Paint Line Technician I

As a Production Painter at Superior Tire & Rubber Corp., your primary responsibility is to prepare and paint production parts to meet quality and scheduling standards. You will work closely with the Finish Paint Production Coordinator and other members of the Finishing Team to ensure parts are completed accurately and on time.

All tasks must be performed in accordance with the Superior Production System (SPS), which includes ongoing training and adherence to established standards and continuous improvement practices.

Your goal is to consistently deliver high-quality painted parts that contribute to meeting on-time delivery goals, while maintaining a clean, safe, and efficient work environment.

Essential Job Functions:

Paint Technician I

As a Paint Technician I at Superior Tire & Rubber Corp., you begin by executing assigned paint production. Through hands-on training, you will learn the fundamentals of blasting, painting, and packaging operations while upholding quality standards. The primary responsibility of this role is to safely operate production equipment, assist with surface preparation and painting processes, perform basic quality checks, and execute assigned paint production while following established procedures and maintaining a clean, organized work environment.

• Attend daily safety start-up meeting and monthly safety training meetings
• Execute daily paint, blast and/or packaging requirements as assigned by supervision
• Operate and keep in good order blasters, spray guns, paint booths, and curing ovens.
• Utilize the flat black and Gloss Black Paint systems
• Adjust paint viscosity, air pressure, and spray patterns for optimal application
• Perform basic touch-ups and rework to meet quality standards
• Pack painted wheels for shipment and/or transfer
• Perform quality checks to ensure product meet quality standards
• Document all necessary quality requirements
• Follow safety protocols and always wear appropriate PPE
• Comply with all company policies, procedures, and quality standards
• Maintain clean, organized work areas following 5S principles: Sort, Set in Order, Shine, Standardize, Sustain
• VOC usage documentation
• Stack and prepare finished product for transport according to standards

Paint Technician II

As you advance to a Paint Technician II, you build on your foundational knowledge by taking greater ownership of painting operations during your shift. You are responsible for consistently applying OEM finishes to specification, maintaining quality standards, and ensuring production requirements are met. At this level, you are proficient in operating multiple paint systems and maintaining proper application techniques. Your responsibilities focus on production execution within the paint work center, while also supporting training and mentoring other technicians. As your technical expertise continues to grow, you may be called upon to assist with troubleshooting, process improvements, and supporting overall paint line performance.

• Mix paint according to specifications
• Painting OEM wheels to specification and maintain all quality standards
• Ability to paint all variations of active paint systems consistently and accurately
• Mentor and train team members on specific paint systems
• Accurate production recording in ERP system, Complete and Move transaction
• Train and mentor Level 1 and 2 Painters
• Serve as the backup for Level III Technician, performing essential functions as needed

Paint Technician III - Senior Technician

Progressing to Paint Technician III Senior Technician, you will provide technical oversight across assigned paint lines. In addition to your advanced painting responsibilities, you assist supervision with daily production coordination, quality inspection, and team member mentoring and training. You will provide technical oversight to ensure paint lines remain on-time and on-quality throughout your shift, while managing material flow, equipment readiness, and staffing gaps as they arise.

You will prepare and facilitate a thorough shift hand-off, ensuring schedules, staged materials, tools, and process controls are aligned for continued success. As the senior technician, you are expected to audit quality and process adherence, execute corrective actions within defined specifications, and communicate production or quality concerns along with root cause details to supervision.

Having developed advanced expertise in paint systems, application standards, and process controls, you are entrusted with coordinating day-to-day operations within your assigned area. You represent the paint department when collaborating with supervision to troubleshoot production or quality misses, identify training gaps, and implement improvements that support On-Quality, On-Time, and On-Cost objectives. As needed, you will fill operational gaps whether technical, material, or manpower-related to ensure daily production goals are achieved and standards are maintained.

