Aerospace Paint Technician: Precision Coatings Specialist

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

Benefits offered by this job

Health benefits

Dental benefits

Vision benefits

Retirement plans

Paid time off

Flexible schedule

Parental leave

Job summary

Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Pasadena, CA seeks an Engineering Development Technician (Paint) to perform precision surface preparation and coating of critical flight hardware. You will apply primers and thermal coatings, operate paint booths and thermal chambers, and ensure product quality with QA coordination.

Role requires hands-on coating expertise, ability to read engineering drawings, and strict adherence to safety and contamination controls.

Qualifications

• High School diploma with a minimum of 6 years aerospace coating/surface prep/flight hardware finishing experience, or an Associate’s degree with at least 1 year related experience.
• Knowledge of thermal coating properties and material behavior.
• Ability to read engineering drawings and follow written instructions.
• Familiarity with surface preparation, masking, paint mixing, application, curing, and contamination control.
• Experience with general equipment maintenance (paint guns, filters, hoses).
• Excellent verbal and written communication.
• Proficiency with Microsoft Outlook, Teams, Excel, Word.

Responsibilities

• Perform surface preparation, including cleaning, masking, and abrading.
• Mix paints and primers to precise chemical ratios.
• Apply thermal coatings for critical payloads using spraying, swabbing, or rolling methods.
• Operate paint booth systems and monitor temperature/humidity during application and cure cycles.
• Operate thermal chambers for accelerated cure processes.
• Maintain safety and proper handling of flight hardware during painting and curing.
• Coordinate with QA to inspect and verify coating quality, including thickness checks.
• Provide labor estimates and communicate schedule or cost impacts to projects.
• Collaborate with MTL engineers to define coating requirements and scheduling.

Skills

Coating experience

Surface preparation

Flight hardware finishing

Reading engineering drawings

Microsoft Office

Education

High School diploma with aerospace experience

Associate’s degree (related field)

Tools

Paint guns

Filters

Hoses

Job description

Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Pasadena, CA seeks an Engineering Development Technician (Paint) to perform precision surface preparation and coating of critical flight hardware. You will apply primers and thermal coatings, operate paint booths and thermal chambers, and ensure product quality with QA coordination.

Role requires hands-on coating expertise, ability to read engineering drawings, and strict adherence to safety and contamination controls.