Press Operator

Plastic Printers; Hastings (MN); On-site; USD 25,000 - 30,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Paid training

Medical, Dental & Vision Insurance

Life Insurance

401(k) with company match up to 4%

HSA

Employee Assistance Program

Holiday Pay

Paid Time Off

Company events & celebrations

Health & wellness offerings

Learning opportunities

Job summary

Plastic Printers, a respected printer in Minnesota, seeks an experienced Press Operator to drive production across digital, offset, and large-format systems. You will review specs, set up equipment, and maintain print quality from start to finish.

The role emphasizes precision, speed, and collaboration with prepress and finishing teams. Training is provided; standard hours are Monday–Friday in a full-time schedule.

Qualifications

• 2+ years of experience in a printing or press environment.
• Experience with Digital/Offset/large-format printing or similar production roles.
• Strong understanding of color, registration, alignment, and quality control.
• Ability to independently set up, operate, monitor, and troubleshoot production equipment.
• Familiarity with Adobe Creative Suite, particularly InDesign and Illustrator.

Responsibilities

• Operate and support digital, offset, large-format, and other printing and production equipment.
• Review job orders, specifications, artwork, materials, and production requirements.
• Accurately set up equipment for each job.
• Monitor color, registration, alignment, consistency, and overall print quality.
• Make real-time press and process adjustments to maintain quality and production efficiency.
• Inspect work throughout production; ensure standards before completion.
• Handle inks, materials, press supplies, plates, or other components as required.
• Keep production moving efficiently and ahead of schedule when possible.
• Troubleshoot press, material, print-quality, and production issues.
• Collaborate with prepress, laminating, cutting, embellishment, finishing.
• Perform routine equipment maintenance and cleaning.

Skills

2+ years experience

Printing knowledge

Color control

Independent setup

Troubleshooting

Press operations

Adobe InDesign

Adobe Illustrator

HP Indigo

Tools

HP Indigo (HPI)

InDesign

Illustrator

Job description

Press Operator – Printing & Production

Keep production moving. Stay ahead of schedule. Deliver quality every time.

At Plastic Printers, we've spent 30+ years designing and producing innovative custom products for customers around the world.

We do it all in-house - from helping a customer bring an idea to life to printing, embellishing, finishing, quality checking, and shipping the finished product out our doors.

That means production matters here.

Our Press Operators are at the heart of that process. We're looking for an experienced Press Operator who takes ownership of their equipment, their jobs, and the quality of the products coming off the press.

This is a hands‑on, production‑critical role for someone who understands that great production is about more than running a machine. It's about precision, consistency, problem-solving, efficiency, craftsmanship, and taking pride in the finished product.

Tell Us Your Ideal Hours

This is a full-time, Monday–Friday position.

Our production operation typically runs between 6:00 AM and 10:00 PM.

When applying, let us know your ideal working hours.

Please note: Initial training may take place during standard business hours while you learn our equipment, products, processes, and quality standards.

What You'll Do

As a Press Operator, you'll help produce an incredibly diverse range of products using multiple printing, production, and finishing technologies.

• Operate and support digital, offset, large-format, and other printing and production equipment
• Review job orders, specifications, artwork, materials, and production requirements
• Accurately set up equipment for each job
• Monitor color, registration, alignment, consistency, and overall print quality
• Make real-time press and process adjustments to maintain quality and production efficiency
• Inspect work throughout production - not just when the job is finished
• Handle inks, materials, press supplies, plates, screens, or other components as required by the equipment and job
• Keep production moving efficiently and ahead of schedule whenever possible
• Troubleshoot press, material, print-quality, and production issues
• Collaborate with other production areas including prepress, laminating, cutting, embellishment, and finishing
• Perform routine equipment maintenance and cleaning
• Keep equipment and work areas clean, organized, and production-ready
• Take ownership of the finished product and ensure it meets our quality standards before moving forward

What Sets You Apart

We're looking for someone who already understands a printing environment and can bring that experience to our team.

• 2+ years of experience in a printing or press environment
• Experience as a Digital Press Operator, Offset Press Operator, Web Press Operator, Prepress Specialist, or similar production role
• In-depth understanding of basic printing technologies and production processes
• Strong understanding of color, materials, registration, alignment, and quality control
• Ability to independently set up, operate, monitor, and troubleshoot production equipment
• HP Indigo (HPI) experience or certification is a strong plus
• Experience with DOD, embossing, foil stamping, or other embellishment equipment, folder/gluer is a plus
• Experience with cutting, laminating, and finishing equipment is a plus
• Prepress experience is a plus
• Familiarity with Adobe Creative Suite, particularly InDesign and Illustrator, is a plus
• Comfortable learning new equipment, technologies, materials, and production processes

You’ll Thrive Here If You

• Take pride in your work and notice details other people miss
• Like seeing tangible results from what you accomplish every day
• Understand that speed and quality have to work together
• Stay calm, focused, and solution-oriented when something doesn't go as planned
• Don't wait for someone else to notice a problem
• Communicate well and work collaboratively with the people around you
• Are dependable and come to work ready to contribute
• Enjoy being part of a team where every person impacts production
• Want to continue learning new equipment, products, and capabilities

Physical & Role Requirements

• Ability to stand for extended periods during an 8-hour production shift
• Ability to lift or work with up to 50 lbs
• Strong attention to detail and time-management skills
• Comfortable working around printing and manufacturing equipment
• Ability to work independently while contributing to a team-based production environment

What You Can Look Forward To

We're a growing, innovative company - but we're also a small-business team.

You'll work alongside people who care about what we create, help one another solve problems, celebrate wins, and take pride in sending great work out the door.

Our Benefits And Employee Offerings Include

• Paid training
• Medical, Dental & Vision Insurance
• Life Insurance
• 401(k) with company match up to 4%
• HSA
• Employee Assistance Program
• Holiday Pay
• Paid Time Off
• Company events, parties, and celebrations
• Health & wellness offerings
• Food truck visits and other team activities
• Opportunities to learn additional equipment and production capabilities
• A company that continues investing in technology, equipment, automation, and new capabilities

This Isn't Just Running a Press.

Our customers trust us to create products that represent their businesses, brands, organizations, and ideas.

Every job that comes through production has someone's name on it - ours.

That's why our Press Operators are such an important part of our team.

• It's about understanding the job.
• Owning the process.
• Catching problems before they become problems.
• Keeping production moving.
• And producing something you're proud to send out the door.

If you're an experienced Press Operator looking for a company where your skills matter - and where there is always something new to learn, create, and produce - we’d love to meet you.

Salary: $20.00 per hour