Senior Retoucher

Our senior retouchers collaborate closely with internal photography production teams and account managers to deliver high-end, editorial-quality, and high-volume e-commerce imagery for our brand clients. The role requires both artistic finesse and technical precision, with the ability to manage complex projects and maintain consistency across thousands of assets under fast-paced deadlines.

Candidates must be deeply experienced in Adobe Photoshop, Capture One, and a suite of AI-assisted and automated retouching tools, as well as demonstrate an expert understanding of skin, texture, fabric, lighting, and brand-specific aesthetics. A highly trained eye, senior-level judgment, and the ability to direct or mentor junior retouchers are essential.

This role is operating in a hybrid model with 3 days per week onsite in our Tribeca studios and the balance of the time remote. This schedule is subject to change at any time.

Responsibilities

• High-end retouching of fashion, beauty, and product photography, including editorial-level skin cleanup, composite creation, fabric shaping, and precise color work
• Use of frequency separation, dodge and burn, and texture grafting techniques to maintain natural yet flawless finishes
• Build and refine complex paths, alpha channels, and layer masks for compositing or background swaps
• Interpret and enforce detailed brand style guides, lighting references, and art direction
• Retouch images to match color standards, ensuring precise product accuracy for e-commerce
• Perform complex multi-image composites (e.g., swapping heads, bodies, backgrounds)
• Incorporate AI-powered retouching and automation tools to increase workflow efficiency (e.g., Adobe Generative Fill, Retouch4Me, ImagenAI, Luminar AI, Runway ML)
• Conduct pre-flight image reviews and detailed quality control checks for final delivery
• Collaborate with photographers and production to troubleshoot post-production issues; onset retouching for photography shoots when necessary
• Maintain a consistent file structure and naming convention in alignment with studio protocols
• Mentor junior retouchers and contribute to team knowledge of tools and workflows
• Identify opportunities to streamline processes using AI-assisted batch automation, color correction, and smart masking tools
• Perform quality control check on final images prior to delivery of final assets
• Responsible for retouching a high volume of images while keeping in line with standards and quality of ICS and its partners

Skills & Competencies

• Mastery of Adobe Photoshop, including:
• Non-destructive workflows
• Smart object and smart filter usage
• Advanced masking and blending modes
• Neural Filters, Content-Aware Fill, Generative Expand/Fill
• Advanced skin retouching techniques:
• Frequency separation (manual and action-based)
• Pixel-level texture rebuilding
• Dodge & Burn sculpting for dimensional enhancement
• Expert in Capture One, including tethered workflows and color profiling
• Familiarity with 3D LUTs, color calibration, and digital color workflows
• Strong understanding of visual composition, photographic lighting, and form
• Comfortable with compositing across multiple exposures or models
• Working knowledge of color-managed workflows, including ICC profiling and print output prep
• Experience using automated QA tools for consistency across large volumes
• Knowledge of AI image organization tools, metadata handling, and automation scripts
• Comfortable working in cloud-based DAMs and collaborative project environments (e.g., Frame.io, Dropbox, Capture One Live)

• Strong eye for color and color matching
• Understanding of layer comps
• Patience, professionalism and strong communication essential to the role
• Proactive thinker who can work independently to manage several deadline driven and wide-ranging projects simultaneously
• Strong understanding of color theory and color correction. Must be able to translate and execute color matching from analog products to digital imagery with high degree of accuracy.
• Proven ability to work efficiently and produce a high turnover of images.
• Proven ability to work to strict deadlines with high pressure and change.
• Ability to manage several deadline driven and wide-ranging projects simultaneously
• Excellent project management and communication skills
• Highly organized and efficiency-focused
• Ability to work with precision under rigorous deadlines, and extended daily schedules when necessary.
• Strict guidelines and creative directions.
• Experience retouching high-volume e-commerce imagery within the parameters of strict guidelines and creative directions.

Desirable

• BFA in Arts, Photography, or equivalent industry experience is desirable
• Global Edit experience
• Minimum of 9 years of photo retouching experience including illustration

The anticipated salary range for this role is $95,000 - $110,000 annually. Ranges are based on various factors including the labor market, job type, internal equity, and budget. Exact offers are calibrated by work location, individual candidate experience, and skills relative to the defined job requirements.

This is a hybrid role requiring flexibility to work in-office and remotely. Evening or weekend work may occasionally be required during major projects.

We offer a competitive benefits package including major medical, dental and vision insurance, FSA, HSA, and employee discounts.

Industrial Color is a division of CoCreativ, a family of integrated creative production companies. Industrial Color partners with top brands, agencies, and creative professionals providing a full range of essential production services. For over 30 years, we've led the industry through a culture of innovation, bringing state-of-the-art digital production and post-production solutions to our clients.

Our headquarters is based in Tribeca, NY, with offices in Los Angeles and studios in Brooklyn and Los Angeles. Our clients include: L'Oreal, Publicis, Procter & Gamble, Tommy Hilfiger, Absolut Vodka, Nike, Estee Lauder, Amazon...