Auto Body Painter Lead

Aerotek; Brea (CA); On-site; USD 39,000 - 44,000; Full time

Job summary

Aerotek is hiring an Automotive Body Painter in Brea, CA. Join a team focused on painting and finishing automotive parts for a commercial flatbed operation, mentoring less experienced painters, and supporting welding tasks as needed.

You will mix paints with HVLP equipment, ensure high-quality finishes, and uphold safety in a busy machine shop environment. This is a contract-to-hire, first-shift role with opportunities for growth.

Qualifications

• Hands-on experience in automotive painting and auto body work.
• Proficiency with HVLP auto painting systems and spray guns.
• Ability to mix paint colors accurately and consistently.
• Strong skills in paint preparation, including surface cleaning, sanding, masking, and priming.
• Experience as a finisher, delivering high-quality, professional paint finishes.
• MIG welding skills, including horizontal and vertical welding on sheet metal.
• Ability to plan tasks and organize work to meet production deadlines.
• Capability to work effectively in a loud, industrial machine shop environment.
• Commitment to following safety procedures and using required PPE.

Responsibilities

• Plan and organize daily painting tasks to meet production schedules and quality standards.
• Mix automotive paints and colors according to specifications to achieve accurate and consistent finishes.
• Prepare surfaces for painting, including cleaning, sanding, masking, and priming automotive parts.
• Apply paint to automotive parts using HVLP spray guns and other appropriate equipment.
• Inspect painted parts for quality, finish consistency, and adherence to required specifications, making adjustments as needed.
• Perform finishing work such as touch-ups and corrections to ensure a professional appearance.
• Provide guidance and support to less experienced painters, sharing best practices and helping them improve their skills.
• Perform MIG welding on sheet metal, including horizontal and vertical welds, as required for automotive body and flatbed components.
• Follow all safety procedures and use appropriate PPE while working in the machine shop, paint department, and welding stations.
• Maintain a clean, organized work area and properly store paints, tools, and equipment.
• Collaborate with team members across paint, welding, and machine shop areas to ensure smooth workflow and timely completion of jobs.

Skills

Automotive painting

Auto body work

HVLP spray systems

Paint color mixing

Paint preparation

Finishing quality

MIG welding

Production planning

Industrial environment

Safety PPE compliance

Tools

HVLP spray guns

Job description

Job Title: Automotive Body Painter

Job Description

This role focuses on painting and finishing automotive parts for a commercial flatbed operation, while providing guidance to less experienced painters and supporting welding tasks as needed. You will mix and apply paint using HVLP spray equipment, ensure high-quality finishes, and contribute to a safe, efficient production environment.

Responsibilities

• Plan and organize daily painting tasks to meet production schedules and quality standards.




• Mix automotive paints and colors according to specifications to achieve accurate and consistent finishes.




• Prepare surfaces for painting, including cleaning, sanding, masking, and priming automotive parts.




• Apply paint to automotive parts using HVLP spray guns and other appropriate equipment.




• Inspect painted parts for quality, finish consistency, and adherence to required specifications, making adjustments as needed.




• Perform finishing work such as touch-ups and corrections to ensure a professional appearance.




• Provide guidance and support to less experienced painters, sharing best practices and helping them improve their skills.




• Perform MIG welding on sheet metal, including horizontal and vertical welds, as required for automotive body and flatbed components.




• Follow all safety procedures and use appropriate PPE while working in the machine shop, paint department, and welding stations.




• Maintain a clean, organized work area and properly store paints, tools, and equipment.




• Collaborate with team members across paint, welding, and machine shop areas to ensure smooth workflow and timely completion of jobs.

Essential Skills

• Hands‑on experience in automotive painting and auto body work.




• Proficiency with HVLP auto painting systems and spray guns.




• Ability to mix paint colors accurately and consistently.




• Strong skills in paint preparation, including surface cleaning, sanding, masking, and priming.




• Experience as a finisher, delivering high-quality, professional paint finishes.




• MIG welding skills, including horizontal and vertical welding on sheet metal.




