Pad Printing Technician / Operator

Pad Printing Technician / Operator R18Corp LLC Yorba Linda, CA Job Details Part-time | Contract $20 - $28 an hour 9 hours ago Qualifications Machine setup Equipment setup (production tasks) Screen printing presses Visual color comparison Material mixing Attention to detail Print quality checks Viscosity measurements Color matching analysis Equipment adjustment (production tasks) Full Job Description Job Summary We are seeking a skilled, detail-oriented Pad Printing Technician for a part-time role at our Yorba Linda facility. Unlike general production positions, this role requires immediate, independent technical knowledge of pre-press and setup operations. You will be fully responsible for preparing custom cliches (plates), mixing specialized inks to precise ratios, and setting up the press for high-quality product decoration. This is an ideal position for an experienced print operator, a pre-press technician, or a commercial screen printer looking for a flexible, local part-time role.

Key Responsibilities Plate Making:

Independently expose, develop, and burn photopolymer cliche plates using our exposure equipment. Ensure sharp image quality and correct depth.

Ink Chemistry:

Accurately mix specialized pad printing inks (vinyl, epoxy, or acrylic) with appropriate ratios of thinners, hardeners/catalysts, and retarders based on substrate requirements. Maintain correct ink viscosity throughout production runs.

Machine Setup:

Set up and calibrate pad printing machinery (closed-cup/open-cup systems), including pad selection, compression adjustments, and doctor blade/cup alignment.

Registration & Fixturing:

Align custom fixtures and jigs to ensure highly accurate, repeatable multi-color or single-color print registration on complex shapes.

Troubleshooting:

Identify and resolve common print defects on the fly (e.g., pinholes, static, feathering, poor ink transfer).

Maintenance:

Perform routine cleaning of pads, ink cups, plates, and machines post-production.

Required Qualifications & Skills Proven Experience:

Minimum 1-2 years of direct hands-on experience setting up and operating pad printing or technical screen printing machinery.

Pre-Press Expertise:

Demonstrated ability to burn/expose cliches independently.

Ink Management:

Strong understanding of solvent-based ink mixing, catalyst activation, and viscosity control.

Detail-Oriented:

Exceptional eye for alignment, color matching, and print quality registration.

Independence:

Ability to work efficiently with minimal supervision once given production requirements.

Pay:

$20.00 - $28.00 per hour

Work Location:

In person