In-House Nail Technician in City of Industry, California at Apres Nail

Après Nail has innovated the nail market as the creator of Gel X. Our mission is to improve nail industry standards and the lives of nail artists by providing innovative products that help both them and their services thrive. Our nails are seen everywhere, from the Met Gala to the Oscars to your local nail salon. The Gel X revolution is real, and we're looking for our next great team member!

The In-House Nail Technician is the hands behind every nail look that represents Aprés Nail — from campaign shoots and editorial photography to social content, product demos, and tutorials. This is not a traditional salon role. It sits at the intersection of craft, creativity, and brand — requiring a technician who is expert in nail techniques, fluent in trends, and invested in the brand’s product story as any member of the marketing team. Beyond production, this person brings genuine product expertise that informs how Aprés develops, tests, and teaches its systems. They are a key contributor to R&D feedback loops, education curriculum, and the kind of insider knowledge that makes Aprés content feel authoritative and real.

Key Responsibilities

Creative & Campaign Production

• Serve as the lead nail technician for all in-house creative shoots — campaign photography, product launches, lookbooks, and brand content — delivering nail looks that are precision-executed and brief-right.

• Collaborate closely with the Production Art Director and Brand Director during pre-production: reviewing creative briefs, contributing to mood board development, and advising on nail looks that are achievable, on-trend, and camera-ready.

• Manage all nail prep, application, and finishing on set with a high degree of professionalism and efficiency — keeping production on schedule while maintaining quality.

Social Content & Tutorial Production

• Execute all nail looks for social content shoots — including organic Reels, TikToks, Pinterest content, and platform-specific tutorial formats — often working directly with the social media and video teams on set.

• Perform nail application on camera for tutorial, how-to, and demo content, with the ability to narrate or demonstrate techniques clearly and confidently for a consumer or professional audience.

• Contribute creative ideas for social nail content: trending techniques, seasonal looks, product highlight formats, and challenge concepts that are both brand-right and platform-native.

• Work with the social team to plan nail looks that align with the content calendar, upcoming launches, and trend moments — bringing a tech’s perspective to what will resonate and perform.

Product Expertise & Brand Advisory

• Serve as an in-house subject matter expert on the Aprés product portfolio: Gel-X® system, Gel Couleur, specialty collections, tools (e.g., e-file), and accessories — with deep working knowledge of application, performance, and troubleshooting.

• Provide expert input on how products are best showcased in content: which application techniques photograph well, which finishes read on camera, and how to demonstrate product benefits in a way that is both accurate and compelling.

• Flag real-world application insights to the Marketing and Product teams: what’s working, what’s not, and where there are opportunities to better communicate or position products based on hands-on experience.

• Occasionally represent Aprés Nail at brand activations, trade events, or influencer partnerships as a technical expert and brand ambassador.

Product Testing & R&D Collaboration (secondary/supporting)

• Partner with the Product Development and R&D teams when needed to test new formulas, systems, and tools ahead of launch — providing structured, practical feedback from a professional technician’s perspective.

Education Curriculum Development

• Collaborate with the Education team to develop nail curriculum for Aprés’ online certification programs, courses, and training materials — contributing technical expertise, application best practices, and real-world technique guidance.

• Review and validate curriculum content for accuracy, clarity, and professional relevance — ensuring that what Aprés teaches reflects how the products actually perform in the hands of a skilled technician.

• Help develop step-by-step technique breakdowns, troubleshooting guides, and application tips that make education content genuinely useful for both beginner and advanced learners.

• Contribute to the ongoing evolution of the education program as new products launch — ensuring curriculum stays current, comprehensive, and aligned with the Aprés system.

Qualifications and Requirements

Required

• Active cosmetology or nail technician license in the state of California.

• 5+ years of professional nail technician experience, with demonstrated expertise in soft gel extension systems (Gel-X® or equivalent), gel color application, and nail art.

• Hands-on proficiency with the full Aprés Nail system strongly preferred; deep familiarity with soft gel extension application required.

• Strong trend awareness: actively engaged with the nail community, aware of what’s moving on social platforms, and able to translate trends into executable looks.

• Highly detail-oriented with a professional standard of finish — understands that in-house content sets the bar for how the brand’s products are perceived.

• Collaborative and communicative: able to work fluidly across Creative, Marketing, Education, and Product teams without friction.

Preferred

• Experience as a nail content creator or having contributed to branded nail content — understanding of what makes nail content perform on Instagram, TikTok, and Pinterest.

• Experience working on photo or video shoots — comfortable on set, responsive to direction, and able to deliver clean, consistent nail work under production conditions.

• Background in nail education: teaching, curriculum development, or mentorship experience.

• A personal portfolio or social presence that reflects technical skill, creativity, and trend fluency.