PHOTOFINISHING TECHNICIAN, Part Time

Automated Photo Technology, Inc., a small but rapidly growing large-format digital printing photo lab, has an immediate opening for a photofinishing technician.

Job Requirements.
  • High school degree

  • A basic understanding of digital photography

  • A photographer's eye -- ability to spot flaws

  • Ability to communicate clearly and accurately

  • Computer and internet literacy

  • Good hand-eye coordination, good manual dexterity

  • Good attitude, dependability

Experience with large photographic prints and/or HP Designjet Printers is a plus.

The company.

Automated Photo Technology, Inc. is a small 2-person company operating in the company President's basement (2,500 square feet) in Mendota Heights, MN. Access is obtained via a keypad. Virtually all orders for prints are received over the internet, and virtually all prints are shipped via USPS Priority Mail or FedEx. The company specializes in large prints, generally 8 x 10 and up. The company's revenue has grown, over the past two years, at an annual rate of about 40%/year.

The company only prints digital files. It does not deal with film, mounting, or lamination. It only provides three media types (glossy, satin, matte). Virtually all customer interaction takes place by interaction with one of the web sites, by email or by phone. Over 95% of customer orders take place without any need for customer service.

The company promises customers that virtually all orders received by noon, on a business day, will be shipped the same day. The work of taking customer orders, sorting by paper type, imposing into large files with the work of other customers, adding crop marks, and printing the orders on 42" wide rolls of ink jet paper, is entirely automated. The first human involvement starts with taking the printed rolls of paper off of the printers, and cutting them into sheets, and from there into individual prints. The prints for each customer are grouped together and packaged. A computer program provides instruction regarding how to package each order.

The job.

  • Remove paper from the printers. Learn how to handle the media so as to avoid wrinkles.

  • Cut imaged media into sheets.
  • Cut out individual prints, based on the supplied crop lines.
  • Bring up each order, with packaging suggestions, on a computer screen.
  • Package each order. Usually orders are packaged in tubes, sometimes boxes. Usually the computer's packaging suggestions provide the best way to package the order. Occasionally a better way needs to be found.
  • Answer the phone when an administrator is not available to do same. Provide customer service as possible. Learn how the company web sites operate, and be able to provide accurate guidance to customers.
  • Put together the "free sample" envelopes.
  • Keep the environment picked up and clean.
The amount of work to be done each day is not fully known until 12:00 noon, the cutoff for orders submitted that day to be shipped the same day. As a result, some flexibility in working hours from day to day is desired. Average working hours could be 10-3, M-F. Monday is always busier than other days.

It is expected that the employee will never get orders mixed up, and will very seldom wrinkle the prints.

The opening is permanent, part time, about 25 hours/week. $12-14/hour DOQ. Sorry, no benefits.

The job environment is drug-free, non-smoking.

This job provides an opportunity to become part of a rapidly growing graphic arts firm.

Please email your resume to Schoon@perfectposters.com.