How to hire a press operator printing

How to hire a press operator printing, step by step

Here's a step-by-step press operator printing hiring guide:

• Step 1: Identify your hiring needs
• Step 2: Create an ideal candidate profile
• Step 3: Make a budget
• Step 4: Write a press operator printing job description
• Step 5: Post your job
• Step 6: Interview candidates
• Step 7: Send a job offer and onboard your new press operator printing
• Step 8: Go through the hiring process checklist

What does a press operator printing do?

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1. Identify your hiring needs

   The press operator printing hiring process starts by determining what type of worker you actually need. Certain roles might require a full-time employee, whereas part-time workers or contractors can do others.

   Determine employee vs contractor status

   Is the person you're thinking of hiring a US citizen or green card holder?

   Yes

   No

   Hiring the perfect press operator printing also involves considering the ideal background you'd like them to have. Depending on what industry or field they have experience in, they'll bring different skills to the job. It's also important to consider what levels of seniority and education the job requires and what kind of salary such a candidate would likely demand.

   Here's a comparison of press operator printing salaries for various roles:

   Type of Press Operator Printing	Description	Hourly rate
   Press Operator Printing		$14-25
   Compositor	Compositors are the creators of a frame, shot, or sequence final image. They usually combine various digital elements to produce a believable picture... Show more	$11-40
   Screen Making Technician	A screen making technician performs installations and repairs to maintain the smooth flow of operations at manufacturing facilities. Their responsibilities typically include conducting measurements and assessments, setting guidelines, troubleshooting problems, gathering and analyzing data, and maintaining records of all procedures and adjustments... Show more	$12-19

   Show more

2. Create an ideal candidate profile

   Common skills:

   • Quality Standards
   • Quality Checks
   • Flexo
   • General Maintenance
   • Print Press
   • Preventive Maintenance
   • Auxiliary Equipment
   • Detect Malfunctions
   • Press Machine
   • Production RUN
   • Web Press
   • Offset Printing
   • Paper Size
   • UV

   Check all skills

   Responsibilities:

   • Manage the WFF social media presence (Facebook, Instagram.
   • Manage the Morgan Stanley corporate twitter feed, @ MorganStanley.
   • Manage shop, warehouse & inventories, supervise employees, schedule production, maintain and run equipment when need.
   • Operate RYOBI 3302M 2/c and Heidleberg GTO 46 1/c presses.
   • Mark Andy - 2200 /10"and 13"eight/ten color presses.
   • Set up and operate CI press.

   More press operator printing duties

3. Make a budget

   Including a salary range in your press operator printing job description helps attract top candidates to the position. A press operator printing salary can be affected by several factors, such as geography, experience, seniority, certifications, and the prestige of the hiring company.

   For example, the average salary for a press operator printing in Hawaii may be lower than in Washington, and an entry-level press operator printing usually earns less than a senior-level press operator printing. Additionally, a press operator printing with certifications may command a higher salary, and working for a well-known company or start-up may also impact an employee's pay.

   Average press operator printing salary

   $40,520yearly

   $19.48 hourly rate

   ---

   Entry-level press operator printing salary

   $31,000 yearly salary

   Updated January 23, 2026

   Average press operator printing salary by state

   Rank	State	Avg. salary	Hourly rate
   1	Virginia	$49,721	$24
   2	Minnesota	$48,672	$23
   3	Oregon	$48,533	$23
   4	New York	$48,358	$23
   5	Texas	$44,131	$21
   6	Illinois	$43,372	$21
   7	Ohio	$43,331	$21
   8	California	$42,639	$21
   9	North Carolina	$42,440	$20
   10	Wisconsin	$41,823	$20
   11	New Hampshire	$41,252	$20
   12	Kentucky	$40,544	$19
   13	Indiana	$40,294	$19
   14	Tennessee	$39,534	$19
   15	Arizona	$39,179	$19
   16	Missouri	$38,369	$18
   17	Georgia	$37,831	$18
   18	South Carolina	$37,548	$18
   19	Iowa	$35,034	$17
   20	Florida	$32,705	$16

   Average press operator printing salary by company

   Company

   Rank	Company	Average salary	Hourly rate	Job openings
   1	Sonoco	$51,085	$24.56	2
   2	ASR Group	$50,137	$24.10	8
   3	WestRock	$49,463	$23.78	20
   4	Green Bay Packaging	$47,725	$22.94	3
   5	Pactiv	$47,406	$22.79	21
   6	PaperWorks	$44,627	$21.46	2
   7	GPAC	$44,260	$21.28
   8	MasterTag	$43,946	$21.13
   9	MeadWestvaco	$43,804	$21.06
   10	Bell Incorporated	$41,442	$19.92
   11	Huhtamäki	$41,151	$19.78	6
   12	Berry Global	$40,765	$19.60
   13	Plastic Packaging Technologies	$40,593	$19.52
   14	Florida Crystals	$40,527	$19.48
   15	Hired	$39,839	$19.15
   16	Graphic Packaging International	$39,781	$19.13	41
   17	baesman	$39,750	$19.11
   18	CAN Capital	$39,678	$19.08	1
   19	ProAmpac	$39,660	$19.07	19
   20	Little Rapids	$39,648	$19.06	3

