Laborer

Darling Ingredients; Des Moines (IA); On-site; USD 40,000 - 52,000; Full time

Job summary

Darling Ingredients is seeking an Utility Worker / Finish Painter to support the fabrication, refurbishment, and finishing of used cooking oil storage tanks. The role involves surface prep, coating application, and maintaining a clean, safe workspace in a manufacturing environment.

Ideal candidates will have experience in industrial painting, ability to lift up to 50 lbs, and be comfortable with forklift or crane tasks as needed.

Qualifications

• Experience with industrial painting and coatings.
• Ability to perform surface preparation and finishing tasks.
• Forklift or overhead crane experience or willingness to be trained.
• Physical labor including lifting up to 50 lbs and standing for extended periods.
• High school diploma or equivalent.

Responsibilities

• Prepare tank surfaces for coating, including cleaning, degreasing, sanding, grinding, masking, and blasting as required.
• Apply industrial coatings, primers, and finish paints using spray equipment, rollers, or brushes per specifications.
• Inspect finished surfaces for quality, coverage, and defects; perform touch-ups as needed.
• Follow coating thickness, cure time, and environmental requirements.
• Assist with tank movement and staging using forklifts or cranes (if certified).
• Support fabrication and assembly tasks (drilling, grinding, deburring, cleaning, bolting).
• Maintain tools and work areas, load/unload materials, and follow safety protocols.

Skills

Industrial painting

Surface prep

Safety compliance

Team collaboration

Education

High school diploma or equivalent

Tools

Forklift

Overhead crane

Job description

Job Description

The Utility Worker / Finish Painter supports the fabrication, refurbishment, and finishing of used cooking oil storage tanks. This role is responsible for surface preparation, final coating application, general shop support, and maintaining a clean, safe, and efficient work environment. The position requires attention to detail, adherence to safety standards, and the ability to perform a variety of hand-on manufacturing tasks as assigned.

Essential Duties/Responsibilities

• Nothing in this job description restricts management's right to assign or reassign duties and responsibilities to this job at any time.
• Prepare tank surfaces for coating, including cleaning, degreasing, sanding, grinding, masking, and blasting as required.
• Apply industrial coatings, primers, and finish paints using spray equipment, rollers, or brushes per specifications.
• Inspect finished surfaces for quality, coverage, and defects; perform touch-ups as needed.
• Follow coating thickness, cure time, and environmental requirements.
• Assist with tank movement, staging, and positioning using forklifts, pallet jacks, or cranes (if certified).
• Support fabrication and assembly operations as needed (drilling, grinding, deburring, cleaning, bolting).
• Perform basic maintenance and cleaning of tools, paint equipment, and work areas.
• Load and unload materials and finished products.
• Follow all OSHA, company, and customer safety requirements.
• Properly handle flammable materials, solvents, and coatings.
• Use required PPE including respirators, gloves, eye protection, and protective clothing.
• Maintain clean and organized workspaces to reduce hazards.
• Follow work instructions, drawings, and paint specifications.
• Complete basic production and quality check documentation when required.
• Communicate issues related to quality, safety, or scheduling to supervision.

Qualifications

• Highly organized; superior time management skills.
• Experience with industrial or commercial painting.
• Forklift or overhead crane experience (or willingness to be trained).
• Ability to perform physical labor, lifting up to 50 lbs and standing for extended periods.
• Basic knowledge of surface prep methods and coating systems preferred.
• High school diploma or equivalent.

Physical Demands

• Frequently required to walk, stand, sit, climb, balance, stoop, bend, kneel, and reach.
• Occasionally must push, pull, move or lift up to 50 lbs.

About Us

We're one of the world's leading practitioners of circularity, transforming materials from the animal agriculture and food industries into valuable ingredients. Ingredients that nourish people, feed animals and crops, and fuel the world with renewable energy.

About The Team

Darling Ingredients is an equal opportunity employer and gives consideration to qualified applicants without regard to race, color, creed, religion, age, pregnancy, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, genetic information, physical or mental disability, military service, protected veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by applicable federal, state and local law. Know Your Rights: If you would like more information, please click on the link and paste into your browser: https://www.eeoc.gov/poster of this job.