Digital Roll-Fed Press and Finishing Line Operator

Digital Roll-Fed Press and Finishing Line Operator

Job Title: Digital Roll-Fed Press and Finishing Line Operator

Location: Pittsburgh, PA 15238

Client: PrintTech

Website: PrintTech

Pay: From $23.00 to $25.00+ per hour (depending on shift/experience)

Hours: Full-time, no less than 40 hours per week (Night shift required)

Benefits: 401(k) matching, health insurance, dental insurance, vision insurance, and paid time off.

About the Client

PrintTech is a commercial printing and manufacturing company focused on high-quality digital print production and efficient finishing operations. The company operates high-speed digital printing equipment and integrated finishing systems to support demanding production schedules and customer requirements.

Job Summary

We are seeking an experienced Digital Roll-Fed Press and Finishing Line Operator to operate high-speed digital roll-fed printing equipment and associated finishing systems.

The ideal candidate will have hands-on experience with continuous-feed or roll-fed digital presses, production finishing equipment, quality control, and mechanical troubleshooting. This person will be responsible for setting up jobs, monitoring press and finishing-line performance, maintaining print quality, troubleshooting equipment issues, and ensuring finished products meet customer specifications.

Experience with Canon 3133 or similar production digital presses is highly desirable.

Key Responsibilities

Press Operation & Setup

Set up and operate high-speed roll-fed digital printing equipment.

Load rolls, thread paper paths, configure job parameters, and monitor press performance.

Set up jobs according to job tickets, production specifications, substrate requirements, and finishing requirements.

Monitor press speed, paper tension, registration, color, and overall print quality.

Perform routine cleaning, calibration, adjustments, and component replacement.

Print Quality & Production Control

Perform ongoing quality checks for color consistency, registration, banding, artifacts, and substrate performance.

Identify and correct print-quality issues during production.

Maintain accurate production counts, machine settings, maintenance records, and quality documentation.

Ensure production runs efficiently while minimizing waste and downtime.

Finishing Operations

Operate and adjust inline or near-line finishing equipment.

Set up equipment for cutting, slitting, perforating, trimming, folding, and related finishing requirements.

Coordinate press and finishing-line speeds to maintain proper tension, alignment, and product quality.

Inspect finished products for trimming accuracy, fold quality, perforation alignment, and overall finishing quality.

Troubleshoot jams, misfeeds, alignment problems, and mechanical issues.

Production Coordination

Work closely with prepress, scheduling, bindery, and finishing teams to ensure smooth workflow.

Communicate job status, quality issues, equipment concerns, and production delays to supervisors and production leads.

Manage paper rolls, substrates, inks/toners, and other production consumables.

Ensure finished materials are correctly labeled, batched, and staged for downstream processing.

Qualifications

Previous experience operating digital roll-fed, continuous-feed, or web-based digital printing equipment.

Experience operating roll-fed finishing equipment strongly preferred.

Canon 3133 experience is a plus.

Strong mechanical aptitude and ability to troubleshoot automated production equipment.

Experience with cutting, slitting, perforating, trimming, folding, or other print-finishing processes.

Understanding of digital print quality, color management, registration, and substrate behavior.

Ability to read and follow job tickets, production specifications, RIP settings, and finishing instructions.

Experience with variable data printing (VDP) is preferred.

Experience with integrated or inline finishing systems is highly desirable.

Strong attention to detail and commitment to quality.

Ability to work effectively in a fast-paced, deadline-driven production environment.

Ability to stand for extended periods and lift approximately 40–50 lbs.

Strong communication and teamwork skills.

Ideal Candidate

The ideal candidate is a hands-on digital press operator who has experience running a roll-fed or continuous-feed production line from setup through finishing.

They should be comfortable operating sophisticated digital printing equipment, adjusting press and finishing settings, monitoring quality, troubleshooting mechanical and production issues, and keeping high-volume jobs moving with minimal downtime.

The strongest candidates will have:

Roll-fed/continuous-feed digital press experience

Digital print production experience

Inline or near-line finishing experience

Canon or similar production press experience

Cutting, slitting, perforating, and trimming experience

Strong mechanical troubleshooting ability

Color management and print-quality experience

VDP/variable data experience

Experience working in a commercial print manufacturing environment

Simple Explanation of the Job

In simple terms, this person will run a large digital printing production line.

They will:

Load paper rolls into the digital press.

Set up the print job and make sure the correct paper, colors, and settings are being used.

Run and monitor the digital press.

Check the printed material for quality and consistency.

Operate the finishing equipment attached to or following the press.

Cut, slit, perforate, trim, fold, or otherwise finish the printed product.

Fix jams, misfeeds, alignment problems, and other equipment issues.

Keep the press and finishing line running efficiently.

Record production and maintenance information.

Make sure the final product is properly labeled and ready for the next stage.

The key is that this is not simply a traditional press operator position. The strongest candidate will have experience with both a high-speed digital roll-fed press AND the finishing equipment used with that press.

Screening Questions

How many years of experience do you have operating digital printing presses?

Have you operated a roll-fed, continuous-feed, or web-based digital press? If yes, what make/model?

Do you have experience operating a Canon 3133 or other Canon production digital press?

Have you operated inline or near-line finishing equipment? What equipment have you used?

Do you have experience with cutting, slitting, perforating, trimming, folding, or other finishing processes?

Do you have experience setting up and troubleshooting a complete press-to-finishing production line?

What experience do you have with color calibration, registration, substrate adjustments, and print-quality control?

Do you have experience with VDP/variable data printing or continuous-feed production workflows?

What experience do you have with RIP software, Fiery, or other digital print workflow systems?

Can you troubleshoot mechanical issues such as jams, misfeeds, alignment problems, or paper-tension issues?

Are you comfortable standing for extended periods and lifting 40–50 lbs?

What is your current location, and would you be able to reliably commute to Pittsburgh, PA 15238?

What is your current compensation and what are your salary expectations?

If selected, how soon would you be available to start?