Cutter Operator - Nashville

Position Summary

The Cutter Operator sets up programs, and operates industrial cutting equipment to trim, square, and cut paper and cardstock to exact customer specifications. This position is vital to maintaining the high quality and efficiency of our commercial printing facility. The ideal candidate has excellent attention to detail, strong mechanical aptitude, and a commitment to strict workplace safety.

Key Responsibilities

• Job Setup & Programming: Review job tickets, layout sheets, and cutting diagrams to determine correct dimensions. Program precise cutting coordinates into computer-controlled guillotine or flatbed cutters.
• Equipment Operation: Safely load, jog, and align large stacks of printed paper onto the cutter bed. Execute cuts using required two-hand safety controls.
• Quality Assurance: Measure cut sheets using precision rulers down to fractional variations. Verify squareness and visually inspect finished pieces for ink smudges, registration issues, or uneven cuts.
• Maintenance & Troubleshooting: Perform routine machine maintenance, including checking oil levels and changing cutting blades/sticks. Identify mechanical problems and report complex repairs to maintenance technicians.
• Workflow Support: Neatly stack, count, and label completed jobs. Safely transport finished materials to shipping or secondary bindery stations (folding, binding, scoring) using pallet jacks.
• Safety Compliance: Maintain a clean, organized workspace. Wear all required Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) and strictly follow all manufacturer safety protocols.

Qualifications

Qualifications & Requirements

• Education: High school diploma, GED, or equivalent trade school background.
• Experience: Minimum of 1 to 2 years of experience operating industrial paper cutters in a commercial printing, packaging, or bindery environment.
• Technical Skills: Strong ability to read a precision ruler or scale. Solid basic math skills, including working with fractions, decimals, and metric conversions.
• Physical Ability: Able to stand, walk, bend, and twist for up to 8–10 hours per shift. Ability to safely lift, push, and pull paper stock weighing up to 50 lbs. regularly.
• Attributes: Strong spatial awareness, independent troubleshooting skills, and the ability to work under tight production deadlines.