Technical Officer – Department Of Communication Design

NATIONAL COLLEGE OF ART & DESIGN; Dublin; On-site; EUR 47,000 - 75,000; Full time

Job summary

NCAD seeks a Technical Officer in the Department of Communication Design to support the letterpress workshop, assist students and contribute to teaching and practical tuition.

The role involves supervising workshop activities, maintaining equipment, ensuring health and safety, and collaborating across the School of Design. 35 hours/week, permanent contract, Dublin campus.

Qualifications

• Academic qualification or equivalent relevant experience in the subject area of Communication Design.
• An excellent understanding of typographic history and application and a working knowledge of associated software (Adobe Creative Cloud Suite).
• The ability to utilise and maintain a type collection to a professional standard.
• Ability to work as part of a team.
• An excellent understanding best practices for ensuring health and safety.
• Good organizational and solution-solving skills.
• Relevant technical qualification or experience in the industry or a third level educational setting
• Experience of working with emerging digital design technologies and in blended learning environments.
• Capacity and enthusiasm for working in an interdisciplinary context within the Department, School and College.
• Commitment to CPD and interest in emerging research, technology, processes and techniques.
• Excellent interpersonal and communication skills.
• Strong leadership skills.

Responsibilities

• Provide technical assistance to workshop users in the techniques and processes involved in the operation of equipment in the letterpress workshop in the Department of Communication Design.
• Demonstrate, as required, techniques and processes in the operation of the various equipment and materials in the letterpress workshop in the Department of Communication Design.
• Help students overcome specific technical problems that they encounter.
• Assist in supervising students in the letterpress workshop.
• Co-operate with and provide supportive assistance to staff and students in bringing conceptual ideas to fruition.
• Support teaching in the department and provide demonstrating and instruction in a variety of techniques and processes.
• Assist in the design and development of practical tuition.
• Assist in the development of student process documents.
• Maintain and, where appropriate, construct equipment and manage materials.
• Order, store and record appropriate materials stock.
• Implement and adhere to all Health & Safety regulations, including maintaining accident/safety log as necessary.
• Ensure work areas are clean and tidy to facilitate efficient and safe functioning of the workshop.
• Engage in appropriate administrative duties particularly regarding Health & Safety, store maintenance and purchasing.
• Undertake any other such appropriate duties which may be assigned from time to time

Skills

Typography history

Interpersonal communication

Team collaboration

Health & safety practices

Problem solving

Leadership

CPD commitment

Interdisciplinary enthusiasm

Education

Communication Design degree or equivalent

Tools

Adobe Creative Cloud

Job description

Technical Officer Department of Communication Design

Job Description

School/Unit: School of Design

Post Title & Subject Area: Technical Officer Department of Communication Design

Post Duration: Full-Time, Permanent

Grade: Technical Officer

Reports to: Head of Department of Communication Design

Salary: Technical Officer Salary Scale 47,279 - 74,919 per annum

Candidates should note that as per Department of Public Expenditure, NDP Delivery and Reform guidelines, new entrants to the civil service will be at the minimum point of the scale and the rate of remuneration will not be subject to negotiation and may be adjusted from time to time in line with Government pay policy. Different terms and conditions may apply if you are a currently serving civil or public servant.

Hours of Attendance: Working hours will be 35 hours per week (net of rest breaks).

Location: This position is ordinarily based at the NCAD Campus, 100 Thomas Street, Dublin 8.

The School of Design within the College comprises of 3 departments:

Design for Body and Environment (BA Fashion Design, BA Jewellery & Objects, BA Textile & Surface Design and MA Design for Body & Environment).

Product Design (BA and MA Product Design, BA and MA Interaction Design, MSc Medical Device Design and MA Service Design)

Communication Design (BA Graphic Design, BA Illustration, BA Moving Image Design and MA Communication Design)

The aim of the School of Design is to create a design culture engaged in ongoing debate on all aspects of design; a culture that thrives on new ideas, new ways of doing things and new areas of exploration. We encourage our students to experiment and take risks in order to carve new aesthetic paths and make technical innovations within, and beyond, their design discipline. We have extensive links with Industry, and students regularly work on live projects within a commercial, social or cultural context. The College seeks to ensure that our design students develop the necessary creative, technical, thinking and interpersonal skills to become highly employable graduates, entrepreneurs and thought leaders.

PRINCIPAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

• Provide technical assistance to workshop users in the techniques and processes involved in the operation of equipment in the letterpress workshop in the Department of Communication Design
• Demonstrate, as required, techniques and processes in the operation of the various equipment and materials in the letterpress workshop in the Department of Communication Design
• Help students overcome specific technical problems that they encounter
• Assist in supervising students in the letterpress workshop
• Co-operate with and provide supportive assistance to staff and students in bringing conceptual ideas to fruition
• Support teaching in the department and provide demonstrating and instruction in a variety of techniques and processes
• Assist in the design and development of practical tuition
• Assist in the development of student process documents
• Maintain and, where appropriate, construct equipment and manage materials
• Order, store and record appropriate materials stock
• Implement and adhere to all Health & Safety regulations, including maintaining accident/safety log as necessary
• Ensure work areas are clean and tidy to facilitate efficient and safe functioning of the workshop
• Engage in appropriate administrative duties particularly regarding Health & Safety, store maintenance and purchasing
• Undertake any other such appropriate duties which may be assigned from time to time

Selection Criteria

Selection criteria outline the qualifications, skills, knowledge and/or experience that the successful candidate would need to demonstrate for successful discharge of the responsibilities of the post. Applications will be assessed on the basis of how well candidates satisfy these criteria.

Mandatory

• Academic qualification or equivalent relevant experience in the subject area of Communication Design.
• An excellent understanding of typographic history and application and a working knowledge of associated software (Adobe Creative Cloud Suite).
• The ability to utilise and maintain a type collection to a professional standard.
• Ability to work as part of a team.
• An excellent understanding best practices for ensuring health and safety.
• Good organizational and solution-solving skills.
• Relevant technical qualification or experience in the industry or a third level educational setting
• Experience of working with emerging digital design technologies and in blended learning environments.
• Capacity and enthusiasm for working in an interdisciplinary context within the Department, School and College.
• Commitment to CPD and interest in emerging research, technology, processes and techniques.
• Excellent interpersonal and communication skills.
• Strong leadership skills.

Desirable

• Experience of delivering skills training within a professional development context
• Experience in a typography led studio setting
• Experience in artist book-making and publishing
• *A panel may be formed for this position*

Closing date: 9th November 2026