Powder Coating Technical Specialist

Decision Associates•Erie, PA

10d•Onsite

About The Position

About F3 Metalworx F3 Metalworx, a leading sheet metal fabrication company, based in Erie, PA, is a single, one-stop resource for customers across industrial fabrication and powder coating markets. From wash and pretreatment through electrostatic powder and Teflon application, their finishing operations serve customers in a variety of industries. As F3 Metalworx continues to grow, they are investing in the technical expertise needed to build a best-in-class powder coating operation across their North East and Erie, PA locations. The Opportunity On behalf of our client, F3 Metalworx, Decision Associates is seeking a hands-on Powder Coating Technical Specialist to bring deep technical expertise to our powder coating operation. This role is central to our growth strategy, heavily focused on implementing a process-driven operation built on Lean principles. You'll spend the majority of your time on the floor, evaluating and optimizing our lines, diagnosing coating defects, and building the processes, training, and mentoring that raise the bar for quality, consistency, and throughput. This is a highly visible, technically demanding role reporting directly to the VP of Operations, with real opportunity to shape the future of the department.

Requirements

10+ years of hands-on, career-track powder coating experience
Experience across multiple substrates (steel, galvanized, aluminum, stainless) and pretreatment chemistries
Experience across multiple powder chemistries and specialty finishes; Teflon coating knowledge preferred
Strong working knowledge of Lean/Six Sigma methods, including process mapping
Comfortable diagnosing and resolving coating defects with minimal reliance on formal testing
Experience with automated application equipment (e.g., Nordson) strongly preferred
Job shop or high-mix production background preferred
Strong communicator who is comfortable training, coaching, and mentoring others
Proficiency with Microsoft Office/365 (Outlook, Excel, Teams); MIE Trak experience a plus

Responsibilities

Serve as the technical authority on the powder coating floor, spending the majority of your time directly on the line
Evaluate existing processes and implement new ones to improve quality, efficiency, and flow across three powder lines, four ovens, and a batch booth
Apply Lean/Six Sigma techniques to identify and eliminate bottlenecks and waste
Diagnose and resolve coating defects, drawing on deep technical knowledge of chemical composition, oven time/temperature/speed, and application parameters
Oversee the operation, cleaning, and maintenance of the automated application equipment, including Nordson powder coating systems
Support both standard powder coating and specialty Teflon coating processes
Partner closely with the Quality team to reduce customer escapes and drive toward zero-defect performance
Coach, train, and mentor the team, building buy-in for new processes across the floor
Use data and KPIs to monitor line performance and report gaps to leadership