What are the responsibilities and job description for the Wide Prepress Specialist position at SAS Graphic Supply?
Graphic Prepress Specialist
Position Summary
The Graphic Prepress Specialist is a senior-level production graphics professional responsible for preparing, verifying, and optimizing customer artwork and production files for wide-format digital printing, vehicle graphics, signage, displays, dye sublimation textiles, and commercial print applications. This position serves as a technical resource for sales, customer service, designers, and production personnel to ensure accurate, efficient, and high-quality output across multiple printing platforms and substrates.
Essential Duties and Responsibilities
- Review customer artwork and specifications for print readiness and compliance with company production standards.
- Prepare production-ready files for printing on:
- Adhesive vinyl
- Vehicle wrap materials
- Banners
- Window films
- Paper-based products
- Polyester and dye sublimation fabrics
- Rigid display materials
- Create, modify, and troubleshoot artwork using Adobe Illustrator, Photoshop, InDesign, and Acrobat.
- Perform advanced preflight inspections including:
- Resolution verification
- Bleed and trim setup
- Font management
- Transparency and overprint checks
- Spot color verification
- File optimization
- Generate accurate proofs, mockups, and production layouts for customer approval.
- Prepare contour-cut files for digital finishing equipment and plotters.
- Manage color consistency across multiple print technologies and substrates.
- Create layouts and production files for:
- Fleet and vehicle graphics
- Wall murals
- Retail signage
- Trade show displays
- Architectural graphics
- Point-of-purchase displays
- Textile graphics and soft signage
- Operate and maintain RIP workflows including nesting, tiling, paneling, scaling, and color profiling.
- Troubleshoot file issues, RIP errors, print quality concerns, and production bottlenecks.
- Collaborate with production staff to ensure jobs are manufactured according to customer specifications.
- Verify production tickets, material specifications, finishing requirements, and installation instructions.
- Provide technical support and mentorship to junior prepress personnel.
- Assist in developing and improving workflow automation and production efficiencies.
- Maintain digital archive systems and job documentation.
Required Qualifications
- Associate degree in Graphic Arts, Graphic Communications, Design, Printing Technology, or equivalent experience.
- 5 years of progressively responsible experience in prepress, digital printing, sign production, or wide-format graphics.
- Advanced proficiency in:
- Adobe Illustrator
- Adobe Photoshop
- Adobe InDesign
- Adobe Acrobat Pro
- Thorough understanding of:
- CMYK, RGB, and Pantone color systems
- ICC profiling and color management
- PDF workflows
- Variable scaling and large-format production requirements
- Print resolution standards for multiple viewing distances
- Experience preparing files for contour cutting and digital finishing systems.
Preferred Qualifications
- Experience with RIP software including:
- ONYX
- Caldera
- EFI Fiery
- Wasatch
- Experience supporting:
- HP Latex printers
- UV printers
- Eco-solvent printers
- Dye sublimation printers
- Knowledge of:
- Vehicle wrap production
- Soft signage and textile graphics
- Large-format finishing equipment
- Installation requirements and production tolerances
- Understanding of color calibration tools and spectrophotometers.
Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities
- Expert attention to detail and quality control.
- Strong understanding of wide-format production workflows.
- Ability to manage multiple projects in a fast-paced manufacturing environment.
- Excellent troubleshooting and problem-solving skills.
- Strong communication and customer service abilities.
- Ability to prioritize work and consistently meet production deadlines.
- Leadership skills with the ability to mentor team members and support continuous improvement initiatives.
Physical Requirements
- Ability to accurately distinguish colors.
- Prolonged computer use.
- Occasional lifting of media rolls and production materials up to 40 pounds.
- Ability to work in an office and production environment.
Typical Position Level
This position functions as a senior prepress expert and is expected to independently manage complex customer projects, support production troubleshooting, and provide technical leadership within the graphics and print production department.