Paint Shop Production Engineer

Job Summary:

The Paint Shop Production Engineer is responsible for overseeing the daily operations of the automotive paint shop to ensure consistent quality, efficiency, and safety. This role involves managing the paint application processes, monitoring production targets, maintaining equipment, and implementing continuous improvement initiatives in line with automotive quality standards.

Key Responsibilities:

• Production Operations:

• Supervise and coordinate paint shop production activities to meet daily, weekly, and monthly targets.
  
• Ensure adherence to paint shop process parameters (pretreatment, primer, base coat, clear coat, baking, etc.).
  
• Monitor line performance, identify bottlenecks, and implement corrective actions to optimize throughput.
  

• Quality Management:

• Maintain paint finish quality as per OEM standards (e.g., gloss, DOI, color matching, surface appearance).
  
• Conduct layer thickness and defect analysis (e.g., orange peel, runs, dust, pinholes).
  
• Support root cause analysis and corrective/preventive action for paint defects.
  

• Process & Equipment Maintenance:

• Coordinate with maintenance for equipment uptime (booths, ovens, conveyors, robots, air supply, etc.).
  
• Ensure preventive maintenance schedules are followed.
  
• Monitor paint material consumption and control wastage.
  

• Health, Safety & Environment (HSE):

• Ensure all safety standards are met, including ventilation, PPE usage, and chemical handling.
  
• Maintain environmental compliance related to VOC emissions and waste disposal.
  

• Continuous Improvement:

• Implement lean manufacturing, Kaizen, and 5S in the paint shop.
  
• Participate in projects to improve paint shop efficiency, reduce defects, and enhance energy utilization.
  

• Team Management:

• Lead, train, and motivate production operators and line technicians.
  
• Ensure shift handover documentation and reporting accuracy.
  

Qualifications:

• Education:

  Diploma or BE/B.Tech in Chemical Engineering, Paint Technology

• Experience:

  5 to 15 years in an automotive paint shop or similar surface coating environment.

• Technical Skills:

• Knowledge of paint application methods (robotic/manual).
  
• Understanding of pretreatment, ED coating, and topcoat systems.
  
• Familiar with paint shop utilities (RO water, ovens, air handling, chemical dosing).
  
• Experience with quality tools (SPC, 8D, PFMEA, Control Plans).
  
• Proficiency in MS Office and production reporting tools.
  

Key Competencies:

• Strong leadership and problem-solving skills.
  
• Attention to detail and commitment to quality.
  
• Excellent communication and team coordination.
  
• Ability to work in a fast-paced, high-volume environment.