Pre Press - Graphic Designer

The Role

You will be our pre-press engine. Your job is to prepare bulletproof print-ready files and create clean, on-brand mockups so production can run without questions and customers say “yes” faster. You will work across screen print, DTF, embroidery, sublimation, and promotional products.

Core Outcomes you own
• Zero-defect pre-press packs handed to production on time, with clear notes and correct specs
• Accurate customer mockups that match garments, placements, and brand colours
• Right-first-time approvals with minimal back-and-forth, because files and proofs are clear
• Consistent file naming and archiving, so anyone can find anything in under 30 seconds
• On-time delivery every day, because deadlines are law at Melbourne Merch ?

Day-to-day responsibilities
• Build print-ready files for:
• Screen print: colour separations, spot colours, trapping and choking, halftones and LPI, underbases, registration marks, film output checks
• DTF: gang sheet layout on 580 mm x 1000 mm panels, 300 DPI, correct bleed and spacing, white underbase logic, mirror rules by method
• Embroidery: prepare clean vector art with stitch-friendly paths, advise on digitising specs and stitch count targets, generate approval proofs with size and placement, export colour callouts for the digitiser
• Sublimation: panel templates, safe zones, bleed, colour management, tiled layout where needed
• Promo items: template-based art, scale, print areas, and finishes
• Create customer mockups on the correct product images, placements, and scale, using our brand photography and supplier flats
• Manage colour the right way, Pantone spot references for screen print, embroidery thread charts, CMYK profiles for DTF and sublimation
• Verify placement and size for adult, women, and youth, plus left chest, back, sleeves, legs, and hats
• Maintain checklists, file naming, and version control across jobs and approvals
• Collaborate with Sales and Production to catch risks early, then remove them fast

Must-have skills and experience
• 2+ years in a print-production environment across at least three of the following: screen print, DTF, embroidery, sublimation, promo
• Excellent Adobe Illustrator and Photoshop pre-press skills
• Colour separation fluency, trapping, underbase, halftone theory, and film output readiness
• DTF gang sheet mastery, space optimisation, bleed, and white management
• Embroidery fundamentals, art prep for digitising, proofing with measurements, thread charts
• Mockup accuracy, scale on real garments and supplier flats
• File hygiene, naming conventions, layers, artboards, links, fonts, and packaged deliverables
• Strong written English, clear proof notes and production instructions
• Stable internet, fast machine, and a reliable power backup plan

Nice-to-haves
• Familiarity with common AU garment brands, AS Colour, Gildan, JB’s Wear
• Basic understanding of HoopsCRM or similar order trackers
• Light retouching and clipping for product shots
• Knowledge of Pantone to thread chart conversions

Tools we use
• Adobe Illustrator, Photoshop, Acrobat
• Google Drive, Sheets, Gmail
• Optional: Trello or similar task boards, HoopsCRM for job info

Work hours and location
• Full-time, remote in the Philippines
• Melbourne time zone, typical shift 7:00 am to 3:00 pm or 8:00 am to 4:00 pm AEST with some flexibility for workload spikes
• You will collaborate daily with Sales and Production in Melbourne

Our standards

We are straight up, reliable, and fun to work with. We challenge what does not work, make it right when things go wrong, and keep our promises. If you thrive with clear targets, accountability, and fast execution, you will fit right in. ? ?

What success looks like in 90 days
• You run our pre-press checklist without hand-holding
• Your files hit production with zero rework
• Your mockups reduce customer revisions by 50 percent
• Sales trusts your proofs, Production trusts your specs

Compensation and benefits
• Competitive salary in PHP, paid monthly, based on experience
• 13th month pay, PH holidays observed, paid time off after probation
• Paid training and a paid test project for shortlisted candidates
• Long-term role with a team that cares about your growth