Prepress Operator

Prepress Operator (Digital Imaging & Retouching Specialist)

Job Description

We are seeking a highly detail-oriented Prepress Operator / Digital Imaging Specialist with a strong focus on professional image retouching, color correction, and photo enhancement. The ideal candidate will be responsible for retouching and correcting high volumes of images while ensuring exceptional image quality, color consistency, and accuracy in a fast-paced production environment.

This role is ideal for professionals with advanced Adobe Photoshop retouching skills, a strong eye for color and detail, and experience working with high-resolution imagery for commercial, creative, and print applications. The successful candidate must be able to work efficiently under tight deadlines while maintaining exceptional quality standards across all projects.

Key Responsibilities

• Perform advanced image retouching, color correction, and photo enhancement using Adobe Photoshop
• Retouch high volumes of images while maintaining consistency, accuracy, and quality across entire projects
• Correct color, exposure, contrast, tone, sharpness, and other image characteristics to achieve desired results
• Perform detailed image cleanup, including removing imperfections, unwanted elements, backgrounds, reflections, and other visual distractions
• Perform masking, clipping paths, compositing, image manipulation, and other advanced Photoshop techniques
• Ensure accurate color reproduction and consistency across multiple images and projects
• Review high-resolution images for quality, resolution, color accuracy, and overall visual consistency
• Update Adobe InDesign layouts with color-corrected and professionally retouched images as needed
• Work closely with creative, production, and prepress teams to ensure images meet project specifications and quality expectations
• Perform detailed quality control checks and self-QC all retouched images before submission
• Manage multiple retouching projects simultaneously while meeting tight production deadlines
• Maintain organized workflows and track incoming, in-progress, and completed image projects
• Support understanding of print production, finishing, lamination, and cutting workflows as needed

Qualifications

• Advanced proficiency in Adobe Photoshop with strong professional retouching experience (required)
• Strong experience with image retouching, photo manipulation, color correction, and image enhancement
• Strong understanding of color spaces, color profiles, resolution, image quality, and color consistency
• Experience with masking, clipping paths, selections, layers, compositing, and other advanced Photoshop techniques
• Strong working knowledge of Adobe InDesign and Adobe Acrobat
• Exceptional attention to detail and a strong visual eye for color, image quality, and consistency
• Ability to manage high-volume retouching workloads under tight deadlines
• Ability to self-QC all retouching and image correction work before submission
• Excellent communication skills, both written and verbal
• Ability to collaborate effectively across creative, production, and prepress teams
• Strong problem-solving skills in a fast-paced production environment
• Flexibility to adapt to changing project priorities and production schedules

Preferred Knowledge

• Professional or commercial photo retouching experience
• Experience retouching high-resolution images for advertising, retail, photography, or print production
• Understanding of print production workflows, color management, printers, lamination, and finishing/cutting processes
• Familiarity with large-format printing and production workflows