Under general supervision of the Director of Purchasing, operate a variety of reprographic, bindery, and finishing equipment, as well as, computers and related peripherals to produce and print a variety of materials; maintain equipment in proper working condition; and to perform related duties as assigned.

Operates a variety of reprographic, bindery, and finishing equipment, as well as, computers and related peripherals, to produce and print a variety of materials; receives and logs requests for reprographic work to be done in the District print shop, determines most efficient production equipment, and prioritizes and routes job.

Prepares reprographic equipment for extended production runs and monitors equipment during the duplication process; operate and set up digital plate-maker to produce plates and negatives; prepare and develop plates according to established procedures and specifications; reviews completed jobs and monitors work in progress to assure proper printing methods and processes, application of paper weights and sizes, inks and related specifications.

Proofreads work to assure completeness, quality and clarity of original copy; performs basic formatting and manipulation of text and graphics, using applicable software, to edit and improve draft documents and materials prior to final printing and duplicating; forwards materials that require higher-level graphics work to Graphics Technician.

Confers with District administrators, support personnel, and external customers to plan, proof, and re-work work requests; communicates with customers and determines final required output from work orders and rough draft; participates in developing basic content and layout for printed materials; obtains final approval prior to production.

Provides general graphic art services; arranges and lays out graphic features and copy; selects type style and size, fonts, spacing of letters and test lines, placement, and size and type of photos and artwork to be used according to project needs, requests, and specifications.

Estimates production time and materials requirements; calculates costs; inspects completed projects for accuracy, completeness and compliance with quality standards.

Maintains electronic and manual records, data, and logs related to work orders, projects, special requests, rush orders, and copying jobs; maintains hard copies and digital files of District forms and documents; maintains samples of a wide variety of materials.

Maintains equipment in proper working condition; clears paper jams; replaces parts, toner, and chemicals where applicable and adjust equipment in response to minor malfunctions; performs minor repairs on duplication and other equipment as directed; reports major maintenance and repair needs to appropriate personnel; schedules service calls as needed; maintains adequate inventory levels of supplies and stocked printed materials and submits orders as needed; maintains print shop in a clean, orderly and safe condition

Greets and assists visitors; initiates and receives telephone calls concerning department functions; provides information concerning printing and project requests, deliveries and timelines.

Provides training and assists in the coordination of work efforts of other department personnel in the absence of the supervisor or as assigned.

Performs related duties as assigned

This is a series class specification; positions in either of these two classifications, Publications Technician I and/or Publications Technician II operates a variety of reprographic, bindery, and finishing equipment, as well as, computers and related peripherals to produce and print a variety of materials. Incumbents provide general graphic art services that are basic in nature, while a Graphics Technician performs specialized and technical graphic design work.
A Publications Technician I is the first working-level of the Publications Technician series. An incumbent operates and maintains print shop equipment under immediate supervision while learning to operate assigned printing equipment independently, in order to complete more complex and technical printing tasks. The Publications Technician II operates at the journey level in a print shop environment. An incumbent at the II level carries out a wide range of responsibilities, including technically complex assignments independently A Graphics Technician primarily operates a personal computer using desktop publishing and other software to create, design, and modify computer-generated graphic artwork produce camera-ready copy to be duplicated using various reprographic equipment.

Knowledge of: Modern principles, practices, methods, processes, procedures, materials and equipment used in reprographic printing and copying, and bindery and finishing work; correct English usage, spelling, grammar, and punctuation; common word processing, spreadsheet, database and software specific to graphic design (e.g. Microsoft Office Suite, Adobe Acrobat, Illustrator, Photoshop).; paste-up techniques; bindery procedures and equipment, paper stock used in printing; record-keeping techniques; basic arithmetic.

Ability to: Set up and operate various (e.g. offset presses, high speed digital copiers), bindery and finishing equipment safely and efficiently; operate a personal computer and variety of computer graphics and print equipment and related software; produce a variety of camera-ready masters of typeset quality using desktop publishing and other graphic design software; produce graphically pleasing and accurate documents; proofread and edit materials for correct spelling and sentence structure; visualize and produce finished documents according to user requests; operate bindery and finishing equipment such as collators and drills; interpret oral and written instructions, arrange, determine layout and create visually-effective materials in various forms; select type styles and sizes; estimate costs; make arithmetical calculations quickly and accurately; consult with clients to define needs; prioritize work according to established timelines; communicate effectively orally and in writing using correct English usage, grammar, spelling, punctuation and vocabulary; establish and maintain effective and cooperative working relationships with others; troubleshoot and resolve problems associated with computer hardware and software; make minor adjustments and repairs to maintain equipment in good working condition; handle and dispose of hazardous materials according to legal and acceptable guidelines; maintain adequate inventory levels of supplies; effectively manage multiple projects and pieces of equipment simultaneously; work independently with minimal supervision; maintain current knowledge of software applications and advances in printing technology; and relate effectively to people of varied academic, cultural and socio-economic background.

Essential Physical Activities and Work Environment: Duties are primarily performed in a print shop environment with regular exposure to machine noise, moving parts of equipment, electrical shock risk, hazardous chemicals, and airborne particles from paper dust. Incumbents are subject to interruptions and demanding deadlines. With or without reasonable accommodation, incumbents must have sufficient stamina to frequently stand, walk, sit, reach, twist, stoop and bend to operate and maintain equipment; sufficient hand and finger dexterity to grasp, push, and pull finishing tools and shop equipment and objects; sufficient visual acuity to read computer screens, fine print of copy, and other data all day; sufficient hearing to comprehend ordinary phone and personal conversation; sufficient clarity of speech to communicate by telephone and in person; sufficient mental ability to plan and organize work, operate equipment and learn software applications; physical ability to operate a computer and other common office equipment; strength to regularly lift, carry and/or move objects up to 50 pounds and transport objects weighing up to 100 pounds using carts, hand trucks, and pallet jacks. This job generally requires 10% sitting, 30% walking, and 60% standing.

Typical Background:

PUBLICATIONS TECHNICIAN I: Any combination equivalent to six months experience operating various reprographic equipment (e.g. high-speed digital copier, offset press), computers, printers, and related equipment to produce printed materials. Vocational training, college coursework, or equivalent may be supplemented for professional experience.

PUBLICATIONS TECHNICIAN II: Any combination equivalent to two years of experience operating various reprographic equipment (e.g. high-speed digital copier, offset press), computers, printers, and related equipment to produce printed materials. 

Qualifications: In order to be considered qualified for a vacancy in this classification, a candidate must possess the required background and successfully demonstrate such background, knowledge, skills and abilities through an examination process.

1/12/82
Revised June 1989 - Marlys Grodt & Associates
Revised December 1999 - Marlys Grodt & Associates Adopted by the Personnel Commission 12/16/99
Revised 07/24/2009-AT
Revised April 2020-CS; Approved by Personnel Commission on 6/18/2020 Revised 10/2022-AL; Approved by Personnel Commission on 10/27/2022