Desktop Publisher/Accessibility Specialist (PART-TIME)

N4 Solutions, LLC; Greenbelt (MD); Hybrid; USD 28,000 - 48,000; Part time

Job summary

N4 Solutions, LLC is seeking a part-time Desktop Publisher/Section 508 Specialist to format, remediate, and publish federal government documents using Word, InDesign, Publisher, and Acrobat Pro, ensuring accessibility and compliance with 508 standards.

Role involves collaboration with writers, editors, graphic designers, PMs, SMEs, and federal customers to deliver accurate, publication-ready materials in a fast-paced environment. Hybrid/virtual options available in Greenbelt, MD area.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Communications, Graphic Design, Publishing, English, Information Technology, Digital Media, or related field; or equivalent experience.
• 3–5 years of desktop publishing, document production, publications, or Section 508 accessibility remediation.
• Advanced experience using Microsoft Word with styles, sections, tables, and complex formatting.
• Advanced experience using Adobe InDesign for multi-page publications; Acrobat Pro for PDF production, tagging, and accessibility remediation.
• Working knowledge of Section 508 accessibility and accessible document production.
• Experience producing complex technical, scientific, or programmatic publications.
• Strong organizational skills and ability to manage multiple documents, revisions, deadlines, approvals, and priorities.
• Excellent oral and written communication skills; ability to collaborate with writers, editors, designers, PMs, SMEs, and federal customers.
• Ability to pass government suitability/background checks; U.S. Citizenship.

Responsibilities

• Format and produce federal government technical reports, scientific publications, manuals, fact sheets, brochures, newsletters, booklets, presentations, white papers, guides, and other communications products.
• Develop and maintain document templates, master pages, styles, tables, headers/footers, and automated features.
• Apply branding, style guides, and publication standards; ensure accessibility.
• Coordinate with writers, editors, graphic designers, PMs, SMEs, and federal customers to deliver accurate, accessible materials.
• Perform production proofreading and quality control.
• Prepare source, web-ready, print-ready, and final electronic publication packages.
• Maintain version control of draft, reviewed, and final files.
• Support final document packaging for electronic publishing, web publication, printing, and archival purposes.

Skills

Microsoft Word

Adobe InDesign

Adobe Acrobat Pro

Microsoft Publisher

Section 508 accessibility

Editing and proofreading

Communication

Education

Bachelor’s degree in Communications, Graphic Design, Publishing, English, IT, or related field

Tools

Microsoft Word

Adobe InDesign

Microsoft Publisher

Adobe Acrobat Pro

Job description

Desktop Publisher/Accessibility Specialist (PART-TIME)

N4 Solutions, LLC offers our public and private sector clients the collective intellectual knowledge, expertise, and experience of our company and associates to help our customers evaluate, collaborate, innovate, and create business, technology, and scientific solutions that enable them to accomplish their mission and achieve organizational objectives. With the growth of the company, we are seeking a highly motivated and hard-working desktop publishing professional to join our team. The successful candidate will work in a high-paced and rewarding work environment.

JOB DESCRIPTION/DUTIES:

The Desktop Publisher / Section 508 Specialist will support the formatting, production, quality control, and accessibility remediation of federal government technical, scientific, research, programmatic, and communications products. This role requires advanced expertise in Microsoft Word, Adobe InDesign, Microsoft Publisher, and Adobe Acrobat Pro, along with strong knowledge of Section 508 accessibility requirements. The position will coordinate closely with writers, editors, graphic designers, project managers, subject matter experts, and federal customers to ensure documents are professionally produced, accurate, accessible, and ready for electronic or print publication.

Desktop Publishing & Document Production

• Format and produce federal government technical reports, scientific publications, manuals, fact sheets, brochures, newsletters, booklets, presentations, white papers, guides, and other communications products.
• Use Microsoft Word, Adobe InDesign, Microsoft Publisher, Adobe Acrobat Pro, and related tools to develop professionally formatted and publication-ready documents.
• Develop and maintain document templates, master pages, paragraph styles, character styles, tables, headers and footers, captions, cross-references, tables of contents, indexes, page numbering, and other automated document features.
• Perform advanced Microsoft Word formatting, including section management, styles, multilevel numbering, tables, figures, automated fields, captions, references, footnotes, endnotes, and page layout.
• Develop and modify Adobe InDesign layouts for multi-page publications, reports, magazines, newsletters, brochures, fact sheets, and other communications products.
• Use Microsoft Publisher to create or revise newsletters, brochures, flyers, and related collateral materials as required.
• Integrate text, photographs, charts, tables, figures, illustrations, diagrams, and other visual elements into publication layouts.
• Apply customer branding, style guides, publication standards, formatting requirements, and approved templates.
• Maintain consistent typography, spacing, margins, page architecture, visual hierarchy, and document presentation throughout final products.
• Prepare source files, web-ready files, print-ready files, and final electronic publication packages.

