What are the responsibilities and job description for the Production Artist I position at A. Daigger?
About hand2mind :
We bring learning to life! Trusted by teachers for more than 55 years, hand2mind creates engaging, classroom-tested materials that empower children to learn by doing. We are a 150-person strong, family-owned company thats been voted one of the Chicago Tribunes Top Workplaces for the last four consecutive years. In addition to building high-quality, hands-on learning materials for the classroom like VersaTiles® and Cuisenaire® Rods, we also develop educational toys for the home that make learning math, reading, social-emotional learning, and STEM fun and interactive. As a company, we are committed to our employees personal and professional development. Thats why we offer a competitive benefits package, a supportive culture, and training and development opportunities. We are looking for professionals who are truly just kids at heart! We hope youll come join our award-winning team today!
Position Description :
The Production Artist I will serve as a vital contributor in ensuring high-quality visual and digital assets that support the companys educational mission. This role requires technical precision, a keen eye for detail, and the ability to work across multiple teams including Design, Product Development, and Marketing. The ideal candidate will excel in working in production workflows, creating digital and print-ready files, and maintaining brand consistency across all projects. This position reports to the Production Manager and operates as an independent contributor within a collaborative team environment. This role offers significant opportunities to learn and grow while contributing to projects that have a real impact on the companys success.
What youll do day to day (Responsibilities) :
Use Adobe InDesign to layout new and / or update existing Teacher Guides, Student Guides, Consumer Product Guides, and / or Marketing Collateral such as Brochures, Sell Sheets, and Catalogs.
Update / create art using Adobe Illustrator / Photoshop as needed to support layouts
Collaborate with Design, Product Development, and Marketing teams to accurately implement feedback.
Maintain working files following company folder structure.
Maintain communication on project status and milestones using task management software.
Assist team members with product art creation templates in Adobe Illustrator.
Follow projects through each round of production from layout through product proofing stages with support from senior team members.
Share knowledge and participate in project and team meetings.
Research / download images as needed from stock photo site.
What were looking for (Key Performance Objectives) : Within the first 60 days, learn the multiple production workflows and how they are tracked in Monday.com.
Apply your knowledge of the Consumer Guide production workflow (learned in the first 60 days) to take 2 consumer product guides from layout through final posted files by EOY.
Aid in the layout and production of at least 4 issues of sell sheet distribution with updates published by the 1st of the month.
Contribute to the layout and production of the hand2mind catalog interior pages staying on track to meet files to printer to dates in March, July, and November.
Gain proficiency in InDesign, Acrobat, Photoshop, and Illustrator through trainings and project experience. Completing 1-2 trainings per quarter in the first year.
Requirements / Ideal Attributes : Bachelors Degree and / or related work experience is necessary
Be able to solve problems creatively and / or know when to seek help with good communication skills
Ability to work independently and within a team setting and prioritize projects appropriately
Must have a strong level of organization and attention to detail
Ability to react to change productively
Proficient in Adobe InDesign, Adobe Photoshop, Adobe Illustrator, and Adobe Acrobat
Working knowledge of Microsoft Word, Excel, and PowerPoint.
Portfolio demonstrating production work or related course work using Adobe InDesign, Adobe Illustrator, and Adobe Photoshop
0-2 years experience in education, publishing, or toy industry
We are a drug-free workplace and an EEO employer.
Please note : This role will be filled by our internal recruitment team, so no assistance is needed from any outside staffing agency at this time.
Compensation Range : $26.44 - $28.85 per hour - Actual compensation may vary due to other factors such as : years of experience, skill set or location. Total compensation includes profit sharing bonus potential, 401k matching, and a variety of other benefits (details can be found here).
hand2mind
LI-hybrid
Salary : $26 - $29