• Ability to plan tasks and organize work to meet production deadlines.




• Capability to work effectively in a loud, industrial machine shop environment.




• Commitment to following safety procedures and using required PPE.

Additional Skills & Qualifications

• Experience working in a large manufacturing or machine shop facility.




• Background in commercial automotive body or flatbed painting is beneficial.




• Comfort working around heavy equipment, paint departments, and welding stations.




• Ability to support and mentor less experienced painters.




• Strong attention to detail and quality in both painting and finishing work.

Why Work Here?

You join a stable operation that values skilled tradespeople and offers a structured schedule with a first-shift workday and rare overtime, supporting work-life balance. Once hired direct, you can access comprehensive benefits including medical, dental, vision, and a 401(k) plan, reflecting a commitment to long-term employee well‑being and financial security. The environment encourages teamwork, skill development, and safety, giving you the opportunity to grow your expertise in painting and welding while contributing to a high-quality production process.

Work Environment

You work in a large machine shop environment that can be loud and includes heavy equipment, large machines, dedicated paint departments, and welding stations. The role is on 1st shift, Monday through Friday, from 5:00 AM to 1:30 PM, with rare overtime, providing a consistent schedule. All employees must wear appropriate PPE, including steel-toed shoes and safety goggles, with ear plugs available as needed, ensuring a safe and professional setting for painting, finishing, and welding work.

Job Type & Location

This is a Contract to Hire position based out of Brea, CA.

Pay and Benefits

The pay range for this position is $28.00 - $32.00/hr.

Individual compensation offered for this position within this range will depend on many factors, including qualifications, skills, relevant experience, job knowledge, geographic location, internal equity, and other pertinent job-related factors.

Eligibility requirements apply to some benefits and may depend on your jobclassification and length of employment. Benefits are subject to change and may besubject to specific elections, plan, or program terms. If eligible, the benefitsavailable for this temporary role may include the following:

Medical, dental & visionCritical Illness, Accident, and Hospital401(k) Retirement Plan Pre-tax and Roth post-tax contributions availableLife Insurance (Voluntary Life & AD&D for the employee and dependents)Short and long-term disabilityHealth Spending Account (HSA)Transportation benefitsEmployee Assistance ProgramTime Off/Leave (PTO, Vacation or Sick Leave)

Job Type & Location

This is a Contract to Hire position based out of Brea, CA.

Application Deadline

This position is anticipated to close on Nov 20, 2026.

Workplace Type

This is a fully onsite position in Brea,CA.

About Aerotek

Aerotek® Inc. provides staffing and services solutions in manufacturing, logistics, construction, aviation, facilities and maintenance. We provide the expertise, solutions and people required to rise to the challenges of North American industry. Headquartered in Hanover, Md., Aerotek operates a unified network of over 200 offices across North America, supporting more than 18,000 clients each year. Aerotek is an Allegis Group company, the global leader in workforce and business solutions. To learn more, visit: Aerotek.com | 1-888-AEROTEK.

Aerotek offers weekly pay, employee benefits including medical, dental & vision, life insurance, health advocacy and employee assistance programs, a 401(k) plan, and employee discounts.

The company is an equal opportunity employer and will consider all applications without regards to race, sex, age, color, religion, national origin, veteran status, disability, sexual orientation, gender identity, genetic information or any characteristic protected by law.

San Francisco Fair Chance Ordinance:

Pursuant to the San Francisco Fair Chance Ordinance, for all positions located in the city and county of San Francisco, we will consider for employment qualified applicants with arrest and conviction records.

Massachusetts Lie Detector:

It is unlawful in Massachusetts to require or administer a lie detector test as a condition of employment or continued employment. An employer who violates this law shall be subject to criminal penalties and civil liability.

Use of Artificial Intelligence (AI):

We may use Artificial Intelligence (AI) to support parts of our hiring process, including sourcing, screening, and evaluating candidates. AI helps assess applications and qualifications, but final decisions are made by our hiring team. By applying, you acknowledge and agree that your application may be reviewed using AI tools.