Process Engineer

Position Overview

Mural Group is partnering with a global Tier 1 automotive supplier to hire a Process Engineer focused on e-coat, paint, and surface finishing processes within a high-volume manufacturing environment. This role is responsible for optimizing coating application, pretreatment, curing, and paint system performance to ensure consistent product quality, corrosion protection, and manufacturing efficiency. You will lead continuous improvement initiatives across the paint process, troubleshoot coating-related issues, and work cross-functionally with production, quality, and maintenance to improve throughput while reducing scrap and process variation.

What You'll Do

• Design, optimize, and support e-coat, paint, and surface finishing processes within a high-volume manufacturing environment.
• Improve coating application methods, pretreatment systems, curing parameters, and overall paint process performance.
• Troubleshoot paint and coating defects including adhesion failures, film thickness variation, contamination, corrosion concerns, runs, sags, orange peel, and other finish-related quality issues.
• Perform root cause analysis and implement corrective actions to improve process capability and product quality.
• Lead process trials, validate new materials and process changes, and support continuous improvement initiatives.
• Develop and maintain process documentation including SOPs, work instructions, control plans, and quality standards.
• Partner with production, maintenance, tooling, and quality teams to improve process stability and manufacturing efficiency.
• Analyze production data and process capability to reduce scrap, improve first-pass yield, and increase throughput.
• Support equipment and tooling modifications that improve coating performance and manufacturing reliability.
• Review engineering drawings, specifications, and production data to resolve manufacturing and quality issues.
• Maintain compliance with engineering standards, environmental regulations, and safety requirements related to paint and coating operations.
• Own quality outcomes for assigned processes, including authority to stop production when nonconforming material is identified.

Basic Requirements

• Bachelor's degree in Mechanical Engineering, Industrial Engineering, Chemical Engineering, Materials Engineering, Manufacturing Engineering, or a related technical discipline.
• 3+ years of experience supporting e-coat, powder coating, liquid paint, industrial painting, or automotive paint processes within a manufacturing environment.
• Strong understanding of paint application methods, pretreatment systems, curing ovens, and coating process controls.
• Experience troubleshooting coating defects, adhesion failures, corrosion issues, and paint quality concerns.
• Knowledge of paint process variables including film thickness, cure profiles, surface preparation, and coating performance.
• Strong root cause analysis and continuous improvement skills.
• Mechanical aptitude with a hands-on approach to solving manufacturing problems.
• Excellent communication skills and the ability to work effectively across engineering, maintenance, quality, and production teams.

Preferred

• Automotive OEM or Tier 1 paint shop experience.
• Direct experience with e-coat, electrocoating, powder coating, liquid paint, or industrial finishing operations.
• Experience supporting robotic paint systems, spray booths, pretreatment systems, and curing ovens.
• Familiarity with SPC, DOE, FMEA, and process capability analysis.
• Experience in high-volume automotive manufacturing environments.