Ink Technician

MCC • Mason, OH

2d • Onsite

About The Position

The Ink Technician supports production by preparing and adjusting inks to meet job and customer color specifications, ensuring the correct materials are available when needed, and maintaining ink department equipment and inventory. The role performs equipment preventive maintenance, calibrates color and measurement instruments, prepares drawdowns, supports color adjustments on press, and maintains color standards, formulas, records, and related documentation. It also involves ordering and storing supplies, managing ink inventory and waste, collaborating with purchasing and production, and contributing to lean, 6S, safety, and continuous-improvement activities. The role is based in a manufacturing environment and requires scheduled eight-hour shifts, with weekend work regularly or as needed. Duties may change or additional duties may be assigned.

Requirements

• High school diploma or GED, and/or equivalent knowledge and experience.
• Strong written, verbal, interpersonal, and communication skills.
• Ability to read, write, and comprehend instructions.
• Ability to apply basic algebra and geometry, including fractions, percentages, ratios, and proportions to practical situations.
• Ability to understand and carry out written, oral, or diagram-based instructions using common sense.
• Ability to address problems involving several concrete variables in standardized situations.
• Basic computer skills and knowledge of spreadsheet and word-processing software.
• Strong initiative, problem-solving skills, and resourcefulness.
• Ability to practice and sustain Lean Manufacturing and 6S procedures.
• Ability to work scheduled eight-hour shifts, weekends as scheduled, and varying schedules and hours as needed.
• Ability to meet the physical demands of the role, including prolonged standing; frequent stooping, bending, and kneeling; moderate to frequent walking; frequent lifting up to 40 pounds; and lifting 20 pounds while climbing stairs.
• Ability to wear hearing, foot, and/or other personal protective equipment in a manufacturing setting.
• Vision abilities including close and distance vision, focus adjustment, color-variation discrimination, peripheral vision, and depth perception.

Nice To Haves

• A one- to two-year degree in a printing-related field; equivalent knowledge and experience is considered.

Responsibilities

• Follow and support established ink department procedures.
• Support production operators by ensuring correct job components are available at the point of use and delivered according to production needs.
• Maintain work-center equipment and perform operator preventive maintenance according to the operator PM schedule.
• Report equipment problems promptly and complete work orders as necessary.
• Calibrate Brookfield instruments, spectrophotometers, and pH meters.
• Review daily schedules and dispatch lists to prepare inks for current and upcoming jobs.
• Review job tickets and verify that ink is available and used as specified.
• Prepare drawdowns for inks going to press and adjust them to match customer color specifications.
• Replace returned inks in appropriate storage units, and supply and file color standards as they are issued and returned.
• Assist with color adjustments on press and routinely check press progress.
• Order new and replacement Aniloxes and provide feedback on blade changes or additions needed to achieve color on press.
• Fulfill drawdown requests; create formulas for customer samples and PMS colors, including colors not in the PMS book; and enter formulas into the computer.
• Assist with SDS maintenance and enter new Vision ink codes into the system.
• Approve consignment inventories monthly as required.
• Reuse unused or off-shade inks in new formulas when practical, keep inventory down, and dispose of outdated water-based and UV inks and scents appropriately.
• Receive and store supplies, rotate inventory, date UV materials upon arrival, collaborate with purchasing on vendor supplies, and estimate and order materials for jobs.
• Proactively maintain and control inventory levels and question discrepancies between previous and new orders.
• Enter spectral targets for specific jobs and generate targets for new jobs.
• Supply operators with documentation and maintain ink storage and waste pickups.
• Recommend equipment enhancements, process improvements, and procedure changes to improve the ink department.
• Request help from the Production TRP during peak periods and assist other departments during slow periods or as needed.
• Organize unnecessary equipment and parts and store them in the proper locations.
• Use sound judgment and business-focused tactics to troubleshoot problems and identify opportunities.
• Apply lean philosophy by participating in Kaizen events, improvement activities, and lean initiatives supporting corporate objectives.
• Complete 6S visual scans and follow 6S standards through sustainment activities.
• Participate in Root Cause Countermeasure activities, identify improvement areas, and help put plans in motion.
• Participate in value-stream continuous-improvement efforts to reduce waste and cost, increase speed, and improve on-time delivery.
• Report and participate in safety incident investigations while maintaining a safe work environment.
• Work eight-hour shifts and work weekends as scheduled, regularly or as needed.
• Perform other duties as assigned.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Education Level: High school or GED