Associate Designer

Funko Overview

Welcome to the Funko-verse, a world built on pure imagination, a land governed by the philosophy that stories matter, a universe comprised of characters from countless fandoms, a galaxy of once upon a times and happily ever afters.

But what does Funko do?

Funko is a purveyor of pop culture, making and selling license-focused collectibles. We’re based in Everett, WA, where we have a store that delights kids of all ages (kids at heart included). We currently hold hundreds of licenses for franchises ranging from Marvel to Harry Potter, giving us the rights to create tens of thousands of characters—one of the largest portfolios in the pop culture and collectibles industry. We take your favorite characters and turn them into adorable, or sometimes scary, collectible figures. Our most famous line, Pop! Vinyl has millions of fans around the world.

Overview:

The Associate Designer takes the initiative to hone their understanding of the Funko brand esthetic and quality for the licenses they will work on across various product lines. This role designs and creates artwork for a variety of products and lines. This job requires daily interaction with other Designers, Sculptors, Packaging Artists, and Project Managers. They need a solid understanding of the POP rules and stylization when creating their products and will require minimal art direction. The Associate Designer will report to the Art Directors; they will work with the Art Director to achieve creative and artistic goals.

What You’ll Do:

• An Associate Designer will have knowledge and fluency of all Funko brands and form factors, including Pop! rules, and stylization for design.
• Understanding of creative and production processes involved in the production of toys and collectibles across all Funko lines.
• Willingness to take feedback and rework material while maintaining a fresh perspective.
• Communicate progress of work to appropriate production staff and ensure all deadlines are met.
• Ensure all artwork is properly backed up, organized, and stored appropriately.
• When requested, create and present innovative ideas to enhance visual concepts and designs.
• Show strong ability to create and develop concepts and creative ideas through various visual formats within a speedy timeline requiring minimal art direction or critique.
• Vital research and planning skills and the ability to apply these to ongoing Funko projects.
• Has strong communication skills with the ability to work with various people across multiple teams, including sculptors and project managers, to ensure the efficient production of Funko’s product lines.
• Interactions include working with other departments at Funko to help ensure efficiency and attention to detail, so production is smooth and free-flowing.
• Strong drawing skills and a thorough understanding of anatomy and perspective.
• Ability to focus on other areas of Art Creation, including Illustration, Original IP, and Logo Design.
• Will need to have an interest and knowledge of pop culture and entertainment.
• Create detailed turns of the characters to display design work.
• Maintain ownership of work from concept through final delivery while appropriately communicating with supervisor to ensure alignment.

What You’ll Bring:

• 1 to 3 years of related experience as a Concept Artist or Designer within the field of character design and/or toy development.
• A Bachelor’s of Applied Arts Degree or related business experience in the field is highly recommended.
• Thorough design foundation including knowledge of perspective, composition, painting, lighting, and color theory.
• Proficiency in industry-standard programs and software Adobe Photoshop, Illustrator, and other graphic editing/design software. Experience with ZBrush is a plus.
• Strong verbal and written communication skills.
• Is a team player, who genuinely enjoys working with others and collaborating on designs with all creative team designers and directors.
• Versed and on top of current trends (gaming, art, pop culture, design & typography, advertising, sports, automotive, social media, digital, entertainment, etc.).
• Demonstrate ability to translate core branding equities and tone through a variety of design esthetics.
• Openness to learning from others and courage to inspire others.
• Relentless passion and enthusiasm for the work, finding solutions, and always striving to make it better and more impactful.
• You are reliable and passionate about your work and have strong organizational skills with the ability to manage multiple projects, set priorities, and meet deadlines and expectations.
• Works well in a fast-paced production environment under pressure.
• The ability to think and design from concept to finish independently.
• A portfolio that demonstrates the seasoned design and creative skills required.
• Basic knowledge of production tools and pipelines.

Salary Information

The base salary range for this position in the selected city is $27.23 - $34.35 per hour. Compensation may vary outside of this range depending on a number of factors, including a candidate’s qualifications, skills, competencies and experience, and location. Base pay is one part of the Total Package that is provided to compensate and recognize employees for their work, and this role may be eligible for additional discretionary bonuses/incentives.