Plush Designer

Department: Product Development

Location: Remote or Lakewood, NJ

Reports To: President

Travel: Occasional

About BMI Merchandise

For 40 years, BMI Merchandise has been the leader in redemption merchandise and technology, supplying plush, prizes, and novelties to family entertainment centers and arcade operators across the amusement industry. We take the guesswork out of redemption and we're looking for a Plush Designer who wants to shape what comes out of the claw machine next.

Position Summary

The Plush Designer leads the concept-to-shelf development of BMI's plush toy line, translating market trends, sales opportunities, and operator feedback into huggable, sellable products. This role owns the creative and technical design process — from first sketch through factory-ready spec — and partners closely with sourcing, buying, and sales to keep BMI's plush assortment fresh, on-trend, and profitable.

Key Responsibilities

• Design original plush characters and product lines, including concept sketches, color studies, and character personality/story development.
• Create detailed technical specification packages (line drawings, size specs, fabric and trim callouts, safety and fill requirements) for overseas factory production.
• Research redemption, licensing, and consumer plush trends to identify whitespace opportunities for new product lines and seasonal collections.
• Collaborate with sourcing and quality teams throughout sampling, approving pre-production and gold-seal samples against design intent, safety standards (ASTM/CPSC), and cost targets.
• Partner with the buying and marketing teams to align new plush launches with trade show timelines, catalog releases, and eblast/social campaigns.
• Manage multiple design projects simultaneously against tight development calendars and trade show deadlines (IAAPA, Amusement Expo, and others).
• Present new concepts internally and, occasionally, directly to key redemption operator accounts.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Toy Design, Industrial Design, Fashion Design, Illustration, or a related field, or equivalent professional experience.
• 3+ years of experience designing plush, soft goods, or 3D character products, ideally within toys, redemption, or licensed consumer products.
• Strong illustration and technical sketching skills; proficiency in Adobe Illustrator and Photoshop required.
• Working knowledge of plush construction methods, fabrics, and overseas manufacturing processes.
• Familiarity with U.S. toy safety standards (ASTM F963, CPSC) and how they inform design decisions.
• Excellent organizational skills and comfort managing several product lines at different stages of development at once.
• Strong collaborator who can take feedback from sales, buying, and operators and translate it into design direction.

Preferred Skills

• Experience designing for the amusement, redemption, or FEC (family entertainment center) market.
• Basic 3D modeling or pattern-making experience.
• Experience presenting concepts to buyers, licensors, or accounts.

What BMI Offers

• 401k with company match.
• Competitive salary plus travel allowances.
• Health, dental, life, and vision benefits.
• The opportunity to directly shape BMI's plush product line.