Associate Manager, Play Lab

Company Description

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.

Job Description

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.

Qualifications

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