Pre-Press Technician

LV Search Partners•North Las Vegas, NV

23h

About The Position

Summary/Objective The Pre‑Press Technician is responsible for preparing, adjusting, and optimizing artwork for high‑quality printing on Polyethylene tubes for cosmetics. This role ensures that all graphics are correctly adapted to curved and, when applicable, tapered tube surfaces, aligned with seams, shoulders, and print‑safe areas. The technician performs detailed preflight checks, builds and verifies white ink and specialty layer separations, applies distortion compensation, and creates accurate wrap templates to meet the technical requirements of screen and / or off set object printing. The primary objective of this position is to deliver error‑free, press‑ready files that print cleanly, consistently, and in full compliance with brand standards, manufacturing tolerances, and production schedules. Essential Functions Artwork Preparation & Review Receive, evaluate, and prepare customer artwork for print suitability on curved and tapered plastic tube surfaces. Perform detailed preflight checks to identify missing fonts, low‑resolution images, incorrect color spaces, or layout issues. Cylindrical & Tapered Layout Adjustment Apply distortion compensation to ensure artwork appears straight and undistorted once printed on a curved or tapered tube. Align graphics to tube seams, shoulder radius, cap orientation, and defined print‑safe areas. Template & Wrap Development Create and maintain accurate wrap templates based on tube diameter, printable height, seam location, and process limitations. Ensure bleeds, safety margins, and layout guides follow company and customer standards. Color Management & Layer Building Convert and optimize colors for screen UV or off set printing on Polyethylene substrates. Ensure correct use of overprint, knockout, and trapping settings. Imposition & Production Setup Create step‑and‑repeat impositions based on tube circumference, machine repeat length, and rotational registration tolerances. Add necessary press marks, orientation indicators, and production notes for plate and screen makers. Proofing & Quality Verification Produce 2D proofs or mockups for customer or internal review. Verify legibility, color accuracy, seam alignment, and barcode scanability on curved surfaces. File Management & Workflow Execution Prepare and deliver error‑free, press‑ready files according to internal workflow standards and production timelines. Maintain organized digital records, artwork revisions, and version control. Production Collaboration Communicate effectively with designers, customer service teams, and press operators to ensure technical accuracy and resolve file-related issues. Provide guidance on artwork limitations and best practices for tube printing. Equipment & Software Operation Operate and troubleshoot prepress software (e.g., Adobe Illustrator, Photoshop, preflight tools, RIP workflows). Support plate making or digital job setup as required by production method. Quality & Compliance Ensure all output meets quality control standards, regulatory labeling requirements, and customer specifications. Follow company SOPs, safety guidelines, and continuous improvement practices.

Requirements

Technical Expertise Advanced proficiency in Adobe Illustrator, Photoshop, and Acrobat for artwork setup, trapping, and color adjustments.
Knowledge of cylindrical and tapered distortion compensation for printing on curved plastic surfaces.
Strong understanding of color management including spot colors, Pantone matching, ICC profiles, and overprint/knockout behavior.
Experience with RIP workflows and preflight software (e.g., Fiery, Esko, Enfocus PitStop).
Skill in building wrap templates based on tube diameter, seam location, printable height, and process tolerances.
Familiarity with screen and off set processes direct‑to‑object printing processes used for Polyethylene tubes.
Understanding of step‑and‑repeat imposition for circumference‑based printing.
Barcode and data integrity knowledge, including placement on curved substrates for reliable scanability.
Quality and Production Skills Ability to identify and correct file issues such as low resolution, missing fonts, trapping errors, or misalignment.
Strong attention to detail to ensure accurate seam alignment, white ‑ ink choke/spread, and distortion ‑ free artwork.
Competence in producing accurate digital proofs and reviewing 3D mockups when needed.
Understanding of manufacturing tolerances, substrate behaviors (HDPE, LDPE), and curing requirements.
Ability to meet tight deadlines in a fast ‑ paced production environment while maintaining high quality standards.
Communication and Collaboration Clear communication with customer service, designers, account managers, and press operators.
Ability to explain artwork limitations, color expectations, and print constraints to internal teams and clients.
Strong documentation and file ‑ tracking habits, including version control and organized handoffs.
Problem Solving and Analytical Skills Ability to diagnose color shifts, registration issues, and file structure problems.
Creative thinking to find solutions for challenging artwork on curved, flexible surfaces.
Strong troubleshooting skills for RIP errors, template issues, and process inconsistencies.

Responsibilities

Artwork Preparation & Review Receive, evaluate, and prepare customer artwork for print suitability on curved and tapered plastic tube surfaces.
Perform detailed preflight checks to identify missing fonts, low‑resolution images, incorrect color spaces, or layout issues.
Cylindrical & Tapered Layout Adjustment Apply distortion compensation to ensure artwork appears straight and undistorted once printed on a curved or tapered tube.
Align graphics to tube seams, shoulder radius, cap orientation, and defined print‑safe areas.
Template & Wrap Development Create and maintain accurate wrap templates based on tube diameter, printable height, seam location, and process limitations.
Ensure bleeds, safety margins, and layout guides follow company and customer standards.
Color Management & Layer Building Convert and optimize colors for screen UV or off set printing on Polyethylene substrates.
Ensure correct use of overprint, knockout, and trapping settings.
Imposition & Production Setup Create step‑and‑repeat impositions based on tube circumference, machine repeat length, and rotational registration tolerances.
Add necessary press marks, orientation indicators, and production notes for plate and screen makers.
Proofing & Quality Verification Produce 2D proofs or mockups for customer or internal review.
Verify legibility, color accuracy, seam alignment, and barcode scanability on curved surfaces.
File Management & Workflow Execution Prepare and deliver error‑free, press‑ready files according to internal workflow standards and production timelines.
Maintain organized digital records, artwork revisions, and version control.
Production Collaboration Communicate effectively with designers, customer service teams, and press operators to ensure technical accuracy and resolve file-related issues.
Provide guidance on artwork limitations and best practices for tube printing.
Equipment & Software Operation Operate and troubleshoot prepress software (e.g., Adobe Illustrator, Photoshop, preflight tools, RIP workflows).
Support plate making or digital job setup as required by production method.
Quality & Compliance Ensure all output meets quality control standards, regulatory labeling requirements, and customer specifications.
Follow company SOPs, safety guidelines, and continuous improvement practices.