Jobs

Interior Book Designer

Dragonsteel, LLC

Pleasant Grove, UT

$78,660/yr

Dragonsteel has an exciting opportunity for a book layout professional who will work primarily on fiction titles by Brandon Sanderson and other partners as part of our Editorial Department! This is a local, full-time in-office position. 

Job Description

Reporting to the Vice President of the Editorial Department and the Editorial Director, the right candidate will have a love of fiction, particularly Brandon’s published works and creative vision, complemented by a solid background in print book typesetting and familiarity with ebook production. They will join Dragonsteel’s editorial team, mostly working to typeset premium editions of print books and beautiful, accessible ebooks. They will have demonstrable skills with Adobe InDesign, an excellent eye for text readability, an ability to work independently, and a solid awareness of when to ask for help. They will work on Dragonsteel’s well-known leatherbound and other premium books as well as more standard ebook editions.

This is not a cover designer position.

Responsibilities

  • Typeset books to ensure proper page count (at signature breaks), avoid stacks and rivers, eliminate runt and orphan lines, ensure proper hyphenation breaks, maintain appropriate word and letter spacing, and follow other copyfitting best practices for readability

  • Typeset other company materials

  • Follow an in-house style guide for copyfitting issues

  • Adjust and correct layouts based on proofreading feedback from the Editorial Department

  • Build InDesign templates based on art direction from the Creative Development Department

  • Coordinate with members of both Editorial and Creative to ensure projects’ unique elements are addressed and they reach the printer by required deadlines

  • Read manuscripts and contribute book interior design ideas based on the material and motifs in the manuscript

  • Design and produce accessible ebooks in EPUB format (Some training can be provided, but candidates should be familiar with HTML and CSS, accessibility standards, etc.)

  • Help manage Dragonsteel’s backlist titles by fixing typos between printings and ebook versions and by keeping track of different versions and editions of the same book

  • Review printer proofs of interiors and identify bookmaking problems

  • Optimize images for quality and size in EPUB files using Adobe Photoshop and command-line programs (Training will be provided, but candidates should be willing to learn this process)

  • Help manage spreadsheet databases for projects, personnel, and volunteers related to Editorial projects

  • Support the Editorial Director and Head of Editorial on projects as assigned, and communicate regularly regarding deadlines, feedback, and transparency on work progress

  • Maintain quality and consistency of visual style in all produced content.

  • Follow department guidelines and nomenclature

  • Collaborate with other departments as necessary to meet deadlines

Required Skills & Qualifications

Education & Work Experience

  • A bachelor’s degree in a related field (English, editing, graphic design, etc.)

  • Minimum of seven years of professional experience in print layout (magazine, newspaper, etc.)

  • Minimum of two years of professional experience in book layout

Availability

  • In office 40 hours per week, Monday–Friday, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Once training is complete and workflows and routines have been established a hybrid schedule is possible.

  • Must be able to pass a background check

  • Must be eligible to legally work in the United States and provide applicable documentation

Technical Skills & Systems Knowledge

  • Knowledge of publishing layout industry standards

  • Passion and enthusiasm for book publishing

  • Detail-driven with a sharp eye for readability

  • Strong organizational and communication skills, able to manage multiple deadlines

  • Expert knowledge of Adobe InDesign

  • Strong familiarity with HTML and CSS

  • Knowledge of EPUB publishing standards and platforms.

  • Familiarity with writing alt text, ARIA labeling, and other accessibility features in ebooks

  • Familiarity with differences in EPUB requirements for different platforms (Amazon Kindle, Apple Books, Barnes & Noble Nook, Kobo, etc.)

  • Experience with digital industry standard software tools, such as Microsoft Word, Google Docs, Google Sheets, Adobe Photoshop, Adobe Acrobat Pro, Dropbox, Gmail, and others

  • Experience with Sigil or other HTML and CSS editing software that can be used for editing ebooks

Physical Requirements

  • Ability to sit or stand for 8 hours a day

  • Ability to work at a computer 8 hours a day; i.e. viewing a computer screen/monitor and utilizing a keyboard and mouse/trackpad.

Time Management & Organization

  • Demonstrated ability to manage multiple priorities and meet tight deadlines

  • Excellent organizational and planning skills; able to adjust to shifting demands

  • Capable of improving and streamlining workflows for efficiency and productivity

  • Arrives on time for and works all scheduled shifts, and communicates requested schedule changes well in advance of an expected shift

Communication & Problem-Solving

  • Consistently demonstrates professional standards of communication, computer use, trustworthiness, and demeanor

  • Effective verbal and written communication skills, including cross-departmental collaboration

  • Communicate with honesty and kindness and create the space for others to do the same

  • Willingly receives job performance feedback and makes improvements when requested, and adapts well to changes to their work responsibilities and environment

  • Treats all coworkers with politeness and respect, and adheres to all company policies and procedures including our anti-harassment and non-discrimination policies

  • Completes assigned tasks to the best of their ability, makes timely requests for task clarification, and shows focus and care for the consistency and accuracy of their work

  • Comfortable working in a fast-paced, agile, and evolving environment

Work Sample Requirements

To be considered for this position, you must include the following with your resume:

  • A list of book or periodical projects you worked on along with details about your involvement in those projects

  • 2–3 typesetting samples, sufficient to demonstrate your skillset

  • An EPUB file you have made

Benefits

  • Paid holidays

  • Paid Time Off

  • 401(k) matching

  • Insurance Plans (medical, dental, vision, life)

  • Company events for employees and their families

To Apply

Email your resume in PDF format and the required work samples to jobs@dragonsteel.com, with "Interior Book Designer" as your email title. Personal and professional references should also be included in your resume or sent as a second attachment.

Dragonsteel, LLC prohibits discrimination and harassment of any type and provides equal employment opportunities to all employees and applicants for employment without regard to race, color, religion, age, sex, national origin, disability status, genetics, protected veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, or any other characteristic protected by federal, state or local laws.

This policy applies to all terms and conditions of employment, including recruiting, hiring, placement, promotion, termination, layoff, recall, transfer, leaves of absence, compensation, and training.