4. Writing a press operator printing job description

   A job description for a press operator printing role includes a summary of the job's main responsibilities, required skills, and preferred background experience. Including a salary range can also go a long way in attracting more candidates to apply, and showing the first name of the hiring manager can also make applicants more comfortable. As an example, here's a press operator printing job description:

   Press operator printing job description example

   Set up, adjust, operate, and maintain a gravure press or single or multi-color offset press to print single-color, two-color, and/or multi-color work which includes large solids, screen tints, line and halftones with critical color values and registration requirements ranging from hairline to critical or operate similarly situated equipment that applies a variety of non-ink based coatings to a paper web or sheet stock. Review job specifications to determine the press setup according to the imposition of the run (sheet wise or work and turn). Perform all make-ready tasks associated with the type of press operated such as hanging plates or installing cylinders, examine plates/cylinders for imperfections and checks for correct positioning of images, prepping blankets, adjusting tension and register etc. Make necessary color corrections and/or press adjustments prior to production run to meet and maintain the quality specifications of the work. Clean, lubricate, and maintain the press, making minor repairs and replacing worn or broken parts as required. Performs periodic maintenance recommended by the manufacturer. Qualifications:
   
   * Requires thorough knowledge of offset printing procedures, materials and specifications, equipment, and safety requirements and skills to perform assignments.
   
   * Skill to read and understand job specifications and knowledge of press capabilities to determine the most appropriate press usage, press settings and materials needed to run the job successfully.
   
   * Skill to make a variety of difficult precise settings of controls, settings and adjustments, and to perform routine operational maintenance of equipment.
   
   * Skill in routine operational maintenance and minor repairs to equipment. Knowledge of the appropriate amount of packing pressure needed to obtain the proper printing pressure for the type of job being run.
   * Skill in use of micrometer to mount and align the printing plate correctly.
   * Job requires ability to exert 20 to 50 pounds of force occasionally, and/or 10 to 25 pounds of force frequently, and/or greater than negligible up to 10 pounds of force constantly to move objects.
   * Veteran/Active Duty Applicants: View Comparable MOC's
   
   Start Rate: $20.45

   Copy this example

   

5. Post your job

   There are a few common ways to find press operators printing for your business:

   • Promoting internally or recruiting from your existing workforce.
   • Ask for referrals from friends, family members, and current employees.
   • Attend job fairs at local colleges to meet candidates with the right educational background.
   • Use social media platforms like LinkedIn, Facebook, and Twitter to recruit passive job-seekers.

   Post your job online:

   • Post your press operator printing job on Zippia to find and recruit press operator printing candidates who meet your exact specifications.
   • Use field-specific websites.
   • Post a job on free websites.

6. Interview candidates

   During your first interview to recruit press operators printing, engage with candidates to learn about their interest in the role and experience in the field. During the following interview, you'll be able to go into more detail about the company, the position, and the responsibilities.

   Remember to include a few questions that allow candidates to expand on their strengths in their own words. Asking about their unique skills might reveal things you'd miss otherwise. At this point, good candidates can move on to the technical interview.

   The right interview questions can help you assess a candidate's hard skills, behavioral intelligence, and soft skills.

7. Send a job offer and onboard your new press operator printing

   Once you've decided on a perfect press operator printing candidate, it's time to write an offer letter. In addition to salary, it should include benefits and perks available to the employee. Qualified candidates may be considered for other positions, so make sure your offer is competitive. Candidates may wish to negotiate. Once you've settled on the details, formalize your agreement with a contract.

   It's also good etiquette to follow up with applicants who don't get the job by sending them an email letting them know that the position has been filled.

   Once that's done, you can draft an onboarding schedule for the new press operator printing. Human Resources should complete Employee Action Forms and ensure that onboarding paperwork is completed, including I-9s, benefits enrollment, federal and state tax forms, etc. They should also ensure that new employee files are created for internal recordkeeping.

8. Go through the hiring process checklist

   • Determine employee type (full-time, part-time, contractor, etc.)
   • Submit a job requisition form to the HR department
   • Define job responsibilities and requirements
   • Establish budget and timeline
   • Determine hiring decision makers for the role
   • Write job description
   • Post job on job boards, company website, etc.
   • Promote the job internally
   • Process applications through applicant tracking system
   • Review resumes and cover letters
   • Shortlist candidates for screening
   • Hold phone/virtual interview screening with first round of candidates
   • Conduct in-person interviews with top candidates from first round
   • Score candidates based on weighted criteria (e.g., experience, education, background, cultural fit, skill set, etc.)
   • Conduct background checks on top candidates
   • Check references of top candidates
   • Consult with HR and hiring decision makers on job offer specifics
   • Extend offer to top candidate(s)
   • Receive formal job offer acceptance and signed employment contract
   • Inform other candidates that the position has been filled
   • Set and communicate onboarding schedule to new hire(s)
   • Complete new hire paperwork (i9, benefits enrollment, tax forms, etc.)

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How much does it cost to hire a press operator printing?