Production Operator / Spray Painter

Hanwha Defence Australia; Avalon; On-site; AUD 75,000 - 95,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

9-day fortnight with every second Frid

On-site gym

Career development

Income Protection Insurance

Employee Assistance Program

Café on-site

Job summary

Hanwha Defence Australia is seeking a Production Spray Painter / Operator to support the high-precision paint line at the Avalon site. You will prepare surfaces and apply coatings to exacting standards, contributing to national defence readiness and state-of-the-art vehicle manufacture.

Experience in automotive or industrial paint environments is beneficial; training and career development are available. A collaborative team culture and safety-first mindset are essential for success.

Qualifications

• Certificate III in Automotive Refinishing Technology (not required).
• Experience in automotive/industrial/manufacturing paint environment.
• Proven experience preparing surfaces and applying coatings to high-quality finishes.
• Knowledge of paint mixing, colour matching, coating application, and testing processes.
• Strong skills using hand and power tools.
• Commitment to workplace health, safety and environmental standards.
• Ability to safely perform physically demanding tasks.
• Experience with quality assurance systems.
• Basic computer literacy (MS Office).
• Excellent teamwork and ability to work in a diverse environment.
• Strong communication, problem-solving and time-management abilities.
• Customer-focused mindset with commitment to delivering quality outcomes.

Responsibilities

• Prepare vehicle surfaces for painting via sanding, masking, cleaning and preparation activities.
• Apply coatings and finishes per quality, safety and work process standards.
• Mix paints and materials to specification, including colour matching.
• Conduct quality inspections to ensure finished products meet standards.
• Support continuous improvement by identifying and resolving process issues.
• Maintain a safe, organized and efficient work environment.
• Adhere to safety, quality, and environmental procedures.

Skills

Teamwork

Communication

Time management

Problem solving

Safety awareness

Quality assurance

Manual dexterity

Education

Certificate III in Automotive Refinishing Technology

Tools

Hand tools

Power tools

Job description

Hanwha Defence Australia – Avalon Airport VIC

Looking for a hands-on role with purpose? Join a global defence leader helping strengthen Australia's sovereign defence capability.

Hanwha Defence Australia (HDA) is part of the Hanwha Group, one of South Korea's largest and most respected industrial organisations. Combining world-leading South Korean technology with Australian expertise, we're investing in the future of Australia's defence industry and advanced manufacturing sector.

From our brand-new $170 million Hanwha Armoured Vehicle Centre of Excellence (H-ACE) in Geelong, we're building some of the most advanced armoured vehicles in the world, including the Redback Infantry Fighting Vehicle (IFV) and the Huntsman Family of Vehicles for the Australian Army.

If you've been looking for a role that's more exciting than the average job and something you'll genuinely be proud to be part of, where you can see the results of your work come to life and contribute to something bigger, this is your opportunity.

We're looking for Production Spray Painters / Operators to join our growing team.

In this role, you'll contribute to the delivery of defence capability that helps keep Australia safe, secure, and future-ready.

Experience in spray painting or a paint-related environment is advantageous but not essential. We encourage applications from candidates with manufacturing, production, or other industrial experience, as well as those looking to develop new skills in a supportive environment.

Your New Role

As a Production Spray Painter / Operator, you will play a critical role in the day-to-day operations of our production paint facility. You will be responsible for preparing and painting HDA vehicles to exacting quality standards while ensuring production targets for safety, quality, cost, efficiency, and waste reduction are achieved.

Working as part of a high-performing team, you will contribute to continuous improvement initiatives by identifying process issues, troubleshooting root causes, and implementing effective solutions to optimise production outcomes.

Key Responsibilities

• Prepare vehicle surfaces for painting through sanding, masking, cleaning, and other preparation activities.

• Apply coatings and finishes in accordance with quality, safety, and work process standards.

• Mix paints and materials to specification, including colour matching and coating preparation.

• Conduct quality inspections to ensure finished products meet customer and company standards.

• Support continuous improvement activities by identifying and resolving process-related issues.

• Maintain a safe, organised, and efficient work environment.

• Adhere to all safety, quality, and environmental procedures.

What You'll Bring

To be successful in this role, you will possess:

• Certificate III in Automotive Refinishing Technology (not required).

• Experience in an automotive, industrial, manufacturing, or related paint environment.

• Proven experience preparing surfaces and applying coatings to achieve high-quality finishes.

• Knowledge of paint mixing, colour matching, coating application, and testing processes.

• Strong skills using hand and power tools.

• A demonstrated commitment to workplace health, safety, and environmental standards.

• The ability to safely perform physically demanding tasks.

• Experience working with quality assurance systems and processes.

• Basic computer literacy, including Microsoft Office applications.

• Excellent teamwork skills and the ability to work effectively in a diverse environment.

• Strong communication, problem-solving, and time management abilities.

• A customer-focused mindset with a commitment to delivering quality outcomes.

Why Join Hanwha?

• Be part of a global defence company with strong Australian growth plans

• Work in a state-of-the-art manufacturing facility near Avalon Airport

• 9-day fortnight with every second Friday off

• Competitive wages and Enterprise Agreement benefits

• Income Protection Insurance

• On-site gym, café and physiotherapist

• Career development, training and cross-skilling opportunities

• Employee Assistance Program for you and your family

• Join a supportive and collaborative team culture where people look out for one another, share knowledge and celebrate success together

At Hanwha, we believe great outcomes are achieved by great teams. We're looking for people who value teamwork, support their colleagues and take pride in contributing to a positive, respectful and inclusive workplace.

Eligibility

To be successful in this role, you will need to meet the following criteria:

• To be eligible to obtain an Australian Government Security clearance (must be Australian Citizen). Eligibility criteria can be found athttp://www.defence.gov.au/agsva

• As part of recruitment processes for this position you will be required to satisfy the requirements of a pre-employment medical assessment and national police check clearance.

Hanwha Defence Australia is an Equal Opportunity Employer and encourages Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders to apply. We also welcome applications from individuals with culturally diverse backgrounds.

We are a proud supporter of the Veterans' Employment Program and welcomes the interest of ex-service members, veterans and their families.