Radix Media is looking for one person for a printing and production position. This is an ownership track position. At the end of your apprenticeship we ask that you either decide to become a co-owner, or leave the collective. Women, people of color, and other marginalized identities are strongly encouraged to apply. Please read the whole ad below for a full overview of our business structure.

About Radix Media

We are a worker-owned print shop and independent publisher based in the Prospect Heights neighborhood of Brooklyn, New York. On the commercial print side, we offer offset, letterpress, digital, and wide format services. Our clients include artists, non-profits, small businesses and most importantly other worker-coops! As a publisher, we have released many titles including: Aftermath: Explorations of Loss & Grief (Bronze winner for the 2018 Foreword INDIES Book of the Year award), Fanning the Flames: A Molly Crabapple Coloring Book, Futures: A Science Fiction Series (Gold winner  for the 2019 Foreword INDIES Book of the Year Awards), The Solar Grid, BINT, and MORTALS.

Radix Media is worker-owned, meaning that there is no boss giving orders to a lower class of workers. We all own the shop together, and share in the profits (or losses) together. We are also collectively managed, which means that we all make decisions together and ensure that no one person is taking on more than another. This helps keep our business running smoothly and allows us to live our values more fully. 

Our official business hours as of September 1, 2022 are 9am-5pm, Monday through Friday. We are closed on weekends, though the occasional weekend may be required, mostly for tabling at book fairs and festivals. We are also closed on most major holidays as well as May Day (all of these are paid). There is a period of December where we close for business and use the time for administrative work, generally the last two weeks of the year; this period is not paid for non-worker-owners. We operate in a closed space, not a retail storefront, so we conduct business primarily through email and do not accept walk-in traffic.

For more information, check out our About page.

What We’re Looking For

We are looking for a qualified and experienced letterpress operator to run our specialty print jobs. This includes letterpress, die cutting, scoring, duplexing, foil stamping and binding. We are looking for someone who has a passion for printing, an eye for detail, and is able to communicate well with clients and co-workers. You must be able to communicate with clients, set up files, make plates, print jobs (to a very high standard), and complete finishing work. It is important to also have a good understanding of machinery, how it works and how to fix it. We also hope that you have an interest in books and publishing, and are as excited as we are about creating beautifully printed objects to go out in the world.

Qualifications

• Commitment to staying in New York City for at least one year
• 2-3 years of hands-on letterpress printing experience 
• Experience with a variety of machines including: Heidelberg Windmill, Vandercook Proof Press, photopolymer platemaker, duplexing machines & more!
• Ability to lift up to 25lbs
• Familiarity with the Adobe Creative Suite (Illustrator, InDesign and Photoshop)
• Strong written and verbal communication skills
• Willingness to collaborate, compromise, and troubleshoot
• Sharing the values and goals of the collective
• Organized and punctual

As worker-owners, we share both the burden of risk and the joy of success. This means that holding ourselves and one another to high standards, being thorough and efficient in our work, and communicating effectively are critical. 

Meetings and Business Operations

We have a brief (10-15 minute) meeting upon everyone’s arrival, where we go over the job board and other tasks for the day. We use apps like Slack, Asana, and Airtable to help organize both our printing and publishing work, using them to make to-do lists, schedule projects, communicate in between meetings, draft documents, and store files. We also use a web-to-print platform that powers our commercial printing site to bring in orders. As of this writing, the products offered are primarily digital, but has custom quote forms for letterpress work. 

All workers must be willing to check e-mail, Slack, and Asana most days in order to stay informed. This may include the occasional weekend. Asana also has a mobile app that makes it easy to check off tasks and stay updated. We are also open to implementing other tools. 

We also have a monthly longer operational meeting that covers an agenda that will be posted 1-2 days before the meeting. We make decisions by consensus, so an ability to collaborate is a must!

Workers are encouraged to participate in the management of the business in addition to their regular work. 

What to Expect

As a new worker, you will be considered an apprentice for the first six months. We will start off by training you on our workflow practices and policies, and give you an overview of the machines and the work that we do. Besides helping to receive or fulfill orders, interact with clients picking up jobs, and other things on an as-needed basis, your duties will also be to consult on designs, publishing projects, and other general business. Remember that we are a small operation. While there are some areas of specialization, we share much of the day-to-day work that needs to happen.

The first month is an introductory one. During this time, collective members are responsible for providing feedback on the apprentice’s performance and offer additional training where needed. At the end of the introductory period, the collective will vote on whether to continue or discontinue the apprenticeship. If the apprenticeship continues, there will be a review period at three months and another at the end of the six-months, where the collective will vote on whether or not to offer the apprentice a full time position as a collective member. 

As an apprentice, you will be required to attend monthly collective meetings. You will not be empowered to block consensus decisions yet, but your opinions will always be taken into consideration. Participation is strongly encouraged.

In order to become a co-owner, you must invest 100 hours of “sweat equity.” You may do this over the course of six months or longer, if desired. At the one year mark, after having completed your sweat equity,and with the unanimous approval of all collective members, you may become a co-owner. 

You will be asked to make at least a one year commitment, but the ability to stay on for more than that is even better. It also takes time for workers to become deeply involved in the management of the business and help with developing the shop’s processes. 

 We are unionized with the Graphic Communications Conference / International Brotherhood of Teamsters, Local 1. It is not necessary for you to join the union until you are a co-owner (dues are paid by the shop). You may choose to attend union meetings and participate in other union activities, but this is not required. We also recognize the membership of other unions; being a “dual-carder” is not necessarily an issue. 

Compensation 

The rate paid to apprentices and collective members is $18 per hour. For the first six months, you will be required to work 20-24 hours per week (flexible). Please note that this is a 1099 position, and you will be responsible for filing the appropriate taxes. We will not deduct any taxes from your check. 

At your six month review, you will become a collective member and be expected to work 40 hours per week. Please note that this is also a 1099 position. At your one-year review when you become a co-owner, your pay will increase to the rate currently paid to co-owners. The shop will also begin keeping a capital account for you, which tracks your equity in the business.

How to Apply

Please e-mail us at jobs@radixmedia.org with a cover letter. Include a little bit about yourself, your background and experience, and why you want to be part of a worker-owned print shop and publisher. Also attach a PDF resume to your e-mail. Resumes without a cover letter will not be considered. Please also include two references.

In your cover letter, please address the following:

• Describe any past experience with the publishing industry.
• Describe any past experience with commercial specialty printing.
• What does the ideal workplace look like for you?
• Are you able to make at least a one-year commitment? How does working at Radix Media fit in with your long-term goals?
• How does working at Radix Media align with your values?
• Do you have any schedule restrictions? Do you expect your availability to change within the next year?

We are an anti-racist, anti-sexist workplace. We welcome applications from women, trans folks, queer folks, and people of color. There will be no discrimination due to an applicant’s race, age, immigration status, gender, gender identity, sexuality, housing situation or past criminal history.