Coatings Engineer

Description

NASL is seeking a motivated and technically skilled Coatings Engineer to join our Engineering team. This mid-level role is central to advancing our finishing and painting operations - from optimizing existing processes and troubleshooting coating defects to evaluating new equipment technologies that improve throughput, quality, and sustainability. The ideal candidate brings hands-on coatings expertise, a continuous improvement mindset, and the ability to collaborate across production, quality, and maintenance teams.

Key Responsibilities

Process Engineering & Optimization

* Develop, evaluate, and optimize liquid, UV, and vacuum coating processes including application methods, cure parameters, and surface preparation techniques.

* Investigate and resolve coating defects (adhesion failures, orange peel, fisheyes, runs, color inconsistencies) using structured root cause analysis.

* Define and document coating process standards, work instructions, and control plans to ensure repeatable, high-quality output.

* Conduct and analyze coating trials for new substrates, materials, or customer specifications.

Equipment Improvement & Capital Projects

* Identify opportunities for spray booth, application equipment, and curing oven upgrades that improve efficiency, reduce waste, and enhance finish quality.

* Lead or support capital improvement projects from concept through commissioning, including specification development, vendor evaluation, installation oversight, and validation.

* Collaborate with maintenance to establish preventive maintenance programs for finishing equipment and ensure equipment reliability.

* Evaluate and implement emerging coating technologies including UV cure, vacuum coating, electrostatic, and robotic application systems for potential adoption and integration into operations.

Quality & Compliance

* Partner with the Quality team to define inspection criteria, acceptance standards, and testing protocols for coated products.

* Support VOC compliance, environmental reporting, and adherence to applicable regulatory standards (EPA, OSHA, etc.).

* Maintain SDS management and ensure safe handling, storage, and disposal of coatings materials.

Collaboration & Continuous Improvement

* Work cross-functionally with all business segments including Production, Quality, Maintenance, Supply Chain, Product, and Sales teams to implement process improvements and support new product launches.

* Apply lean manufacturing and Six Sigma principles to drive waste reduction and process efficiency in finishing operations.

* Provide technical training and guidance to production operators on coating application best practices.

Requirements

Education

* Bachelor's degree in engineering, management or related field or equivalent experience.

* Continuing education or coursework in surface finishing, coatings science, or lean manufacturing is highly valued.

Experience & Skills

* 3-7 years of professional experience in coatings engineering, surface finishing, or a closely related manufacturing role.

* Demonstrated hands-on experience with liquid paint systems (solvent-borne, waterborne), UV coatings, and/or vacuum coating processes.

* Working knowledge of spray application equipment, cure ovens, surface preparation methods , and film thickness measurement.

* Familiarity with coating adhesion testing, gloss, and color matching (spectrophotometry).

* Experience managing or contributing to capital equipment projects in a manufacturing environment.

* Ability to read and interpret engineering drawings, process flow diagrams, and equipment specifications.

* Excellent written and verbal communication skills; ability to document technical findings clearly and present to cross-functional teams.

* Strong analytical and problem-solving skills with experience using data-driven approaches to resolve process issues are a plus.

Work Environment

This position requires frequent presence on the manufacturing floor in a finishing/painting environment. Candidates must be comfortable working around coating materials, solvents, and associated personal protective equipment (PPE). Some lifting may be required. Occasional travel may be needed.