Production and Graphics Specialist

Department
 

Press Journals Production

About the Department
 

The University of Chicago Press Journals Division publishes more than 85 scholarly publications that cover a wide range of disciplines, from the humanities and the social sciences to the life and physical sciences. We are the largest university press in North America, with more than 120 years in the publishing industry. The Journals Division Production department is comprised of a staff of five professionals that work as a team to guide all of our publications through the production process.

Job Summary
 

Coordinates design, print, and electronic production by performing several of the following duties: processing incoming manuscripts and routing them to outside vendors or internal departments; processing and sizing graphic files in Photoshop; monitoring production schedules to help ensure that deadlines are met; processing and approving invoices to be paid, and resolving manufacturing problems.

Responsibilities

• Oversees the publication process of print, electronic, and e-book editions for up to 15 scholarly journals with varying frequency dates.

• Processes graphic files for publication using Photoshop. Combining graphs, creating labels, reformatting for consistency, and light color and contrast retouching as necessary to balance for optimal print quality. Assists other Production Controllers with complicated graphics as needed.

• Supports the Design and Production Coordinator when needed. The Design and Production Coordinator is responsible for updating the cover design for over 65 rotating covers. This includes working with an image provided, choosing colors that work with the overall design, and proofing concepts to the editorial office and the Production and Operations Manager.

• Assists the Production and Design Coordinator on special design projects for the department as needed, such as special issue designs or creating commemorative logos and banners.

• Maintains production schedules and procedures for each title in their portfolio, and monitors overall journal quality and timeliness.

• Works closely with editorial offices, authors, outside print/typesetting vendors, and various internal departments to achieve a smooth workflow for each individual issue.

• Participates in additional short- and long-term projects as required by the department.

• Contributes to weekly meetings and special departmental discussions. Offers suggestions to streamline and improve processes.

• Supports production, from the edited manuscripts through final publication, using some on-the-job experience.

• Responds to delays, errors, or quality issues. Resolves atypical problems working within defined procedures.

• Performs other related work as needed.

Minimum Qualifications
 

Education:

Minimum requirements include vocational training, apprenticeships or the equivalent experience in related field (not typically required to have a four-year degree).

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Work Experience:

Minimum requirements include knowledge and skills developed through 2-5 years of work experience in a related job discipline.

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Certifications:

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Preferred Qualifications

Education:

• Bachelor's degree.  

Experience:

• Minimum 2 years of experience in a publishing, production, or design role.

• Minimum 2 years of user-level experience in Adobe Creative Suite.

Technical Knowledge or Skills:

• Proficiency with Adobe Creative Suite, specifically InDesign, Photoshop, and Illustrator. Excel, Word, Acrobat Professional, and basic HTML required. Understanding of design principles and typography.

• Familiarity with Microsoft Office Suite.

Preferred Competencies

• Excellent verbal and written communication skills.

• Excellent interpersonal skills in relating to peers and supervisors.

• Basic understanding of design principals and typography.

• Proficiency with Adobe Creative Suite, Excel, Word, and Acrobat.

• Ability to work creatively within limited budgets.

• Must be able to work cordially and effectively with managers, peers, and vendors to ensure publication schedules are met. Must be able to manage multiple tasks in fast-paced environment. Must have flexibility to deal with last-minute changes on projects. Must be interested in learning about and applying new technologies as needed.

• Customer service skills.

• Attention to detail.