How to hire a press technician

How to hire a press technician, step by step

Here's a step-by-step press technician 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 technician job description
• Step 5: Post your job
• Step 6: Interview candidates
• Step 7: Send a job offer and onboard your new press technician
• Step 8: Go through the hiring process checklist

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1. Identify your hiring needs

   First, determine the employments status of the press technician you need to hire. Certain press technician roles might require a full-time employee, whereas others can be done by part-time workers or contractors.

   Determine employee vs contractor status

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

   Yes

   No

   A press technician's background is also an important factor in determining whether they'll be a good fit for the position. For example, press technicians from different industries or fields will have radically different experiences and will bring different viewpoints to the role. You also need to consider the candidate's previous level of experience to make sure they'll be comfortable with the job's level of seniority.

   The following list breaks down different types of press technicians and their corresponding salaries.

   Type of Press Technician	Description	Hourly rate
   Press Technician		$12-23
   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
   Digital Print Operator	A digital print operator is primarily in charge of preparing and processing custom prints according to client orders, ensuring efficiency and client satisfaction. It is their duty to identify and take note of the client's needs and preferences, operate printing machines and equipment, and complete orders within deadlines... Show more	$12-17

   Show more

2. Create an ideal candidate profile

   Common skills:

   • Safety Rules
   • Press Machine
   • Quality Products
   • Quality Checks
   • Machine Operation
   • Routine Maintenance
   • Press Operators
   • Safety Guidelines
   • Equipment Problems
   • Offset Printing
   • RAN
   • CNC
   • Production Process
   • Quality Inspection

   Check all skills

   Responsibilities:

   • Perform machining, including but not limit to components using mills, lathes and surface grinders to accomplish repairs.
   • Build, test and troubleshoot electrical and mechanical systems for prototype water distillation equipment.
   • Press operator on misc multicolore Heidelberg and Komori presses

3. Make a budget

   Including a salary range in your press technician job description is a great way to entice the best and brightest candidates. A press technician salary can vary based on several factors:

   • Location. For example, press technicians' average salary in iowa is 36% less than in washington.
   • Seniority. Entry-level press technicians earn 45% less than senior-level press technicians.
   • Certifications. A press technician with a few certifications under their belt will likely demand a higher salary.
   • Company. Working for a prestigious company or an exciting start-up can make a huge difference in a press technician's salary.

   Average press technician salary

   $37,064yearly

   $17.82 hourly rate

   ---

   Entry-level press technician salary

   $27,000 yearly salary

   Updated December 9, 2025

4. Writing a press technician job description

   A job description for a press technician 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 technician job description:

   Press technician job description example

   At Materion, everyone is included, respected and offered opportunity to grow. Join us!
   
   The Manufacturing Hot Press Technician is responsible for the maintenance, setup, and operation of the hot presses and powder preparation equipment.
   
   The Hot Press Technician will have the opportunity to:
   Weigh and prepare materials for hot pressing operations Clean and evaluate hot pressed parts Work with Process Engineers to develop procedures for processing materials Maintain hot press equipment and perform basic preventative maintenance
   REQUIREMENTS:
   High school diploma or GEDExperience working in a manufacturing environment preferred Ability to work with computers to log data. SAP experience preferred Must be available to work 1st shift
   
   The selection of the person to be hired for this position is contingent on the candidate having export compliance eligibility for access to U.S. controlled technology which comes under the licensing jurisdiction of the U.S. Department of State, International Traffic in Arms Regulations (ITAR) and the U.S. Department of Commerce, Export Administration Regulations (EAR).
   
   The candidate selected will have to qualify as either a U.S. citizen, a U.S. National, a lawful permanent resident of the U.S., a Person Admitted into the U.S. as an Asylee or Refugee., a National of a country that is not prohibited from having access to U.S. controlled technology (via a letter of assurance), or a Person to be approved for an export license by the governing agency whose technology comes under its jurisdiction. Please understand that any job offer that requires approval of an export license will be conditional on Materion's determination that it will be able to obtain an export license in a time frame consistent with Materion's business requirements.
   
   Materion Corporation and its subsidiaries (the “Company”) is an equal employment opportunity employer. It is the Company's policy to not unlawfully discriminate against an applicant or employee on the basis of race, color, religion, creed, national origin or ancestry, sex, age, physical or mental disability, veteran or military status, genetic information, sexual orientation, gender identity, marital status, or any other legally recognized protected basis under federal, state or local laws, regulations or ordinances. The Company also prohibits harassment of applicants and employees based on any of these protected categories. It is also the Company's policy to comply with all applicable federal, state and local laws respecting consideration of unemployment status in making hiring decisions. The information collected by this application is solely to determine suitability for employment, verify identity and maintain employment statistics on applicants.
   
   Applicants with disabilities may be entitled to reasonable accommodation under the terms of the Americans with Disabilities Act and certain state or local laws. A reasonable accommodation is a change in the way things are normally done which will ensure an equal employment opportunity without imposing undue hardship on the Company. Please inform the Company's personnel representative if you need assistance completing any forms or to otherwise participate in the application process.
   
   Please provide complete information. An incomplete application may affect your consideration for employment.

   Copy this example

   

5. Post your job

   To find press technicians for your business, try out a few different recruiting strategies:

   • Consider internal talent. One of the most important talent pools for any company is its current employees.
   • Ask for referrals. Reach out to friends, family members, and your current work to ask if they know any press technicians they would recommend.
   • Recruit at local colleges. Attend job fairs at local colleges to recruit entry-level press technicians with the right educational background.
   • Social media platforms. LinkedIn, Facebook, and Twitter have more than 3.5 billion users, and they're a great place for company branding and reaching potential job candidates.

   Post your job online:

   • Post your press technician job on Zippia to find and recruit press technician 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 technicians, 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.

   You should also ask about candidates' unique skills and talents to see if they match the ideal candidate profile you developed earlier. Candidates good enough for the next step can complete 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 technician

   Once you've selected the best press technician candidate for the job, it's time to write an offer letter. In addition to salary, this letter should include details about the benefits and perks you offer the candidate. Ensuring that your offer is competitive is essential, as qualified candidates may be considering other job opportunities. The candidate may wish to negotiate the terms of the offer, and you should be open to discussion. After you reach an agreement, the final step is formalizing the 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.

   To prepare for the new employee's start date, you can create an onboarding schedule and complete any necessary paperwork, such as employee action forms and onboarding documents like I-9 forms, benefits enrollment, and federal and state tax forms. Human Resources should also ensure that a new employee file is created.

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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