Section 508 Accessibility Support

• Evaluate and remediate documents for compliance with Section 508 accessibility requirements.
• Perform accessibility remediation in Microsoft Word, Adobe InDesign, Microsoft Publisher, and Adobe Acrobat Pro.
• Apply appropriate document structure, including headings, lists, tables, bookmarks, reading order, document properties, metadata, language settings, and other accessibility features.
• Review and remediate alternative text for photographs, graphics, charts, figures, diagrams, and other non-text elements.
• Ensure tables include appropriate header structures and are configured for effective assistive-technology navigation.
• Review hyperlinks for meaningful link text, functionality, and accessibility.
• Evaluate color contrast, typography, visual presentation, reading order, and use of color to support accessibility and usability.
• Review and correct PDF tags, headings, lists, tables, figures, links, bookmarks, metadata, annotations, and document properties.
• Use Adobe Acrobat Pro and other approved accessibility tools to conduct accessibility checks and validate final products.
• Identify accessibility issues requiring revisions to source content and coordinate resolution with writers, editors, graphic designers, subject matter experts, or project managers.
• Develop and maintain accessible document templates and reusable publication components to reduce downstream remediation effort.
• Support compliance with applicable Federal accessibility standards, customer requirements, and Section 508 guidance.

Quality Control & Publication Support

• Maintain rigorous version control of draft, reviewed, approved, and final document files.
• Incorporate customer and reviewer comments accurately while protecting previously approved content and formatting.
• Perform production proofreading following layout to identify errors introduced during document formatting or production.
• Review final products for pagination, formatting, captions, tables, figures, hyperlinks, graphics, page breaks, headers, footers, and visual consistency.
• Verify that approved content remains accurate after layout and publication formatting.
• Coordinate with writers, editors, graphic designers, Section 508 reviewers, project managers, and federal customer representatives to support timely delivery of final products.
• Support multiple review and revision cycles while maintaining one authoritative working version of each document.
• Ensure final deliverables are complete, professionally formatted, accessible, and consistent with approved source materials.
• Support final document packaging for electronic publishing, web publication, printing, distribution, and archival purposes.

Templates, Standards & Process Improvement

• Develop, maintain, and update reusable Microsoft Word, Adobe InDesign, Microsoft Publisher, and PDF templates.
• Support development of document production standards, style guides, accessibility checklists, job aids, and standard operating procedures.
• Identify recurring formatting, production, or accessibility issues and recommend corrective actions.
• Support continuous improvement by incorporating lessons learned into templates, workflows, accessibility practices, and quality-control procedures.
• Assist in standardizing publication-production workflows to improve quality, consistency, accessibility, and turnaround time.
• Provide guidance and training to staff on desktop publishing practices, document formatting, accessible document creation, and Section 508 requirements.
• Stay current on evolving Section 508 requirements, accessibility guidance, desktop publishing technologies, and Federal publication practices.

EDUCATION/EXPERIENCE/EXPERTISE REQUIREMENT:

• Bachelor’s degree in Communications, Graphic Design, Publishing, English, Information Technology, Digital Media, or related field; or equivalent experience.
• 3-5 years of relevant experience supporting desktop publishing, document production, publications, graphic layout, or Section 508 accessibility remediation.
• Advanced experience using Microsoft Word, including styles, sections, tables, page layouts, automated fields, captions, cross-references, and complex document formatting.
• Advanced experience using Adobe InDesign for multi-page publication layout and production.
• Experience using Microsoft Publisher to create or revise newsletters, brochures, flyers, and other communications products.
• Advanced experience using Adobe Acrobat Pro for PDF production, tagging, accessibility review, and remediation.
• Working knowledge of Section 508 requirements and accessible electronic document production.
• Experience developing or remediating accessible Microsoft Word and PDF documents.
• Experience producing complex technical, scientific, research, programmatic, or communications publications.
• Experience formatting documents containing tables, figures, charts, graphics, references, appendices, and other complex content.
• Strong organizational skills and ability to manage multiple documents, revisions, deadlines, approvals, and priorities.
• Strong attention to detail and ability to identify formatting, layout, production, and accessibility deficiencies.
• Excellent oral and written communication skills.
• Ability to collaborate effectively with writers, editors, graphic designers, project managers, subject matter experts, and federal customers.
• Ability to work independently or under minimal guidance in a fast-paced environment.
• Ability to pass a government suitability/background investigation, if required.
• U.S. Citizenship.

PREFERRED EDUCATION/EXPERIENCE/EXPERTISE:

• Direct experience supporting Federal Government technical, scientific, research, public health, engineering, or communications publications.
• Formal training or certification in Section 508 accessibility, digital accessibility, accessible document remediation, or related discipline.
• Familiarity with Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG), Federal ICT accessibility standards, and U.S. Access Board requirements.
• Experience developing and remediating complex accessible PDF documents.
• Experience developing accessible templates and standardized publication workflows.
• Familiarity with Federal publication requirements, Government Publishing Office standards, and Federal style guides.
• Experience supporting publication environments involving multiple reviewers, editorial cycles, approval processes, and concurrent products.
• Experience using accessibility checking or validation tools in addition to Adobe Acrobat Pro.
• Experience supporting quality-managed document production environments.
• Experience creating or maintaining document-production SOPs, accessibility checklists, templates, or training materials.

LOCATION:

• Hybrid/Greenbelt, MD or Fully Virtual

The N4 Solutions Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) Policy is to provide a fair and equal employment opportunity for all employees and job applicants regardless of race, color, religion, national origin, gender, sexual orientation, age, marital status or disability. N4 Solutions hires and promotes individuals solely on the basis of their qualifications and achievements for the job to be filled.