Face Designer

About the role

Our designers bring expert-level artistry and technical proficiency, including digital design, traditional painting, airbrushing, flocking, and precise spec writing. The face designer works closely with international partners to translate design vision into manufacturable solutions and to address production questions throughout the development lifecycle. With a deep understanding of cost impacts and feasibility, the team plays a key role in delivering innovative, high-quality products to market. What Your Impact Will Be: The El Segundo Face Design Team excels in managing multiple complex projects with shifting timelines, leveraging expertise in costing and communication. The team provides essential operational support, ensuring continuity and excellence across all phases of product development relating to head and hair. Together, this team combines artistry, precision, and strategic execution to bring characters to life and deliver exceptional consumer experiences across our portfolio. The Face Designer creates face designs ranging from simple to complex, ensuring alignment with brand standards, aesthetic direction, and production requirements. This role balances creativity with cost, manufacturability, and playability, delivering high-quality, production-ready designs that meet Mattel's aesthetic expectations.

Responsibilities

• Create and develop face designs from concept through production readiness
• Collaborate with Designers to ideate and execute simple to complex face designs
• Translate creative direction into designs that meet aesthetic, cost, and manufacturing constraints
• Hand paint faces at a consistent, high-quality level (aligned eye shapes, consistent sizing, accurate color application)
• Create digital face design modified for production readiness
• Execute specialty and novelty paint applications (e.g., color change, glitter)
• Ensure all designs are developed with production feasibility in mind
• Support urgent business needs and reprioritize workload as required
• Contribute to cost improvement goals
• Final Appearance process: Review head with Designer, tag and sign by self and Designer.
• Create spec with photos and upload to Face Design Shared Site using accurate labeling standards.
• Paint Master Release: Create paint master head, review with design for approval, photograph and create Final release Spec. Create Final Release packet for Lead to Release and Ship.
• Know how/where to locate project information within Windchill and Agile (Project Manager, Designer, Plant Source)

Requirements

• Bachelor's Degree or equivalent
• Experience in design, in an artistic capacity
• Strong Microsoft Excel skills and proficiency in Microsoft Office
• Ability to travel as needed (approximately 20% travel)
• Strong understanding of facial design, proportion, and character expression
• Knowledge of current make-up and beauty trends and their application to product design
• Strong communication skills with the ability to collaborate and problem-solve with design partners
• Excellent time management skills with the ability to independently prioritize workload
• Ability to work independently while delivering consistent, production-ready results
• Proficiency in at least two (2) of the following tools: Autodesk Maya
• Adobe Photoshop
• Adobe Illustrator
• Graphic Design, illustration or Fine Art background
• 3D/digital design capabilities
• Detail-oriented with a strong focus on quality, consistency, and playability
• Self-directed and adaptable in a fast-paced environment
• Collaborative and responsive to feedback
• Demonstrated a growth mindset by staying curious and continuously learning, embracing challenges, and improving themselves.
• How We Work:
• We are a purpose driven company aiming to empower generations to explore the wonder of childhood and reach their full potential. We live up to our purpose employing the following behaviors:
• We collaborate: Being a part of Mattel means being part of one team with shared values and common goals. Every person counts and working closely together always brings better results. Partnership is our process and our collective capabilities is our superpower.
• We innovat

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