Screen Print Press Operator Lead

Company Overview

Since 1904, Nelson Miller Group (NMG) has been a leading global provider of custom solutions, partnering with organizations across industrial, IoT, lighting, medical, telecommunications, consumer, and aerospace and defense sectors. We bring complex products to life by solving intricate challenges in engineering design, manufacturing, and supply chain management. Our expertise spans Human-Machine Interface (HMI) solutions, value-added distribution, plastics, membrane switches, overlays, touch panels, electronics, metals, and cables.

Our century-long legacy is built on a deep commitment to innovation, operational excellence, and unwavering customer satisfaction. These principles drive everything we do.

Nelson Miller Group is seeking a highly skilled Screen Print Press Operator Lead to join our team and play a crucial role in producing high-quality printed materials. This role involves setting up and operating automated screen printing presses and ensuring high-quality production.

This role is based on-site at our Nelson Miller Group facility in Fitchburg, Massachusetts.

Why Join Us?

This is an excellent opportunity for a dedicated individual to contribute to a dynamic production environment. You'll gain a comprehensive understanding of our operations, working closely with experienced professionals and ensuring the highest standards of quality and efficiency.

What You'll Do:

As a Screen Print Press Operator Lead, you’ll need a strong understanding of printing equipment, attention to detail for quality control, and the ability to troubleshoot issues, train staff, and ensure safety protocols are followed. Your key responsibilities will include:

• Machine operation: Set up, operate, and monitor screen printing presses (often multi-color) and other auxiliary equipment to ensure smooth and efficient production. Retrieve and organize printed parts for subsequent passes, ensuring a smooth workflow.
• Quality control: Perform quality checks to ensure prints meet customer specifications and standards, which can include actions like conducting a crosshatch test to verify ink adhesion and checking against a blue line for correct sizing.
• Troubleshooting: Identify and solve problems with equipment, ink, or print quality to minimize downtime.
• Team leadership: Train and support team members, share expertise, and guide the team to meet production goals and maintain a safe work environment. May manage a team of up to 4 employees.
• Maintenance & Troubleshooting: Perform routine cleaning of ink fountains, plates, and cylinders. You'll also handle minor repairs using hand tools and notify management of any significant equipment problems.
• Documentation: Track printed colors and verify ink accuracy, often using a computer system and other record keeping procedures.
• Production Oversight: Examine job orders to determine specifications such as quantities, stock, colors, and special instructions. You'll verify that paper and ink meet all requirements.
• Inventory & Organization: Monitor inventory levels of supplies and request additional materials as needed. You'll also contribute to maintaining a clean and organized shop environment.
• Environmental Monitoring: Monitor and adjust environmental factors like humidity and temperature to optimize equipment performance.
• Performs other duties as requested, directed, or assigned.

Requirements

What We're Looking For:

• Experience: Minimum of three (3) years of printing experience and experience with automatic presses, with a strong preference for screen printing. Previous experience in apparel printing will be considered.
• Education: High School Diploma or equivalent.
• Leadership and communication: Strong communication skills to collaborate with team members and supervisors, and the ability to guide and support other employees. Ability to read, write, and speak English fluently.
• Technical Aptitude: An in-depth understanding of basic printing technologies and the ability to make precise adjustments.
• Attention to Detail: Meticulous approach to quality control and a commitment to producing flawless prints.
• Problem-Solving: Ability to identify and troubleshoot issues with equipment or print quality.
• Independence: Capable of working independently under standard operating procedures (SOPs).
• Safety & Quality Focus: A strong commitment to adhering to and promoting maximum safety standards, quality policies, procedures, work instructions, ISO9000 standards, and ITAR regulations.

Due to ITAR and / or CUI compliance, this position requires candidates to be a U.S. Citizen, Permanent Resident Alien, or Protected Individual per 8 U.S.C.1324b(a)(3).

Candidates being considered for hire must pass a pre-employment background check.

Compensation and Benefits:

Pay Range: $25 - $30 per hour (Pay to be determined by the experience, knowledge, skills, and abilities of the candidate, and alignment with market data).

Benefits Offered: Comprehensive benefit package including medical, dental and vision coverage; company-paid basic life/AD&D insurance, voluntary supplemental insurances, flexible spending accounts and employee assistance program (EAP). Sick Leave, Vacation Time, and company-paid Holidays are provided as paid time off. New England Keyboard also provides a 401(k) Retirement Savings Plan option with a safe harbor non-elective company contribution.

New England Keyboard/Nelson Miller Group is an Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex including sexual orientation and gender identity, national origin, disability, protected Veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by applicable federal, state, or local law.