Maricar is an Industrial Designer with 8 years of experience spanning consumer goods, electronics, gaming peripherals, audio products, and furniture. Skilled in end-to-end product design (concept to production, packaging, branding, supplier collaboration with Chinese manufacturers) and proficient in Adobe Illustrator, Photoshop, Procreate, Autodesk Fusion (3D CAD), KeyShot, and AutoCAD (basic).

>8 years of experience spanning consumer goods, electronics, gaming peripherals, audio products, and furniture. 
>has experience with product design from concept to production, packaging, branding, and supplier collaboration (including Chinese manufacturers).
 
Employment
Kuiper Ventures LLC (Jan 2024 – May 2025) / Industrial Designer
Line of Business/Product: Plush furniture (US-based, Australian-owned)
Design and develop furniture products and branding elements.
Created product designs, including furniture concepts and branding materials.
Managed supplier communications (mainly Chinese manufacturers), including in-person supplier meetings in China.
Participated in sprint planning and regular project updates.
Reason for Leaving: 80% company layoff due to tariff issues; reduced from 20 employees to 3 core members.
 
 
Sunnies Inc. (Jan 2024 – Jul 2024) /Industrial Designer (part-time)
Line of Business/Product: Merch & packaging (Philippines)
Merch and packaging design for retail brand.
Designed packaging and merchandise collaterals.
Reason for Leaving: Part-time role taken before joining Kuiper Ventures full-time.
 
Music Tribe (Oct 2023 – May 2024) / Industrial Designer (contract)
Line of Business/Product/Country: Audio products (Philippines)
Audio product design and development.
Designed and refined product concepts for amplifiers and related items.
Reason for Leaving: Contract engagement completed.
 
Hanmi Micronics (Nov 2021 – Aug 2023) / Industrial Designer
Line of Business/Product: Gaming peripherals (Philippines)
Developed gaming peripherals such as keyboards and mice.
Delivered production-ready CAD models validated by engineering teams and 3D printing.
Reason for Leaving: Transitioned to freelance opportunities.
 
 
Motive Fit: Prefers long-term roles aligned with her specialty in product and industrial design.
Tools: Adobe Illustrator, Photoshop, Procreate, Autodesk Fusion (3D CAD), KeyShot, Autodesk AutoCAD (basic)
Employmet: Full Time
Shift: Ok with AU hours
Timetracker: Ok to use
Availability: ASAP
Previous Rate: $3,100 USD/month
Asking Rate: $3,200 USD/month
 
 
Screening Questions
1. ‎ Could you walk us through your design experience? What exactly were you in charge of and what did your day-to-day look like?
I started designing after college in 2017 as a junior, working on soft leather products and fabric items. Over time, I transitioned to designing hard products like plastics and general consumer goods. I also did freelance projects, covering electronics, footwear, toys, and more.
The longest experience I had was with an electronic brand designing gaming items (keyboards, mice) and packaging for Sunny Studios, as well as merch and packaging. My last full-time job was fully remote with a U.S.-registered company owned by an Australian CEO, focused on Amazon sales. I also worked directly with Chinese suppliers and even visited China for supplier meetings.
 
2. You’ve had experience working with Chinese suppliers. Can you talk more about those experiences and challenges? Can you share a particular challenge you had with Chinese suppliers and how you resolved it?
The main challenge is the language barrier. I used translation apps and added Chinese translations to instructions. I also provided visual references and explored multiple supplier options to ensure quality. Visiting suppliers in China helped make communication easier and more productive. We had one supplier struggling with a new couch design. They couldn’t match the desired shape despite several samples. I learned sewing and pattern-making myself to bridge the design gap, which improved communication and outcomes.
 
3. Can you share an example where clear communication made a huge impact on a project?
At Hanmi Micronics, we needed a power unit that looked expensive but was low-cost. Typically made of metal, it had to be plastic. I proposed multiple design variations to meet their aesthetic goals while using affordable materials. This solution balanced cost and look.
 
4. Have you had to troubleshoot a design or material issue? How did you resolve it?
Yes, for a couch project, material samples from suppliers felt different in person than expected. Since we were still in development, we adjusted material choices and updated cost estimates accordingly, avoiding major issues before market release.
 
 
 
Culture Fit

1. What are your top "work values" (e.g. Being hard-working, being on-time, being proactive etc.) that you try to strive for as a professional?
   My top values are integrity, collaboration, and accountability.

2. What are the most important learnings you've had in your career?
   My biggest learnings:
   Progress beats perfection - define “good enough,” ship, and iterate;
   Trade‑offs are the job - balance user value, cost, and timeline and document why;

 
Collaboration early - open, honest input across teams prevents rework; and resilience matters - not every test works, so show up, learn fast, and move forward.
3) Who were your top mentors and what did you learn from them?
Senior designer (early mentor): Her morning ritual and habit of “playing with materials” taught me to slow down, step outside, and let small observations spark big ideas - often a tiny change in seam, radius, or texture makes a product look better and build smarter.
Junior teammate (later mentor): Mentoring her also mentored me. She kept me honest about purpose, speed, and what younger users value - comfort, transparency, and sustainability - so my decisions stayed grounded in real priorities.
 
Freediving instructor: He lives simply on an island and helped turn plastic bottles into bricks. From him I learned to design for durability, repair, and community impact—not just to hit a spec.
4) What are your most effective habits that you've learned over the years?
Moving every day and taking short walks in nature clears my head and sparks ideas. I protect deep‑focus blocks and time‑box experiments so I keep momentum instead of chasing perfection. I start with quick sketches and scrappy prototypes, then ask for feedback early to catch issues before they grow. I also end each day by jotting the next three priorities so tomorrow starts fast.