Senior Application Engineer- Powder Coating Application Technology

Socket.dev; Minneapolis (MN); On-site; USD 120,000 - 170,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Health benefits

Bonus eligibility

Travel 25-50%

Job summary

Sherwin-Williams seeks an Application Engineering Scientist to lead development and commercialization of powder coating application processes for high-speed coil lines. You will act as the technical expert on application and curing tech, driving optimization, customer trials, and global implementation while collaborating with R&D, manufacturing, and customer teams.

You will communicate technical findings through reports, trial summaries, and presentations; ensure best practices and technical

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in a relevant STEM field and 5 years of industrial coating experience.
• Hands-on powder coating laboratory or production environment experience.
• Strong ability to interpret technical data related to coating appearance, film thickness, cure response and robustness.

Responsibilities

• Lead development, scale-up, and validation of powder coating processes for high-speed lines.
• Evaluate and optimize application equipment, parameters, and curing technologies.
• Plan and support global customer trials, demonstrations, and production start-ups.
• Develop validation protocols, test methods, and troubleshooting plans.
• Create installation, operating and maintenance guidelines for multiple environments.

Skills

Powder coating

Lean Six Sigma

Design of Experiments

Statistical process analysis

Root-cause analysis

Technical reporting

Customer demonstrations

Education

Bachelor’s degree in Chemical Engineering, Materials Science, Mechanical Engineering, Chemistry, Polymer Science, Coatings Technology or closely related STEM

Job description

We are seeking a highly skilled Application Engineering Scientist to lead the development and commercialization of powder coating application processes for high-speed continuous coil coating lines. This role will serve as a technical expert in powder application and curing technologies, driving process optimization, equipment evaluation, customer trials, and production-line implementation. The successful candidate will collaborate with R&D, manufacturing, and customer teams to deliver scalable, high-performance coating solutions while establishing best practices and technical standards for global application excellence.

Job duties include contact with other employees and access to confidential and proprietary information and/or other items of value, and such access may be supervised or unsupervised. The Company therefore has determined that a review of criminal history is necessary to protect the business and its operations and reputation and is necessary to protect the safety of the Company’s staff, employees, and business relationships.

Benefits

• This position is eligible for health benefits, such as medical, dental and vision coverage, Flexible Spending Accounts (FSAs), disability coverage, security, retirement and saving benefits. Additional benefits include a generous time away from work package, including personal leave, paid parental leave, medical leave, vacation, and holidays.
• This position is also eligible for bonus based on performance and subject to the terms of the Company’s applicable plans.
• 25-50% Travel

Responsibilities

Responsibilities include:

• Lead the development, scale-up, and technical validation of powder coating application processes for high-speed continuous coil coating lines.
• Identify, evaluate, design, and optimize application equipment, process parameters, and curing technologies to enable uniform powder deposition, film build control, surface appearance, and line-speed capability.
• Technical expertise in powder coating, as transfer efficiency, electrostatic charging behavior, particle fluidization, powder delivery stability, booth design, overspray recovery, substrate preheating, melt flow, coalescence, and cure kinetics.
• Demonstrate hands‑on experience with the following technologies:
  • Electrostatic powder spray application, including corona and/or tribo‑charging systems.
  • Powder handling, feeding, reclaim, sieving, fluidized‑bed, and control systems.
  • Thermal, infrared, ultraviolet, electron‑beam, or hybrid curing processes for coating film formation and final performance development.
• Plan, execute, and support global customer trials, technical demonstrations, and production‑line start‑ups for powder coating application technology.
• Develop pilot‑line and production‑line validation protocols, including process windows, critical quality attributes, measurement methods, acceptance criteria, and troubleshooting plans.
• Create installation, commissioning, operating, maintenance, and process‑control guidelines for laboratory, pilot, and customer application environments.
• Serve as the technical lead for customer demonstrations, equipment trials, process qualification activities, and root‑cause investigations related to powder application and cure performance.
• Build and transfer global application knowledge by documenting best practices, technical learnings, process limits, and equipment recommendations.
• Establish standardized test methods, application protocols, and technical reporting templates to support reproducible powder coating evaluations across regions.

