Powder Coating Technical Specialist

Powder Coating Technical SpecialistF3 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.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.Key ResponsibilitiesServe as the technical authority on the powder coating floor, spending the majority of your time directly on the lineEvaluate existing processes and implement new ones to improve quality, efficiency, and flow across three powder lines, four ovens, and a batch boothApply Lean/Six Sigma techniques to identify and eliminate bottlenecks and wasteDiagnose and resolve coating defects, drawing on deep technical knowledge of chemical composition, oven time/temperature/speed, and application parametersOversee the operation, cleaning, and maintenance of the automated application equipment, including Nordson powder coating systemsSupport both standard powder coating and specialty Teflon coating processesPartner closely with the Quality team to reduce customer escapes and drive toward zero-defect performanceCoach, train, and mentor the team, building buy-in for new processes across the floorUse data and KPIs to monitor line performance and report gaps to leadership