Aerospace Paint Technician: Precision Coatings & QA

NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory; United States; On-site; USD 76,000 - 92,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Health, dental, vision plans

Retirement plans

Paid time off & parental leave

Job summary

NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Pasadena, California seeks an Engineering Development Technician to support the Manufacturing, Packaging, and Test Services Section. You will perform precision surface preparation, coating, and inspection of flight hardware under strict aerospace standards.

The role requires hands-on coating experience, ability to read drawings, and collaboration with QA and engineers to ensure coating quality and traceability.

Qualifications

• 6+ years aerospace coating experience or relevant hands-on finishing.
• Ability to read engineering drawings and follow instructions.
• Knowledge of thermal coating properties and material behavior.
• Familiarity with coating curing, masking, and QA inspections.
• Experience with paint guns, filters, hoses, and maintenance.

Responsibilities

• Perform surface preparation, masking, and abrading.
• Mix paints and primers to precise ratios.
• Apply thermal coatings for payloads with appropriate methods.
• Operate paint booth systems and monitor cure cycles.
• Coordinate with QA to inspect coating quality and traceability.
• Read and interpret engineering drawings and CAD models.
• Maintain procedures, temperature logs, chemical usage, and certifications.

Skills

Aerospace coating

Surface preparation

Engineering drawings

Contamination control

Microsoft Office

Education

High School diploma

Associate’s degree

Tools

CAD software

Job description

NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Pasadena, California seeks an Engineering Development Technician to support the Manufacturing, Packaging, and Test Services Section. You will perform precision surface preparation, coating, and inspection of flight hardware under strict aerospace standards.

The role requires hands-on coating experience, ability to read drawings, and collaboration with QA and engineers to ensure coating quality and traceability.