Brush and Roll Painter First Class

Mills Marine & Ship Repair•Newport News, VA

4d•$25 - $31•Onsite

About The Position

Mills Marine is hiring a full-time Brush and Roll Painter First Class, also identified as Marine Painter First Class / Sprayer, at Huntington Ingalls Shipyard in Newport News, Virginia. The role is a fully qualified, multi-skilled preservation mechanic position capable of performing duties from laborer through marine sprayer. It borders on a lead role, where leadership ability should begin to manifest consistently. The work supports ship repair and construction for the Military’s mission, with an emphasis on safe, quality, process-driven service. The position involves reviewing coating requirements and product information, checking surface preparation and release, selecting and operating spray equipment, and applying approved coating systems to shipboard surfaces. It also includes pump operation, brush-and-roll coating, stripe coating, touch-up, surface preparation, cleanup, and equipment maintenance. The painter coordinates with the Pump Operator and follows safety requirements, including use of required personal protective equipment. The role requires the ability to work 8–12-hour shifts and be available 5–7 days per week, including overtime as needed. Employment is contingent on pre-employment drug screening, a physical examination and respirator fit test, random drug and alcohol testing, and a background check that includes verification of the past seven years of employment history.

Requirements

Ability to read and write effectively.
High school diploma or equivalent.
Minimum of 2 years’ experience working directly as a marine painter 2nd class.
Experience reviewing coating requirements and product data.
Experience selecting proper spray equipment and spraying primers, intermediate coats, topcoats, and approved coating systems on Military ships.
Pump Operator experience and understanding.
Ability to wear required personal protective equipment (PPE).
Strong attention to detail and commitment to workplace safety.
Ability to stand and walk for extended periods.
Ability to lift and carry up to 60 pounds.
Ability to work in confined spaces.
Continuous visual awareness and mental focus.
Ability to work 8–12-hour shifts and availability to work 5–7 days per week, including overtime as needed.
Successful completion of a pre-employment drug screening.
Required physical examination and respirator fit testing.
Subject to random drug and alcohol testing.
Background check, including verification of the past seven years of employment history.

Nice To Haves

Marine Pump Operator experience.
Leadership experience.

Responsibilities

Review coating requirements, product data, environmental limitations, recoat windows, authorized boundaries, and application requirements.
Confirm surfaces are properly prepared, cleaned, inspected, and released before coating.
Select the proper spray gun, tip, pressure, hose configuration, and technique.
Apply primers, intermediate coats, topcoats, and approved coating systems to shipboard surfaces, including bulkheads, overheads, doors, stiffeners, foundations, and trunks.
Maintain correct gun distance, angle, travel speed, overlap, spray pattern, and wet-film coverage.
Prevent and correct overspray, runs, sags, dry spray, holidays, excessive film build, contamination, and missed areas.
Coordinate with the Pump Operator and safely shut down, depressurize, flush, clean, and preserve spray equipment.
Inspect and set up pumps, hoses, fittings, filters, guns, tips, guards, suction equipment, and grounding arrangements.
Verify coating product, batch number, mix ratio, induction time, pot life, thinner limitations, and quantity.
Mix, strain, prime, operate, monitor, troubleshoot, depressurize, flush, and clean spray equipment.
Track material mixed, used, wasted, and remaining.
Apply primers and finish coats to bulkheads, overheads, doors, structural members, foundations, edges, corners, welds, and inaccessible areas using brush and roll methods.
Perform stripe coating and touch-up while preventing runs, sags, lap marks, holidays, contamination, and excessive buildup.
Perform masking, containment, material movement, cleaning, scraping, sanding, feathering, approved hand- and power-tool cleaning, vacuuming, housekeeping, cleanup, and restoration.