Job description
Job Title: Compositor / Graphic Designer
The Compositor is responsible for typesetting, formatting, and designing academic and official university publications, ensuring high-quality presentation and readability. This role involves working with faculty, researchers, and administrative staff to prepare research papers, reports, journals, books, and other printed or digital materials. The compositor ensures that all publications adhere to university and professional standards, using advanced publishing software and typography techniques.
Key Responsibilities
Typesetting & Formatting
- Arrange and format text, tables, figures, and images for academic publications, research papers, books, and official documents.
- Ensure proper alignment, spacing, fonts, and layout consistency according to university guidelines.
- Convert handwritten, scanned, or raw text into professionally formatted digital documents.
Proofreading & Quality Control
- Check for typographical errors, inconsistencies, and formatting issues before finalizing documents.
- Ensure academic and official documents maintain clarity, structure, and professionalism.
- Work closely with editors and authors to implement necessary revisions and corrections.
Software & Tools Management
- Utilize industry-standard software such as Adobe InDesign, LaTeX, Microsoft Publisher, and CorelDRAW for composing academic and official documents.
- Maintain and update fonts, templates, and digital assets for consistent university branding.
- Work with IT teams to manage document storage, backup, and retrieval systems.
Document Design & Publication Preparation
- Design page layouts, cover pages, and graphical elements for books, reports, newsletters, and journals.
- Prepare documents for printing and online publication, ensuring compliance with print production standards.
- Optimize documents for readability in both digital and printed formats.
Digital Publishing & E-Content Creation
- Format e-books, PDFs, and digital publications for online distribution.
- Use digital publishing tools to create interactive documents, research repositories, and open-access materials.
- Ensure compatibility with various digital platforms and devices.
- Work closely with faculty, researchers, and publication teams to meet formatting and compositing needs.
- Coordinate with printing departments, external publishers, and digital teams to ensure high-quality outputs.
- Assist in the layout design of university websites, academic portals, and newsletters.
Qualifications and Experience
- Bachelor’s degree with 2nd Division / B-Grade or diploma in Publishing, Graphic Design, Computer Science, or a related field.
- Certification in typesetting, LaTeX, or publishing software is an advantage.
- Minimum 2 years of experience in typesetting, document formatting, and publishing.
- Experience in academic or research publishing is preferred.
- Strong portfolio of formatted and composed documents.
Technical Skills
- Proficiency in Adobe InDesign, LaTeX, Microsoft Word, CorelDRAW, and other publishing software.
- Knowledge of typography, layout design, and printing standards.
- Familiarity with academic citation styles (APA, MLA, Chicago, IEEE) and indexing.
Soft Skills
- Strong attention to detail and quality control.
- Ability to work under tight deadlines.