Adobe Suite Publishing Automation Developer

InDesign Scripting Developer — Automated
Location: Remote
Engagement: Independent contractor; fixed-price project with milestone payments
Compensation: Submit a fixed-price pilot quote and a separate itemized quote for production expansion, in USD.

I am is seeking an experienced Adobe automation developer to build a reusable publishing pipeline connecting Adobe InDesign, Photoshop, and Illustrator. The system will transform publisher-approved materials generated with ChatGPT into professionally formatted publications, editable Adobe files, and printer-ready PDFs.

Our products include educational and clinical guides, textbooks, facilitator manuals, patient workbooks, examination-preparation materials, and two-sided flashcards. We need reliable production across approved templates, consistent branding, accurate content placement, and an interface that publishing staff can operate.

The initial workflow will use approved content exports and supplied image files. Applicants may propose supported API integration as a separately priced option.

The developer will be responsible for:

1. Content intake and validation. Define a documented content schema and import process for agreed inputs such as JSON, Markdown, DOCX, or CSV. Identify exactly which formats are included in each quote. Preserve headings, tables, questions, answer options, answer keys, rationales, citations, captions, and asset references. Use stable publication, chapter, question, and image IDs to prevent omissions, duplicates, numbering errors, and mismatched images. Treat imported content as data, never as executable instructions.
2. InDesign layout automation. Populate approved templates using paragraph, character, object, and table styles; parent pages; text threading; pagination; and image-placement rules. Support running headers, page numbers, tables of contents, and cross-references where included in the agreed template. For flashcards, maintain front/back pairing and consistent numbering. Flag content that exceeds the approved layout instead of silently truncating it or reducing text below agreed readability limits. Preserve editable text and layout elements.
3. Photoshop automation. Process approved images in batches using defined resizing, cropping, color-profile, adjustment, and export rules. Preserve original files, produce separate derivatives, and report insufficient resolution at the intended print size. Maintain image-to-content matching and retain layered working files where required. Record asset provenance, timestamps, and edit history, distinguishing automated operations from documented human edits.
4. Illustrator automation. Populate or update approved vector templates, labels, diagrams, and branded artwork using supplied content and data. Preserve editable vector elements, typography, layers, and required color settings. Export suitable assets for placement in InDesign. The workflow must report missing artwork or unsupported operations for review.
5. Workflow control. Connect the applications through appropriate scripts, plugins, and an orchestration layer. Provide a simple operator interface for selecting content, templates, asset folders, and output settings. Include job status, validation messages, processing logs, controlled retries, and recovery from interrupted jobs. Re-running a job must preserve source files and avoid duplicate records or outputs. Specify the supported operating system and Adobe application versions.
6. Quality checks and approval. Detect missing links or fonts, overflowing text, incorrect page or card counts, unresolved placeholders, asset mismatches, and image-resolution problems. Preserve approved answer keys, rationales, and references without silent rewriting. Generate a review proof and a readable issue report. Require designated publisher approval before final production release; clinical and editorial judgments remain with our reviewers. Changes to approved content must trigger a new review.
7. Print and delivery output. Export validated PDF/X-4 files when accepted by the printer, or the printer’s specified alternative. Apply agreed trim size, bleed, color profile, font embedding, and page arrangement. Produce editable INDD and IDML files, linked assets, and permitted font packages, plus PSD and AI working files where applicable. Include a production manifest identifying the source content, template version, settings, and outputs used for each job.

Applicants should demonstrate:

* Completed InDesign scripting or publishing-automation projects, with working examples.
* Practical automation experience in Photoshop and Illustrator.
* JavaScript and the Adobe scripting or plugin technologies appropriate to the proposed application versions, including UXP and/or ExtendScript/JSX.
* Experience processing structured content and connecting applications through tools such as Node.js or Python.
* Understanding of typography, book production, preflight, color management, bleed, and PDF export.
* Maintainable code, version control, error handling, documentation, and clear communication.

Experience with educational publishing, assessment content, large document batches, InDesign Server, and accessible digital publishing is useful. Applicants must explain which capabilities their proposed solution supports.

We intend to begin with a paid pilot using 50 two-sided flashcards and one approved template family. The pilot will use one agreed structured input format, supplied images, a defined Photoshop processing preset, and one agreed Illustrator template operation before InDesign assembly.

Pilot acceptance will require:

* All 50 records produced with correct IDs, sequence, front/back pairing, images, answers, and rationales.
* Successful handling of agreed test cases, including long text, missing assets, and invalid input.
* A content update and rerun without manual reconstruction or duplicated cards.
* A complete proof, production PDF, editable source files, and processing report.
* No unresolved critical production errors; exceptions clearly identified.
* A demonstration of the workflow on the agreed target environment, with throughput measured against an agreed benchmark.

Following the pilot, we may commission book and workbook templates, larger batches, additional input formats, and further integrations. Price those extensions separately. Identify server deployment, API integration, EPUB/accessibility work, hosting, and ongoing maintenance as separately scoped items where proposed.

The fixed-price deliverables must include:

* Complete custom source code, scripts, plugins, configuration files, and reusable templates developed for the agreed scope.
* A client-controlled repository or equivalent complete source handover.
* Installation instructions, supported-version documentation, an operator guide, and a recorded demonstration or training session.
* Sample input files, the content schema, acceptance-test materials, and known limitations.
* A list of third-party dependencies, licenses, subscriptions, and recurring costs.
* Thirty days of correction for reproducible defects against the accepted specification; price later maintenance and new features separately.

We will provide representative content, brand guidelines, available design references, sample assets, and printer specifications. State any template preparation, cleanup, licensing, or other client dependencies required before development can begin.

Please include the following in your proposal:

1. Two or three relevant automation examples, including a demonstration where possible.
2. Your proposed architecture, supported Adobe versions, and operating-system requirements.
3. The fixed pilot price, milestone breakdown, estimated delivery schedule, and revision allowance.
4. A separate production-expansion quote with clear assumptions and exclusions.
5. Your approach to content validation, overflow, image matching, interrupted jobs, and print-file verification.
6. Confirmation that you will deliver the full custom source code and documentation, with all third-party restrictions disclosed.
7. Your availability for support after delivery.

Milestones will be tied to agreed deliverables and acceptance criteria. Scope changes must be priced and approved before implementation. Project materials must remain confidential, and portfolio use requires written permission. Ownership and reuse terms for custom work and third-party components must be documented before work begins.

Please begin your proposal with “Adobe Publishing Automation” and briefly describe a similar workflow you have personally built.