Senior Paint & Powder Coating Process Engineer

Impact Solutions•Knoxville, TN

23h•Onsite

About The Position

This direct-hire role offers a high-impact seat within an expanding global leader. The employer is a family-owned, $1B+ commercial HVAC and air-movement equipment manufacturer that has been in business for over 75 years. Known for an award-winning culture that heavily reinvests profits back into state-of-the-art facilities, new equipment, and employee development, the company maintains extraordinary career stability. This position sits at the forefront of a multi-million-dollar expansion as the company builds out its campus in the Knoxville, TN area. Serving as the primary subject matter expert for all powder coating and finishing operations, you will lead equipment selection, process design, and line optimization for brand-new, high-efficiency manufacturing systems.

Requirements

3 to 5 years of manufacturing engineering experience with active hands-on proficiency in CAD, Lean tools, and industrial finishing systems (Level II).
6 to 9+ years of manufacturing engineering experience with deep expertise in powder coat line architecture, advanced plant layout, and SAP/ERP systems (Senior Level).
Proven capability troubleshooting coat thickness, surface pre-treatment chemistries, cure times, conveyor dynamics, and finish quality standards.
Associate Degree in Engineering, Industrial Technology, or related discipline required.
Willingness to travel 30%–50% during initial ramp-up phases.
Willingness to relocate to the Knoxville, TN area within a 6-month window.
Must be a US Citizen or Green Card holder.

Nice To Haves

4-year Engineering Degree (BSME, BSIE, or similar) strongly preferred.

Responsibilities

Provide primary technical leadership, daily troubleshooting, and training for all industrial powder coating, pre-treatment, and finishing operations.
Identify, justify, specify, and oversee the installation of new coating line equipment, spray booths, curing ovens, and automated material handling systems.
Establish operational KPIs, optimize chemical/coating utilization, improve line speeds, reduce scrap, and advance environmental sustainability goals.
Collaborate directly with Product Design Engineering to evaluate parts for finish quality, powder adhesion, and manufacturability.
Lead 5S, safety, and Lean continuous improvement initiatives, authoring standardized operating procedures (SOPs) and line workflows.
Participate in temporary regional travel (30–50%) to sister facilities during early-phase onboarding and line testing prior to full Knoxville operational launch.