Kids STEM Subscription Box Design

### About Tinkilabs
We're a Spanish startup creating monthly STEM subscription boxes for kids aged 6-9. Think KiwiCo meets CrunchLabs, but made in Spain with real birch wood, real mechanisms, and zero "educational" fluff. Kids build machines that actually work — then launch, shoot, race and compete with them.

### What We Need
A product designer who can take a reference product, reverse-engineer the mechanism, adapt the design, and deliver production-ready files. We're not looking for an inventor — we're looking for someone who can replicate, remix, and prepare for small-scale manufacturing.

**12 products in the roadmap.** First project: **Tinki Launcher** — a pump-action disc launcher with auto-feeding 6-disc magazine.

### The Work (First Project — Tinki Launcher)

1. **Reverse engineering** — understand the pump-action mechanism, spring compression, auto-feeding selector from visual references we provide
2. **Adaptation** — modify the design to make it original (not a copy) while keeping the core function
3. **Production-ready deliverables:**
- SVG/DXF files for laser cutting in 3mm birch plywood (nested on 300×200mm sheet)
- STL files for 3D printed parts (selector, safety switch)
- Full BOM using our standardized parts catalog (41 standard components)
- Step-by-step assembly sequence (logical order for a child to follow)
- Functional prototype — physical unit shipped to us + photos + video of mechanism working

### Materials You'll Work With
- Birch plywood 3mm (laser cut)
- Clear acrylic 2-3mm (magazine tube + viewing window)
- Nylon/PA6 fasteners (M4 bolts, nuts, spacers — all plastic, KiwiCo-style)
- Steel springs (compression + return)
- EVA foam (discs)
- 3D printed PLA/ABS parts (small mechanical pieces)

### Requirements
- Proven experience with laser cutting and wood design (portfolio with real prototypes required — renders alone won't cut it)
- Proficiency in Fusion 360 or SolidWorks + Inkscape or Illustrator
- Experience with 3D printing (FDM) — designing for printability
- Ability to reverse-engineer mechanisms from photos/videos
- Understanding of design for assembly by children (ages 6-9, no adult help needed)
- EU toy safety knowledge (EN 71) is a plus, not required

### What We're NOT Looking For
- Digital-only designers (UX/UI, graphic, web)
- 3D artists who've never manufactured anything physical
- Fashion, interior, or graphic designers

### Terms
- **First project:** 400-800 € fixed price (Tinki Launcher, all deliverables)
- **Ongoing:** 600-1.200 €/month (2 kits/month × 12 months)
- **Timeline:** 3-4 weeks for first functional prototype
- **Type:** Fixed price per kit, with ongoing retainer option
- **Location:** Remote, async. Weekly video check-ins.

### Why This Is Interesting
- 12 products in the pipeline = 6-12 months of consistent work
- Creative freedom within constraints — adapt, remix, make it yours
- You'll see your designs manufactured and shipped to real kids
- Small, fast-moving team — no corporate BS, quick decisions
- Clear scope per project — no endless revisions

###Screening questions
Send us:
1. **Portfolio** — 3-5 physical products you've designed (real prototype photos, not just CAD renders)
2. **Quote** — fixed price for the Tinki Launcher + monthly rate for 2 kits/month
3. **Timeline** — how long for a functional prototype
4. **Availability** — hours/week you can dedicate