Qualifications

Minimum Requirements

• Must be legally authorized to work in the country for which you are applying for employment (without now or in the future needing sponsorship for employment work visa and/or permanent residence status)
• Must be at least 18 years of age
• Bachelor’s degree in Chemical Engineering, Materials Science, Mechanical Engineering, Chemistry, Polymer Science, Coatings Technology, or a closely related STEM discipline.
• 5 years of experience in industrial coating application, formulation, process development, technical service, or manufacturing support.
• Hands‑on experience in a powder coating laboratory, pilot‑line, technical service, application engineering, or production‑support environment.
• Ability to interpret technical data related to coating appearance, film thickness, adhesion, cure response, mechanical performance, corrosion resistance, weathering performance, and production‑line robustness.

Preferred Qualifications

• 5+ years of combined experience in powder coating formulation, application engineering, process optimization, technical service, and field implementation.
• Technical knowledge of industrial finishing lines, including surface preparation, cleaning or pretreatment, substrate heating, powder deposition, cure, cooling, inspection, and downstream handling.
• Working knowledge of high speed coating processes, continuous‑line constraints, metal substrate behavior, line‑speed limitations, and performance requirements for architectural, industrial, and appliance applications.
• Strong understanding of powder coating specifications and how application variables affect customer‑line performance, including film build, gloss, texture, color control, adhesion, flexibility, impact resistance, corrosion protection, and exterior durability.
• Experience developing technical work instructions, standard operating procedures, process risk assessments, and Job Hazard Analysis reviews aligned with corporate EHS requirements.
• Competency in Lean Six Sigma, Design of Experiments, statistical process analysis, root‑cause analysis, and structured troubleshooting methodologies.
• Ability to communicate complex technical findings through written reports, customer‑facing summaries, trial reports, and technical presentations.

Successful candidate will be required to sign an Employee Restrictive Covenant Agreement where permitted by law.

At Sherwin-Williams, our purpose is to inspire and improve the world by coloring and protecting what matters. Our paints, coatings and innovative solutions make the places and spaces in our world brighter and stronger. Your skills, talent and passion make it possible to live this purpose, and for customers and our business to achieve great results. Sherwin-Williams is a place that takes its stability, growth and momentum and translates it to possibility for our people. Our people are behind the strength of our success, and we invest and support you in:

• Life … with rewards, benefits and the flexibility to enhance your health and well‑being
• Career … with opportunities to learn, develop new skills and grow your contribution
• Connection … with an inclusive team and commitment to our own and broader communities
• It's all here for you... let's Create Your Possible

A general description of benefits offered can be found at http://www.myswbenefits.com/.

Compensation decisions are dependent on the facts and circumstances of each case and will impact where actual compensation may fall within the stated wage range. The wage range listed for this role takes into account the wide range of factors considered in making compensation decisions including skill sets; experience and training; licensure and certifications; and other business and organizational needs. The disclosed range estimate has not been adjusted for the applicable geographic differential associated with the location at which the position may be filled. The wage range, other compensation, and benefits information listed is accurate as of the date of this posting. The Company reserves the right to modify this information at any time, with or without notice, subject to applicable law.

Qualified applicants with arrest or conviction records will be considered for employment in accordance with applicable federal, state, and local laws including with the Los Angeles County Fair Chance Ordinance for Employers and the California Fair Chance Act where applicable.

Sherwin-Williams is proud to be an Equal Employment Opportunity employer. All qualified candidates will receive consideration for employment and will not be discriminated against based on race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, protected veteran status, disability, age, pregnancy, genetic information, creed, marital status or any other consideration prohibited by law or by contract.

As a VEVRAA Federal Contractor, Sherwin-Williams requests state and local employment services delivery systems to provide priority referral of Protected Veterans.

Please be aware, Sherwin-Williams recruiting team members will never request a candidate to provide a payment, ask for financial information, or sensitive personal information like national identification numbers, date of birth, or bank account numbers during the application process.