Company Description

Penguin Random House is the leading adult and children's publishing house in North America, the United Kingdom and many other regions around the world. In publishing the best books in every genre and subject for all ages, we are committed to quality, excellence in execution, and innovation throughout the entire publishing process: editorial, design, marketing, publicity, sales, production, and distribution. Our vibrant and diverse international community of nearly 300 publishing brands and imprints include Ballantine Bantam Dell, Berkley, Clarkson Potter, Crown, DK, Doubleday, Dutton, Grosset & Dunlap, Little Golden Books, Knopf, Modern Library, Pantheon, Penguin Books, Penguin Press, Penguin Random House Audio, Penguin Young Readers, Portfolio, Puffin, Putnam, Random House, Random House Children's Books, Riverhead, Ten Speed Press, Viking, and Vintage, among others. More information can be found at http://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/.

Job Description

Are you interested in learning more about how book covers and jackets are created? Penguin Random House is offering an 8-month, remote, paid Apprenticeship Program to gain hands-on experience in design within the publishing industry.

The apprentice will work across multiple imprints, including Dutton, Tiny Reparations Books, and Plume. They will contribute to the design of fiction and nonfiction titles in both hardcover and paperback formats

Apprenticeship Program structure:

• The Apprentice will work for 15 hours per week. This includes:
  • 5 synchronous hours (e.g., meetings with supervisor/project managers, attending meetings, shadowing design calls).  These hours must be completed between Monday – Friday, 9am – 5pm EST. 
  • 10 asynchronous hours for project work (e.g. cover design, repackaging, and backlist redesigns).  These hours may be completed on your own time.

• Program will run from September 2026 – April 2027.
• The salary for this position is $21.00/hour. 

Key Responsibilities:

• Manage and design multiple front covers and mechanicals.
• Assist with book cover design, repackaging, and other creative projects as assigned.
• Support and work closely with the supervising Art Director(s) on various tasks such as research, layouts, and presentations. 
• Partner and coordinate with other departments (editors, copy editors, production and prepress).
• Prepare print ready digital files.
• Maintain high production standards, meet deadlines, keep to budgets, and respond thoughtfully to feedback.

Qualifications

Qualifications:

• Minimum of three years of experience in design or other related areas in any industry.
• Proficiency with the MAC environment and the Adobe Suite: Photoshop, InDesign, Illustrator.
• Ability to work independently and as part of a team. 
• Highly organized, flexible and detail-oriented with strong time management.
• Strong layout and typography skills.
• Passionate about book design, typography, color, trends and the publishing industry.
• Highly creative thinker who is willing to explore a number of visual possibilities for every book cover and enjoys problem solving: revisions are an opportunity to grow! 
• Excellent interpersonal and communication skills both verbal and written. 
• Ability to prioritize and multitask and do timely follow-ups in a deadline driven environment.Hand lettering and illustration skills are a plus. 
• Knowledge of printing, prepress file/art management and production are a plus.
• New York-based candidates are preferred
• Previous experience in book publishing is preferred but not required

How to Apply: 

Please submit your resume, portfolio and cover letter explaining your interest in the Design Apprenticeship and how your skills, and experiences align with the program. Please note that participation in this program does not guarantee future employment. Any applications without a cover letter and portfolio will not be considered.

The application deadline is July 17th at 11:59 pm ET

Additional Information

All your information will be kept confidential according to EEO guidelines.

Disclosure requirements pertaining to the collection of your personal data:

Responsible for processing the information provided in your application is the company specified in the job advertisement, with its registered office as indicated. The company processes your data for the purpose of establishing an employment relationship on the basis of Art. 6 (1) b GDPR / Section 26 (1) sentence 1 BDSG.

The retention period for your data is determined by the statutory time limits applicable in the respective country, beginning upon completion of the recruitment process. You can find these here.

You can contact the company’s Data Protection Officer at the above-mentioned postal address. 

Further information on data protection and your rights can be found here.
 

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