NJ Civil Service Navigator

PRINTING MACHINE OPERATOR 4

Code: 22535 Common Competitive Range: R17 (FY2026)

Career Family: PRINTING MACHINE OPERATOR

Salary: $53,807.26 - $78,268.02/year FY2026 schedule (last updated 2026-05-08)

Printing Machine Operator 4 sits in the competitive class of New Jersey's state or local civil service, so reaching it runs through testing and an eligible list instead of a straight hire.

This is the senior rung of the Printing Machine Operator series, the level you reach after Printing Machine Operator 3. The requirements come down to a high school diploma and 4 years of relevant experience. Pay on the FY2026 schedule runs $53,807 to $78,268, and state payroll lists a single employee in the title, at Labor.

How to get hired

  1. Watch for an open-competitive announcement for Printing Machine Operator 4 on the NJ Civil Service Commission jobs portal. Announcements run for a fixed filing window.
  2. Apply during that window and sit the examination. Depending on the title, that can be a written test, a rating of your training and experience, or a mix of the two.
  3. Passing scores go onto a ranked eligible list. Veterans get preference points added on top of their score.
  4. When an agency has a vacancy it must appoint from the top of that list under the "Rule of Three." Many competitive jobs are first filled provisionally while the list is being built.

Read the official specification at NJ Civil Service Commission.

Pay ladder: Printing Machine Operator series

  1. Printing Machine Operator 1 — $39,681 – $57,031
  2. Printing Machine Operator 2 — $43,237 – $62,340
  3. Printing Machine Operator 3 — $49,266 – $71,403
  4. Printing Machine Operator 4 — $58,818 – $85,742 (this title)

Its top salary lands around the 19th percentile of all NJ civil service titles that publish a range.

Rungs are ordered by FY2026 pay. NJ level numbers are not always sequential, so ordering follows salary rather than the title number.

Who employs this title

State payroll records show 1 person working under this title. The median actual salary is $78,268. The agencies employing the most are:

  • Labor (1)

Counts from NJ YourMoney agency payroll. See statewide workforce analytics.

Official job specification

The text below is the official specification published by the New Jersey Civil Service Commission. The plain-language summary and analysis above are derived from it by NJ Civil Service Navigator.

Definition

Under the direction of a supervisory official in a State department, agency, institution, or in a local jurisdiction, supervises the work of the unit and performs other duties including the setup, operation, repair, and cleaning of various printing operation equipment such as offset presses, cutting machines, and digital printers (copiers); supervises the determination of appropriate printing material, printing techniques, and printing styles; reviews finished items; supervises staff and work activities; prepares and signs official performance evaluations for staff; does other related duties as required.

Examples of work

  • Supervises the work operations and/or functional programs and has responsibility for effectively recommending the hiring, firing, promoting, demoting, and/or disciplining of employees.
  • Supervises the setup, operation, and adjustment of offset presses, plate makers, cutting machines, folding machines, stapling machines, collators, padding units, paper drills, electric punching machines, and/or binding machines.
  • Supervises the correction of printing press problems such as tinting, scudding, streaks, slow drying, and/or double images.
  • Mixes chemicals and/or other solutions.
  • Supervises the programing of digital printers (copiers), cutters, folders, numbering machines, and other finishing equipment that utilize intelligent interfaces.
  • Supervises the scanning of hard copy originals and conversion to usable digital formats.
  • Produces metal and polyester plates.
  • Supervises the correction of mechanical binding products such as folding, stapling, drilling, cutting, stitching, and/or padding.
  • Assembles (binds) books, booklets, and/or other printed materials.
  • Creates measured rule-outs assuring accuracy for trimming, folding, perforation, numbering and other finishing functions required for completion of final product.
  • Supervises the arrangement of materials, equipment, parts, and supplies for inventory control.
  • Modifies books and/or other printed materials.
  • Analyzes the more complex incoming print requests.
  • Selects paper stock and ink.
  • Identifies the more complex problems with printing equipment, graphics equipment, and/or binding equipment.
  • Determines appropriate printing techniques.
  • Establishes unit work procedures and priorities.
  • Verifies that quantity and type of item ordered matches invoice.
  • Proofreads material for accuracy.
  • Supervises the requisition of materials, equipment, parts, and/or supplies.
  • Adjusts stock levels for anticipated needs.
  • Recommends styles of printed materials.
  • Reviews samples, such as blue-line, press, binding, typesetting, and/or final samples.
  • Supervises the maintenance of files and records.
  • Computes numerical data by addition, subtraction, division, and multiplication.
  • Estimates necessary quantity of time, costs, materials, and personnel for the accomplishment of assignments or goals.
  • Designs layouts of graphic and/or printed materials, and produces Computer to Plate (CTP) film or plates for the operation of offset and digital printing equipment.
  • Determines appropriate graphic arts techniques.
  • Provides complex technical advice and information to staff, peers, and/or management.
  • Consults with staff members for identification of staffing or operational needs.
  • Will be required to learn how to utilize various types of electronic and/or manual recording and information systems used by the agency, office, or related units.

