Blast and Paint Prep Operator

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Hourly Full-Time Operatives Kalamazoo, MI, US

Responsible for blasting fabricated parts in alignment with production priorities. Owns operation, maintenance, and basic troubleshooting of blasting equipment to ensure quality and uptime. Supports paint operations through prep activities to maintain efficient workflow and throughput. This role is expected to develop into a cross‑trained blast/paint operator to support production flexibility and throughput.

• Operate abrasive blasting equipment to prepare metal parts according to specifications and surface preparation standards
• Perform routine maintenance, inspection, and basic troubleshooting of blasting equipment and PPE
• Maintain blast media, equipment settings, and work area to ensure consistent quality and efficiency
• Coordinate daily work priorities with fabrication and paint to align with production schedules and demand

• Support paint operations through masking, unmasking, and seam sealing activities
• Hang and unhang parts on paint carts and assist with staging for paint processes
• Perform job traveler processing and ensure proper documentation flow
• Clean and prepare parts prior to blasting and painting

• Stage and move parts to support efficient workflow between fabrication, blasting, and painting
• Actively identify and help eliminate bottlenecks, delays, and rehandling
• Support reduction of non-value-added activities including excess movement and staging inefficiencies
• Collaborate with fabrication, paint, and quality teams to maintain throughput across varying job types
• Maintain a clean, organized, and safe work environment
• Follow all safety procedures, including proper use of PPE and respiratory equipment
• Participate in continuous improvement initiatives related to safety, quality, and productivity
• Communicate effectively with supervisors and cross-functional teams
• Perform other duties as assigned to support plant operations

This is not intended to be an all-inclusive list of activities, duties, or responsibilities required, and the incumbent will perform other duties as assigned. This description may be changed to include new responsibilities and tasks or change existing ones as leadership deems necessary.

To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential duty satisfactorily. The requirements listed below are representative of the knowledge, skill, and/or ability required. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

Education and/or Experience

High school diploma or general education degree (GED); or six months to one year related experience and/or training in manufacturing, blasting, painting, or fabrication; or equivalent combination of education and experience.

Skills, Talents and/or Characteristics

• Willingness and ability to learn and cross‑train in industrial blasting and painting processes
• Ability to work in a high‑mix production environment with concurrent tasks and work orders.
• Ability to prioritize and manage work across multiple job types and changing production needs
• Ability to coordinate work with others to support production flow, priorities, and deadlines
• Strong attention to detail related to surface preparation and quality requirements
• Ability to add, subtract, multiply, and divide
• Ability to use assorted hand tools, power tools, hoists and overhead cranes
• Ability to work independently or in a team setting
• Dependable and conducts work in a thorough and accurate manner
• Ability to communicate effectively, professionally across all departments
• Experience with surface preparation and industrial coating processes preferred (not required)
• Exposure to dust, noise, and industrial coating; must be able to wear required PPE including respirators where applicable
• Ability to work in blast and…