3D Designer & Engineer Needed for 3D-Printed Toy Brand

About Us We are CritterPods™ — a fast-growing, family-run toy brand that creates screen-free animal playsets designed by our daughter and printed by our family. You can see our full collection at critterpods.com. Each CritterPod™ is a self-contained pocket-sized world: a themed Pod (container) that holds five chunky animal Critters inside. Think a Polar Igloo with a built-in slide and a Penguin, Seal, Polar Bear, Orca, and Narwhal tucked inside — or a Dinosaur Volcano with flowing lava detail housing a T-Rex, Triceratops, and three more dinos. We currently have 9 complete playsets and are actively expanding the collection. We are looking for a long-term design partner to grow with us. What We Need We are looking for a rare hybrid: someone who is both a skilled 3D sculptor/artist AND has a solid mechanical/product design background. You need to understand how things physically go together — tolerances, snap-fit connections, moving parts — not just how they look on screen. Each CritterPod™ has two components, though not every project will require both: 🐾 The Pod (Container) — A themed enclosure (igloo, volcano, submarine, barn, etc.) that often includes interactive mechanical features such as hinges, sliding doors, spinning propellers, or pull-out inserts. These must be engineered to print cleanly on an FDM printer and function reliably in the hands of a child. This is the primary and most consistent need. 🐾 The Critters (Animals) — Five chunky, stylized animal figures per set. We source many of our Critters through commercial licenses, so original sculpting is only needed when we cannot find an existing model that fits our aesthetic. When sculpting is required, the animals must be cute, kid-friendly, and sized to fit perfectly inside their Pod. Your Responsibilities Design and model new Pod containers based on our creative briefs Sculpt original Critter figures on an as-needed basis when commercial license options don't meet our needs Engineer mechanical features (hinges, moving parts, snap-fits) with proper FDM tolerances Ensure all five Critters fit neatly inside their Pod for storage and travel Deliver print-ready files (STL or equivalent) optimized for FDM printing Iterate based on test print feedback — we print everything in-house Required Skills Strong organic 3D sculpting ability (characters, animals, stylized forms) Mechanical/product design experience — you understand tolerances and how physical parts fit together Deep knowledge of FDM 3D printing constraints and design-for-manufacturing (DFM) Proficiency in Blender, ZBrush, Fusion 360, SolidWorks, or equivalent tools Ability to maintain a consistent visual style across both containers and characters How We Work We work on a fixed-price, per-set basis. The first contract will be a paid trial — one complete CritterPod™ set (1 Pod + 5 Critters) — so we can evaluate fit and quality before committing to an ongoing partnership. If the work is great, we have a full pipeline of new sets ready to go. We are a small family business, so clear communication, reasonable turnaround times, and a collaborative attitude matter a lot to us. To Apply, Please Include: A portfolio link showing BOTH organic/character sculpting AND mechanical or functional 3D product designs At least one example of a design you have successfully 3D printed (photos of the physical print are a huge plus) A brief note on your experience designing for FDM printing Your favorite animal — just so we know you read this far 🐾 We can't wait to see your work!