Walk-in || Senior Engineer - Paint shop

PAINTSHOP ENGINEER

Machining & Manufacturing Industry

Department

Paint Shop - Production

Reports To

Production Manager

Experience

6 8 years in a machining / metal components manufacturing environment

Qualification

Diploma / B.E. in Mechanical, Production or Paint Technology

Employment Type

Full-time

Location

Vayalur

Job Purpose

To plan, execute, and continuously improve the paint shop operations for machined components — ensuring surface finish quality, coating consistency, and adherence to customer and industry standards, while meeting production targets, safety requirements, and cost objectives.

Key Responsibilities

• Plan and supervise day-to-day paint shop operations including pre-treatment, primer application, top coat, and curing processes for machined/metal components.
• Ensure surface preparation (degreasing, phosphating, shot blasting) meets defined standards prior to painting/coating.
• Monitor and control process parameters — booth temperature, humidity, film thickness, oven curing time and temperature — to maintain consistent coating quality.
• Conduct in-process and final quality checks: DFT (dry film thickness), adhesion test, gloss level, cross-hatch test, salt spray test, and visual inspection.
• Troubleshoot paint defects such as orange peel, sagging, pinholes, poor adhesion, and color mismatch, and implement corrective actions.
• Coordinate with Production, Quality, and Maintenance teams to minimize downtime and rejections, and to achieve daily/monthly output targets.
• Drive process improvement initiatives to reduce paint consumption, rework, and cycle time through Lean/Kaizen practices.
• Maintain compliance with environmental, health, and safety (EHS) norms for paint shop operations, including handling of hazardous chemicals, VOC emissions, and effluent treatment.
• Manage spare parts, consumables (paints, thinners, masking materials) inventory and coordinate procurement with the stores/purchase team.
• Prepare and maintain process documentation — SOPs, control plans, inspection checklists, and process FMEA for the paint shop.
• Support new product/part introduction by finalizing paint process parameters and conducting trial runs.
• Train, guide, and supervise paint shop operators and technicians on process standards, safety practices, and quality requirements.
• Liaise with customers/auditors during quality audits and address paint-shop-related non-conformities and CAPA.
• Monitor equipment health of spray booths, ovens, conveyors, and pumps; coordinate preventive maintenance with the maintenance team.

Required Skills & Competencies

• Strong hands-on knowledge of paint shop processes — pre-treatment, electrostatic/conventional spray painting, powder coating, or liquid painting as applicable.
• Working knowledge of paint chemistry, coating types (epoxy, polyurethane, acrylic), and application methods.
• Proficiency in quality tools and inspection instruments (DFT gauge, gloss meter, cross-cut tester, salt spray chamber).
• Good understanding of ISO 9001 / IATF 16949 quality systems and EHS/ISO 14001 requirements.
• Working knowledge of Lean Manufacturing, 5S, Kaizen, and root cause analysis techniques (5-Why, Fishbone).
• Ability to read engineering drawings and interpret surface finish/coating specifications.
• Proficient in MS Office/MS Excel; exposure to ERP systems (SAP) preferred.
• Strong problem-solving, team handling, and cross-functional coordination skills.

Qualification & Experience

• Diploma / Bachelor's degree in Mechanical, Production, Metallurgy, Paint/Surface Coating Technology, or equivalent.
• 6 to 8 years of relevant experience in a paint shop / surface finishing role within a machining, auto-component, or metal manufacturing industry.
• Prior experience handling spray painting/powder coating lines for precision machined components is preferred.

Work Environment

Shop floor-based role involving exposure to paint booths, chemicals, and curing ovens. Requires use of appropriate PPE at all times and adherence to safety protocols. May require rotational shifts based on production schedules.