• Daily overlap on to next shift to assist in-coming shift Tech III with production transition (typically < 1/2hr)
• Daily hand-off review of schedule adherence, material staging plan, and in-process material check with previous and next shift Tech III
• Communicate details for all production and quality misses as well as the perceived root cause to supervisor - immediately correct if situations are occurring due to off process conditions
• Expected to execute production and quality corrective actions within defined process specification, team member role assignment, and work order submission
• Execute team member reassignment in production down scenarios, as agreed upon with supervision
• Execute all raw and WIP material expectations according to set standards. This includes accurate production accounting (Syteline transactions), labeling, and preparing materials for transfer
• Complete all necessary material handling requests on your shift. Report all material handling bottleneck issues to supervisor
• Understands all technical functions within a given area
• Audits all quality control functions of their work center(s) on their shift
• Use audits to identify training gaps and execute additional training efforts as required - communicate all training gaps and subsequent initiatives to supervisor for documentation
• Daily audits of technician training on your shift to ensure competencies are being achieved and process are being followed
• Elevate to Team Lead when performance concerns are not being corrected with training
• Assist supervision in understanding details surrounding technical coaching and corrective action as directed
• Work with supervision to suggest mentor assignments
• Responsible for signing off on technician competencies and submitting to Team Lead to complete training matrix
• Understands the required workflow to achieve production schedules. Responsible to fill in gaps that are caused by intermittent challenges. Staffing shortages, equipment failures, communication with supervision on interdepartmental pitfalls.
• Responsible for day-to-day production flow decisions as directed by Team Lead
• Is expected to and have the authority to alter job duties within their work center as approved by supervision (on their assigned shift of responsibility).
• Absentee replacement for all positions within their assigned area of responsibility, as well as other areas as assigned by supervision
• Complete all necessary material handling request on your shift. Report all material handling bottleneck issues to Team LeadPerform daily viscosity checks, gun functionality and minor maintenance, and mil specification tests to ensure the team is on process.
• 5S as it pertains to tools, process control documents, VSWIs and production records on your shift
• The overall housekeeping of your assigned work centers on your shift. Acceptable WC hand-off criteria to be met every day

Other Duties:

• Please note this job description is not designed to cover or contain a comprehensive listing of activities, duties or responsibilities that are required of the employee for this job. Duties, responsibilities and activities may change at any time with or without notice.

Supervisory Responsibilities:

• None

Required PPE:

• Safety glasses are always required while in the production facility. In designated areas, foam-lined safety glasses are required.
• Steel-toed boots with accompanying or built-in metatarsal guards are required.
• Kevlar cut-resistant gloves and sleeves are required when using an open blade, or parts with sharp edges and/or sharp burrs.
• Face shields are required during all grinding operations.
• Hearing protection is required during designated portions of the molding process where noise levels exceed acceptable limits.
• Respirators are required in designated areas or when performing specific tasks as identified by signage, process requirements, or supervision.

Position Type/Expected Hours of Work:

• Full Time Non-Exempt 40 hours per week.
• 1st shift 6am-2pm Monday-Friday with Saturday O.T.
• 2nd shift 2pm-10am Monday-Friday with Saturday O.T.
• 3rd shift Sunday-Thursday with Friday O.T.

Travel:

• None

Work Environment:

• While performing the duties of this job, the employee regularly works in a production shop 100% of the time

Physical Demands:

• The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job.
• While performing the duties of this job, the employee is regularly required to use hands and fingers to handle, feel, or operate objects, tools or controls, and reach with hands and arms. The employee is frequently required to stand, talk and hear.
• Occasional heavy lifting of up to 50 pounds.

Required and Experience:

• High school diploma or equivalent.

Competencies/Skills:

• Ability to read and interpret technical drawings and specifications.
• Ability to work in a team-oriented, fast-paced production environment
• Strong attention to detail and quality control.
• Good problem-solving skills.
• Ability to work independently and as part of a team.
• Basic math skills
• Ability to use and navigate Syteline
• Ability to use Word and Excell
• Physical ability to lift and move materials as needed.

Growth & Advancement:

• Paint Line Technician roles provide a structured path for advancement through Levels I, II, and III. Promotion is based on skill development, reliability, ERP proficiency, and leadership readiness. Level III Technicians may advance or other leadership roles.

Founded in 1964, Superior Tire & Rubber Corp. is a designer and manufacturer of polyurethane and rubber industrial components for the material handling, construction, agricultural, municipal, and mining industries. All Superior Tire & Rubber Corp.'s product offerings are proudly engineered and produced in the USA on state-of-the-art processing and machining equipment, overseen by quality management systems registered to ISO 9001. Superior Tire & Rubber Corp. also owns multiple patents on many innovative products that have become new industry standards.

Superior Tire & Rubber Corporation Employees are eligible for the following benefits:

• Off-shift Premium
• Vacation, Paid Holidays, and Personal Days
• Medical, Dental, Vision and Life Insurance
• Parental Leave
• 401K
• Tuition Reimbursement
• Employee Assistance Program (EAP)
• YMCA Memberships
• Wellness Programs

At Superior Tire and Rubber Corporation, we are an equal opportunity employer. Our policy is to provide equal employment opportunities to all qualified people without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, national origin, age, disability, genetic information, or any other legally protected class. Our company makes all employment and advancement decisions based on merit, qualifications, and abilities.