Education

Possession of a high school diploma or a GED.

Experience

Four (4) years of experience in the operation of printing press equipment and the development of printing techniques and styles.

License

Appointees will be required to possess a driver's license valid in New Jersey only if the operation of a vehicle, rather than employee mobility, is necessary to perform essential duties of the position.

Knowledge, skills and abilities

  • Knowledge of the principles and techniques of supervision.
  • Knowledge of the procedures for setting up, operating, adjusting, and cleaning offset presses, plate makers, folding machines, cutting machines, collators, stapling machines, digital printers (copiers), electric punching machines, binding machines, paper drills, and padding units.
  • Knowledge of printing techniques.
  • Knowledge of basic and advanced file formats used for digital printing.
  • Knowledge of the types of paper stock.
  • Knowledge of the types and characteristics of printing equipment, graphic arts equipment, and printing ink.
  • Knowledge of the chemicals and solutions used in printing.
  • Knowledge of the procedures for producing metal and polyester plates.
  • Knowledge of the principles and techniques of copy preparation, composition, and layout.
  • Knowledge of the techniques for binding books, booklets, and other printed materials.
  • Knowledge of layout procedures.
  • Knowledge of filing and record keeping procedures.
  • Knowledge of the procedures for requisitioning materials, equipment, parts, and supplies.
  • Knowledge of established safety procedures and guidelines.
  • Knowledge of postal regulations regarding envelope and postcard size.
  • Knowledge of inventory control.
  • Knowledge of filing procedures.
  • Knowledge of the techniques of interpersonal communication.
  • Knowledge of current printing capabilities and their effective implementation to meet job requirements.
  • Ability to supervise assigned staff and plan, organize, and implement projects within the unit.
  • Ability to add, subtract, multiply, and divide whole numbers, decimals, percentages, and fractions.
  • Ability to follow oral and written orders, directions, and plans.
  • Ability to perceive color differences.
  • Ability to correct printing press problems.
  • Ability to identify and correct problems with printing, binding, and graphic equipment.
  • Ability to make precise measurements.
  • Ability to determine whether products or services meet printing specifications.
  • Ability to communicate orally.
  • Ability to read with comprehension.
  • Ability to check numerical and printed material for accuracy.
  • Ability to convey information in an organized written format.
  • Ability to keep accurate records.
  • Ability to set up, operate, adjust, and clean offset presses, plate makers, folding machines, cutting machines, collators, stapling machines, copiers, electric punching machines, binding machines, paper drills, and padding units.
  • Ability to establish goals and set priorities.
  • Ability to convert pica and point to inches.
  • Ability to identify and resolve problems which arise.
  • Ability to learn how to utilize various types of electronic and/or manual recording and information systems used by the agency, office, or related units.
  • Ability to read, write, speak, understand, and communicate in English sufficiently to perform duties of this position. American Sign Language or Braille may also be considered as acceptable forms of communication.
  • Persons with mental or physical disabilities are eligible if they can perform essential functions of the job with or without reasonable accommodation. If the accommodation cannot be made because it would cause the employer undue hardship, such persons may not be eligible.
  • CODE: 10/22/2022

Note

The examples of work for this title are for illustrative purposes only. A particular position using this title may not perform all duties listed in this job specification. Conversely, all duties performed on the job may not be listed.