Senior Retoucher & AI Image Specialist in Purley

Location: Purley, London

Reports to: Design Director

Contract: Permanent

Hybrid: 4 days in the office, 1 from home

About us

For over 30 years, Tjarks & Tjarks has specialised in private-label branding and packaging, creating design that performs at the retail shelf. We combine creativity, precision and production expertise to deliver end-to-end design and artwork solutions for global retailers. Our culture is built around reliability, consistency, collaboration and exceptional attention to detail.

The role

We are looking for an experienced Senior Retoucher & AI Image Specialist to join our image production team. The primary focus of the role is high-quality retouching and image production across packaging, food and beverage, beauty, FMCG and brand communications. Alongside this, you will use AI image tools to support and improve existing creative workflows. This is a hands-on production role for someone with strong Photoshop skills, excellent visual judgement and a practical understanding of how AI can enhance image creation, retouching and compositing. You will work closely with designers, artworkers, photographers, CGI specialists and account teams to create accurate, consistent and production-ready imagery.

Key responsibilities

• Retouching and image production
• Deliver high-quality retouching for packaging, brand and campaign projects.
• Complete complex compositing, colour correction, image reconstruction, texture work and photorealistic image enhancement.
• Create accurate product, ingredient and lifestyle imagery for use across packaging and brand communications.
• Ensure imagery is consistent with brand guidelines, creative direction and approved references.
• Prepare images to meet print production standards and technical specifications.
• Maintain a high level of colour accuracy, consistency and attention to detail.
• Support the creation of product mock-ups, visualisations and presentation imagery.
• Organise and maintain image files, working assets and image libraries.

AI-assisted image creation

• Use AI image-generation and enhancement tools as part of professional retouching and image-production workflows.
• Create, adapt and refine AI-generated imagery to meet creative and technical requirements.
• Combine traditional retouching, photography, CGI and AI-generated elements to produce believable final images.
• Test new AI tools and techniques that could improve image quality, speed or creative flexibility.
• Share practical knowledge and effective working methods with the wider creative team.
• Follow agreed standards relating to image quality, copyright, confidentiality and the responsible use of AI.

Collaboration and quality control

• Work closely with designers and creative leads to understand image requirements and deliver the intended visual result.
• Collaborate with artwork and production teams to ensure images reproduce correctly in print.
• Review work carefully and take responsibility for the accuracy and quality of final imagery.
• Support other team members with retouching and image-production challenges.
• Manage multiple projects and priorities in a fast-paced agency environment.
• Contribute ideas that improve the quality and efficiency of the image-production process.

About you

You are an experienced retoucher who combines strong craft skills with curiosity about new image-making technology. You are comfortable working at pace, managing detailed feedback and producing consistently high-quality work. You understand that AI is a useful creative and production tool, but that strong judgement, retouching expertise and attention to detail are essential to achieving a professional result.

You will have:

• Significant experience in high-end retouching and image production within a packaging, branding, advertising or creative agency.
• Advanced Adobe Photoshop skills.
• Experience in compositing, colour correction, image reconstruction and photorealistic image enhancement.
• Practical experience using AI image-generation or enhancement tools within creative workflows.
• A strong understanding of colour, lighting, texture, perspective and image realism.
• An understanding of packaging design, print production and colour management.
• Excellent attention to detail and a consistent approach to quality.
• The ability to interpret creative direction and respond constructively to feedback.
• Strong communication, organisation and time-management skills.
• The ability to work independently while collaborating effectively with a wider team.

Desirable experience

• Experience working with food, beverage, beauty or FMCG imagery.
• Experience integrating CGI or 3D-rendered assets into photographic imagery.
• Experience creating packaging mock-ups and product visualisations.
• An interest in developing efficient workflows using automation and emerging creative tools.

What success looks like

• Consistently high-quality, accurate and production-ready imagery.
• Retouching work delivered reliably and within agreed timelines.
• Effective use of AI to support, rather than complicate, established production workflows.
• Strong collaboration with design, artwork and production teams.
• A positive contribution to the development of the agency’s image-production capabilities.