Associate Manager, Play Lab

CREATIVITY IS OUR SUPERPOWER.It's our heritage and it's also our future. Because we don't just make toys. We create innovative products and experiences that inspire fans, entertain audiences and develop children through play. Mattel is at its best when every member of our team feels respected, included, and heard-when everyone can show up as themselves and do their best work every day. We value and share an infinite range of ideas and voices that evolve and broaden our perspectives with a reach that extends into all our brands, partners, and suppliers.

The Opportunity:

The Associate Manager, Play Lab supports the design and execution of research and play testing initiatives with children and families to inform product development and innovation. This role blends child development expertise with qualitative research skills to help uncover insights that shape new toy concepts and play experiences. Responsibilities include moderating user testing sessions, assisting with trend analysis and foresight programs, coordinating logistics for in-home and onsite testing, and supporting internal workshops and design sprints. The Associate Manager also helps train and mentor junior staff, collaborates cross-functionally with design and insights teams, and contributes to creating a child-centered, future-focused innovation culture.

What Your Impact Will Be:

• Support qualitative research initiatives that take place in Mattel's Play Lab & Imagination Center, Mattel's onsite and virtual focus group & research facilities, as well as off-site venues throughout the greater Los Angeles area.
  • Collaborate with global consumer insights analysts to coordinate qualitative research events. Provide input on methodology, screeners, recruitment, and discussion guides, especially for child and family participants.
  • Independently moderate a variety of qualitative research formats such as focus groups, usability testing, ethnographies, dyads, and interviews with minimal oversight.
  • Contribute to the development of training materials for moderators and assist in onboarding new moderators and analysts in best practices.
  • Assist with the preparation and delivery of research presentations and reports to teams and stakeholders.
  • Travel as needed to support or conduct off-site research within Los Angeles or across the U.S.
  • Assist in managing the In-Home Testing Program logistics including timelines, questionnaire support, and participant recruitment.
  • Assist in facilitating design sprints, brainstorms & workshops related to design innovation.
  • Assist in teaching human centered design practices.
  • Partner with Innovation Accelerator Team partners, including Creation Station for prototyping, Inventor Relations & Innovation Programs.
• Assist in operations and scheduling of the Imagination Center's testing calendar and participant recruitment for both onsite, virtual, and occasional offsite engagements.
  • Coordinate with the recruitment team to maintain and grow the participant database through community outreach and digital campaigns.
  • Support recruitment and session logistics for weekly user testing events.
  • Help lead weekly planning and recruitment meetings.
  • Provide support for maintenance and operation of A/V, UX, and testing room infrastructure; liaise with IT and Facilities as needed.
  • Oversee participant incentive and testing logistics, ensuring readiness for sessions through coordination with junior team members and vendors.
• Foster human-centered research and consumer empathy throughout the organization.
  • Represent the voice of the consumer and provide insight into the experiences of children and families.
  • Participate in team meetings and cross-functional collaborations.
  • Build relationships with teams across the Global Consumer Insights network, including China Play Lab and Fisher-Price Play Lab.
  • Support organization-wide initiatives related to child-centric values and philanthropic outreach.

What We're Looking For:

Skills

• Solid foundation in qualitative research techniques
• Working knowledge of quantitative data and ability to support data triangulation
• Strong understanding of child development and children's play behavior
• Effective communicator with ability to engage a variety of stakeholders
• Collaborative team player with growing leadership capabilities
• Familiarity with UX testing tools and A/V technologies used in research
• Strong organizational and multitasking skills
• Budgeting & project tracking management skills
• Ability to take initiative and drive small-to-medium scale projects independently or with limited oversight

Education & Experience

• 5-7 years of experience conducting primary research, including with children and families
• Bachelor's degree in Psychology, Child Development, Human-Centered Design, or a related field
• Experience in a child-facing educational or clinical environment
• Ability to mentor, guide, and lead other team members as team leader
• Trained moderator preferred (RIVA, Burke Institute, or similar training a plus)
• Familiarity with the toy industry or children's consumer products is a plus
• Experience with Qualtrics or similar survey platforms
• Experience using Zoom, Teams & MS Suite, including Excel & Outlook
• Experience with creating deliverables in MS PPT, Canva & Adobe Suite
• Comfortable using Miro for virtual brainstorming
• Experience with project management tools like Monday.com

The annual base salary range for this position is between $110,000 and $137,000.

**This range is indicative of projected hiring range, however annual base salary will be determined based on a candidate's work location, skills and experience.Mattel offers competitive total pay programs, comprehensive benefits, and resources to help empower a culture where every employee can reach their full potential.

Don't meet every single requirement?At Mattel, we are dedicated to an inclusive workplace and a culture of belonging. If you're excited about this role but your past experience doesn't align perfectly with every qualification in the job description, we still encourage you to apply. You may be just the right candidate for this or other roles.

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 innovate:At Mattel we always aim to find new and better ways to create innovative products and experiences. No matter where you work in the organization, you can always make a difference and have real impact. We welcome new ideas and value new initiatives that challenge conventional thinking.
• We execute:We are a performance-driven company. We strive for excellence and are focused on pursuing best-in-class outcomes. We believe in accountability and ownership and know that our people are at their best when they are empowered to create and deliver results.

Our Approach to Flexible Work:

We embrace a flexible work model designed to empower a culture of growth, optimism, and wellbeing, where every employee can reach their full potential. Combining purposeful in-person collaboration with flexibility, our focus is to optimize performance and drive connection for moments that matter.

Who We Are:

Mattel is a leading global toy and family entertainment company and owner of one of the most iconic brand portfolios in the world. We engage consumers and fans through our franchise brands, including Barbie, Hot Wheels, Fisher-Price, American Girl, Thomas & Friends, UNO, Masters of the Universe, Matchbox, Monster High, MEGA and Polly Pocket, as well as other popular properties that we own or license in partnership with global entertainment companies. Our offerings include toys, content, consumer products, digital and live experiences.Our products are sold in collaboration with the world's leading retail and ecommerce companies. Since its founding in 1945, Mattel is proud to be a trusted partner in empowering generations to explore the wonder of childhood and reach their full potential.

Mattel's award-winning workplace culture has been recognized by Forbes, Fast Company, Newsweek, Great Place to Work, TIME, and more.

Visit us athttps://jobs.mattel.com/andwww.instagram.com/MattelCareers.

Mattel is an Equal Opportunity Employer where we want you to bring your authentic self to work every day. We welcome all job seekers, and all applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, ethnicity, color, national origin, religion, sex, gender, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, veteran and protected veteran status, disability status, and or any other basis protected by applicable federal, state or local law.

Pursuant to the Los Angeles Fair Chance Ordinance and the California Fair Chance Act, qualified applicants with arrest or conviction records will be considered for employment.

Videos to watch:
The Culture at Mattel
Corporate Philanthropy