain a high standard of work, ensuring quality, compliance, and functionality across all packaging designs.

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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