Pre-Treat Operator - 1st shift

IFA Rotorion • Summerville, SC

4d

About The Position

The Pre-Treat Operator prepares fabrication parts and surfaces for industrial coating and painting. The role manages the chemistry and mechanical operation of pre-treatment wash tanks or systems to promote paint adhesion, prevent corrosion, and achieve a quality finish. The operator monitors chemical parameters and inspects parts before they proceed to paint application.

The position requires working with paints, solvents, cleaners, and hazardous chemicals, following OSHA, local environmental regulations, and SDS guidelines. The operator must be able to work any shift as required, including overtime as needed.

Requirements

• High school diploma or equivalent.
• Must be able to work any shift as required, including overtime as needed.
• Must be able to walk or move around a 500,000-square-foot manufacturing facility 90% of the time and around the specific work area 90% of the time.
• Must be able to bend, reach, twist, or stoop 70% of the time; lift up to 40 pounds frequently 40% of the time; and lift over 40 pounds infrequently 15% of the time.
• Must be able to push or pull materials using motorized and non-motorized material-handling equipment infrequently, 20% of the time.
• Must be able to sit at a workstation and work or operate a computer terminal 80% of the time.
• Vision is required to analyze and process work and use computer terminals and machine centers; hearing is essential for safety and communication.
• Must be able to work with paints, solvents, and cleaners.
• Competency in filling out chemical logs, total preventative maintenance (TPM) paperwork, and scrap tickets.

Nice To Haves

• Minimum 1–2 years of experience in an industrial painting, powder coating, or chemical pre-treatment environment; candidates with strong mechanical aptitude may be trained.
• Understanding of multi-stage industrial wash systems, such as iron or zinc phosphate, reverse osmosis water, and acid washes.
• Experience using titration kits, pH meters, and quality inspection tools such as Elcometers and infrared cameras for temperature checks.
• Exceptional attention to surface abnormalities, oil residues, or uneven chemical coating.

Responsibilities

• Maintain, monitor, and adjust pre-treatment degreaser, chemical rinsing, and phosphating tanks before the coating process.
• Conduct bath control tests, including pH testing and titration analysis, and log chemical levels to keep wash stages within specification.
• Ensure raw metal, plastic, or composite parts are free of grease, dirt, oil, scale, and rust before they reach the spray booth.
• Set up and operate automated conveyor lines, spray nozzles, pre-heat induction coils, and drying ovens.
• Visually inspect parts entering pre-treatment and exiting the dry-off oven; identify surface defects and document quality metrics.
• Clean, troubleshoot, and perform preventative maintenance on wash stages, filtration systems, spray nozzles, and booth components.
• Safely handle, mix, and dispose of hazardous chemicals and pre-treatment waste according to OSHA, local environmental regulations, and SDS guidelines.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Entry Level
• Education Level: High school or GED