Printing Machine Operator Job Description, Key Duties and Responsibilities

By | September 1, 2023
Printing Machine Operator job description, duties, tasks, and responsibilities
Printing Machine Operators produce printed materials to the specification and satisfaction of customers. Image source: Pro-flex.pl

This post provides in-depth information on the job description of a printing machine operator, including the tasks, duties, and responsibilities that they perform.

What Does a Printing Machine Operator Do?

A printing machine operator is a trained person who produces printed materials by following printing job specifications, setting up, operating, adjusting, and maintaining the printing equipment to ensure that it functions properly.

The job description of the printing machine operator is to inspect and manage the printing machine to their best ability in order to guarantee the production of high quality products.

He/she understands various printing job needs by learning different job types, assessing needs for big format printing and organizing job sequence.

Their duties also include arranging printing materials by loading papers and adjusting for size, loading and setting inking mechanism.

In order to ensure uniformity in all printed materials, these operators establish printing quality by adjusting ink distribution, level of speed and machine temperature.

They also maintain production quality by inspecting all produced materials carefully to identify any errors that might have occurred during production and correct them to prevent client dissatisfaction.

Interested in satisfying clients, they pay apt attention to instructions given by clients on their job and work diligently to give them what they need without going against their instructions.

Machine operators who do printing work are responsible for ensuring that equipment are always in good shape by taking preventive maintenance measures and following manufacturers maintenance tips.

When malfunctioning, what they do is take the printing equipment for repairs and inquire about new maintenance and operation techniques.

They work tirelessly to meet organizational targets by sourcing for and carrying out new client requests, exploring opportunities and setting good prices to job accomplishments.

The operator will inspect all printing equipment and materials to ensure that they are not in shortage and will place an order for new ones when they are not adequate.

Printing Machine Operator Job Description Example/Sample/Template

Here is an example of the job description for the post of printing machine operator. It shows key duties, tasks, and responsibilities that usually make up the functions of someone working in that role.

  • Mix paint and inks to blend with materials being printed and job order specification
  • Correct printing errors on materials
  • Evaluate job orders and specification to know details like number of materials to be printed, time given for collection, and color sequences
  • Check printed materials for clarity, accuracy, quality, finishing and other production factors
  • Minimize period by troubleshooting stoppages and breakdowns
  • Operate machine to give printing directions in accordance to job order and specification
  • Ensure that color heads, rollers and ink fountains are clean
  • Assign labels and stamp to boxes containing printed materials
  • Ensure that production plates and ink containers are cleaned after production
  • Create space in the printing room by removing excess boxes out of the way
  • Receive orders from clients, calculate bills and receive payments
  • Ensure that printing equipment is well lubricated by applying oil in appropriate oils
  • Make suggestions in the design and layout of jobs to be printed

Printing Machine Operator Job Description for Resume

To get a new job in the printing industry as a machine operator, you will need to have a resume to show to employers that you are qualified and experienced for the job.

A resume has different sections you will need to write to give the right impression of yourself to the employer. One of the sections is the work history section, which can be written using information from the job description sample provided above.

Printing Machine Operator Requirements: Skills, Knowledge, and Abilities for Career Success

The skills, knowledge, and abilities usually required for operators of printing machines to have include the following:

  • Exhibit good knowledge of Quality Management System
  • Exhibit good knowledge of color combination
  • Have knowledge of molding problems
  • Being reliable
  • Being smart and agile
  • Ability to pay attention to detail.