TYPESETTER

DEFINITION OF CLASS:
This is full performance compositional and printing work of a sedentary nature involving the design and typesetting of forms and brochures. Personal contacts are primarily with County personnel and supervisors to give/receive information and receive assignments; contract personnel to provide information on problems with the operation of equipment; and County printing personnel to coordinate work. An incumbent in this class serves a client population of County employees; he/she does not offer direct assistance to the public.
An employee in this class is responsible primarily for operating typesetting and desktop publishing equipment to design/compose, create and generate documents to be printed/reproduced; operating copy equipment as necessary for the production of documents; and maintaining records for documentation and billing purposes. Work is received directly from the requesting County personnel and reviewed upon completion. The employee makes recommendations regarding the design format of typeset work, and the materials to be used. The employee has wide latitude in deciding how the work is to be performed and works under the direction of an administrative supervisor. Guidelines are in the form of equipment operation manuals, administrative procedures, and departmental charge-back rates. Work is performed under tight deadlines and follows a series of standard procedures. The work must be coordinated with other printing operations to insure that the work is performed efficiently and effectively. Complexity is derived from the variety of forms, publications, and signs that must be produced. The finished work is often used County Government-wide as well as seen by the public. The work is of a sedentary nature performed in a print shop environment which exposes the employee to moderate noise levels and print shop odors.

EXAMPLES OF DUTIES: (Illustrative Only)
Designs, lays out, and types various types of documents for printing production.
Operates typesetting, desktop publishing, and copy equipment.
Coordinates work with printing personnel for the purposes of copying/printing finished documents.
Receives work from County personnel and gives/receives information concerning job order.
Maintains records for billing and documentation purposes.
Provides input for recommendations concerning new equipment.
Occasionally makes photocopies for clients.
Maintains safe working conditions in typesetting area.
May use bindery equipment to package work.
Performs related duties as required.

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS:
Experience: Completion of either a vocational or apprenticeship program in phototypesetting, desktop publishing, or two years experience as a typesetter, one year of which is with phototypesetting equipment.
Education: Completion of high school or High School Certificate of completion recognized in the State of Maryland
Equivalency: None.
Knowledge, Skills and Abilities:
Knowledge of the characteristics, capabilities and limitations of typesetting, phototypesetting, desktop publishing and offset printing equipment.
Knowledge of form design techniques.
Knowledge of wordprocessing systems and software.
Ability to use word processing equipment and how it works in conjunction with phototypestting equipment/desktop publishing systems.
Ability to perform basic arithmetic computations and percentages.
Ability to work under pressure created by necessary last minute rush work.
Ability to communicate effectively both orally and in writing.
Ability to deal tactfully and effectively with staff and users of services.
Ability to attend meetings or perform other assignments at locations outside the office.

PROBATIONARY PERIOD:
Individuals appointed or promoted to this class will be required to serve a probationary period of six months, during which time performance will be carefully evaluated. Continuation in this class will be contingent upon successful completion of the probationary period.

MEDICAL PROTOCOL: Medical History Review

Class Established: May, 1987
Corrected: July, 1987
Revised: May, 1989
November, 1994 (M)
April, 2010