Thermal Spray Industrialization & Process Development Engineering Technician

GE Vernova; Greenville (SC); On-site; USD 120,000 - 190,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Relocation assistance

Job summary

GE Vernova in Greenville, SC seeks an experienced Thermal Spray Industrialization & Process Development Technician to lead development, qualification, and production support for HVOF and APS coating processes.

You will work across R&D, manufacturing and quality teams to deliver repeatable, high‑quality coating programs that meet stringent print and specification requirements in a high‑volume environment.

Qualifications

• 10+ years hands-on thermal spray process development in manufacturing.
• Proven experience with HVOF and APS coating processes.
• Experience developing new coatings and process qualification.
• Strong metallographic evaluation skills.
• Ability to work on site in a manufacturing environment.
• Excellent communication in cross-functional teams.
• Willingness to work off-shift as project timelines require.
• Expertise with Fanuc Robot.

Responsibilities

• Industrialize and scale thermal spray coating processes to support GE Vernova’s largest volume expansion.
• Develop, qualify, and industrialize HVOF and APS processes from lab to full-scale production.
• Ensure frozen, repeatable processes meeting print and specifications.
• Operate and support thermal spray cells and robotic programs with focus on quality and waste reduction.
• Diagnose and resolve coating, equipment, and process issues for long-term stability.
• Perform metallographic evaluations and mechanical testing to assess coating quality.
• Read and execute shop work instructions.
• Collaborate across engineering, operations, quality and R&D to deliver results in a high-volume environment.
• Role is 100% time on GE Vernova located in Greenville SC site.

Skills

Thermal spray process development

HVOF & APS coating

Metallographic analysis

Robotic spray programs

Cross-functional collaboration

On-site manufacturing

Fanuc Robot

Education

Technical education in coatings or related field

Tools

Fanuc Robot

Job description

Job Description Summary

Are you passionate about innovation? Are you excited at the opportunity to electrify and decarbonize the world?

We operate with a founder’s mindset. We deliver innovation with passion, speed, and courage. We continuously challenge our thinking and are empowered to dream big and take smart risks.

What impact you’ll make

As a member of the Process Industrialization team, you will be an active contributor to create, maintain, and execute the standard in how to develop and industrialize manufacturing processes using a team-based approach.

You will be responsible for the new coating process development and launch at the Greenville manufacturing plant.

The focus will be on testing and developing new, or improving upon existing, manufacturing process by utilizing a standard framework.

If you know how to turn a thermal spray coating into a rock-solid quality, repeatable production process, we want you.

We’re seeking a hands‑on highly experienced Thermal Spray Industrialization & Process Development Engineering Technician to lead the development, qualification, industrialization, and serial life production.

You will focus on High Velocity Oxy‑Fuel (HVOF) and Atmospheric Plasma Spray (APS) coating processes for gas turbine high‑performance components.

This role blends practical coating cell work, metallographic preparation, microstructural analysis, machinery problem solving, and the design of fixtures/masking to enable repeatable, cost‑effective production, all while operating within our SQDC (Safety, Quality, Delivery, Cost) values. You will work in a multi‑disciplinary, multi‑group environment, aligning R&D, manufacturing, quality, and customer teams toward a common goal, requiring clear, concise communication and strong collaboration skills.

Job Description

What you’ll do

• Your main mission will be to industrialize and scale thermal spray coating processes to support GE Vernova’s largest volume expansion.
• Work along with engineering team and develop, qualify, and industrialize HVOF and APS thermal spray processes from lab to full‑scale production.
• Understand the critical thermal spray parameters and ensure frozen process, repeatable production processes that meet print and specification requirements.
• Operate and support thermal spray cells, including robotic spray programs, with a focus on quality, cycle time, and potential defect reduction and waste.
• Diagnose and resolve coating, equipment, and process issues to ensure long‑term process stability.
• Perform and interpret metallographic evaluations and mechanical testing to assess coating quality and lead root‑cause analysis of defects.
• Read and execute shop work instructions.
• Collaborate across engineering, operations, quality, and R&D to deliver results quickly in a high‑volume manufacturing environment.
• This role is 100% time on GE Vernova located in Greenville SC site.

What you’ll bring (Basic Qualifications)

• Combination of technical education, certifications, and significant hands‑on thermal spray process development experience.
• 10+ years of hands‑on thermal spray process development experience in manufacturing or industrialization environments.
• Proven experience to develop new thermal spray coatings and have solid understanding in plasma and/or HVOF parameters.
• Significant hands‑on experience with HVOF and/or APS coating process development, qualification, and production support.
• Strong skills in coating microstructure evaluation and metallographic analysis (optical, image analysis).
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills; proven track record working in multi‑group environments toward shared goals.
• Ability and desire to work on site in a manufacturing environment.
• Ability to work off‑shift or flexible schedule at times as required by project timelines.
• Expertise working with Fanuc Robot.

What will make you stand out (Desired Qualification)

• 15+ years of hands‑on thermal spray process development experience in a manufacturing and project environment (HVOF or APS).
• Proven experience designing fixtures/masking for production coating applications.
• Experience with MCrAlY bond coats, TBC ceramic topcoats (e.g., YSZ), coatings.
• Gas turbine or aerospace coatings qualification experience or other high‑performance industrial coating applications.
• Knowledge of blasting, masking, heat treatment, and post‑processing of coated parts.

This role requires access to U.S. export‑controlled information. If applicable, final offers will be contingent on ability to obtain authorization for access to U.S. export‑controlled information from the U.S. Government.

Additional Information

GE Vernova is an Equal Opportunity Employer. Employment decisions are made without regard to race, color, religion, national or ethnic origin, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, age, disability, protected veteran status or other characteristics protected by law.

GE Vernova will only employ those who are legally authorized to work in the United States for this opening. Any offer of employment is conditioned upon the successful completion of a drug screen (as applicable).

Relocation Assistance Provided: Yes