Paint Engineer

Standard Iron; Hartford (CT); On-site; USD 85,000 - 120,000; Full time

Job summary

Standard Iron in Hartford, CT is seeking a Paint Engineer with a metal fabrication focus to design, optimize, and maintain coating processes for welded, stamped, and machined components.

You will drive process improvements, ensure coatings meet performance and aesthetic standards, and support high‑quality production through collaboration with fabrication teams and maintenance of pretreatment, coating, and QA protocols.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree required in mechanical, chemical, or materials science fields.
• 2–7+ years in paint engineering, coatings, or metal fabrication.
• Certifications such as NACE, SSPC, or Six Sigma are a plus.

Responsibilities

• Design, optimize, and maintain coating processes (powder, liquid, e‑coat) for fabricated metal components.
• Collaborate with fabrication teams to ensure paintability and surface finish quality.
• Develop pretreatment standards and monitor adhesion and corrosion protection.
• Lead root-cause analyses for defects and implement corrective actions.
• Support paint line operators with technical guidance and training.
• Lead upgrades of paint lines, equipment, or automation and coordinate with vendors.
• Develop SOPs, control plans, PFMEAs, and process documentation to ensure compliance.

Skills

Metal fabrication knowledge

Industrial coatings

Coatings chemistry

Engineering drawings interpretation

Lean Six Sigma / SPC

Problem solving

Education

Bachelor’s degree in Mechanical/Chemical Engineering or Materials Science

Job description

Role Summary

A Paint Engineer with a metal fabrication emphasis is responsible for designing, optimizing, and maintaining coating processes for metal parts produced through welding, stamping, machining, and assembly. This role ensures that coatings meet performance, durability, and aesthetic requirements while supporting efficient, high‑quality production.

Core Responsibilities

1. 1. Coating Process Engineering

   • Develop and optimize powder coating, liquid paint, e‑coat, or specialty coating processes for fabricated metal components.
   • Establish process parameters for film thickness, cure cycles, oven profiles, and application methods.
   • Select coating systems based on corrosion resistance, adhesion, environmental exposure, and customer specifications.

2. 2. Metal Fabrication Integration

   • Collaborate with fabrication teams to ensure parts are designed and built for paintability (weld quality, edge conditions, material selection).
   • Evaluate how fabrication processes (welding, grinding, forming) affect coating adhesion and surface finish.
   • Define improved masking options and coordinate with manufacturing engineers.

3. 3. Surface Preparation & Pretreatment

   • Develop standards for cleaning, blasting, phosphating, conversion coatings, or other pretreatment processes.
   • Monitor surface prep equipment and ensure proper adhesion and corrosion protection.
   • Troubleshoot issues related to weld spatter, mill scale, sharp edges, and surface contamination.

4. 4. Quality Control & Defect Reduction

   • Create and maintain coating quality standards (color, gloss, adhesion, thickness, cure).
   • Lead root‑cause analysis for defects such as runs, sags, pinholes, orange peel, blistering, or weld‑related failures.
   • Implement corrective actions and continuous improvement initiatives.

5. 5. Production Support

   • Provide technical support to paint line operators and fabrication teams.
   • Optimize line throughput, reduce rework, and improve first‑pass yield.
   • Create process for production teams to maintain
   • Develop training process to educate and qualify paint teams
   • Develop training material for operators on proper application techniques and process controls.

6. 6. Equipment & Technology Management

   • Create PM routines for paint booths, oven, conveyor……
   • Specify and evaluate paint booths, ovens, conveyors, spray guns, robots, and filtration systems.
   • Lead installation or upgrades of paint lines, pretreatment systems, or automation.
   • Work with vendors on coating materials, equipment, and process improvements.

7. 7. Documentation & Compliance

   • Help develop and maintain SOPs, control plans, PFMEAs, work instructions, and process documentation.
   • Ensure compliance with environmental, safety, and customer standards, including VOC regulations and ISO requirements.
   • Support PPAP, APQP, and customer audits.

Required Skills & Qualifications

Technical Skills

• Strong understanding of metal fabrication processes (welding, stamping, machining, assembly).
• Expertise in industrial coatings, including powder, liquid, and e‑coat.
• Knowledge of coatings chemistry, surface prep, and curing technologies.
• Ability to interpret engineering drawings.
• Experience with Lean, Six Sigma, SPC, and root‑cause analysis.

Soft Skills

• Strong analytical and problem‑solving abilities.
• Clear communication with operators, engineers, and leadership.
• Ability to manage multiple projects in a fast‑paced environment.

Education & Experience

• Bachelor’s degree in Mechanical Engineering, Chemical Engineering, Materials Science, or related field.
• 2–7+ years of experience in paint engineering, coatings, or metal fabrication.
• Certifications such as NACE, SSPC, or Six Sigma are a plus.

Performance Metrics

• First‑pass yield on coated metal parts
• Defect rate and rework percentage
• Coating material usage efficiency
• Line throughput and downtime
• Compliance with customer and regulatory standards

There is no reloaction or sponsorships available for this role.