Key Responsibilities and Required Skills for Jet Painter Assistant

🎯 Role Definition

The Jet Painter Assistant supports aircraft and aerospace painting operations by preparing surfaces, masking and protecting assemblies, mixing and applying coatings under supervision, maintaining paint booth cleanliness and environmental controls, and assisting lead painters to ensure FAA-compliant finishes. This position requires strict adherence to safety, environmental regulations, and technical specifications for coating systems used on jets and aviation components.

📈 Career Progression

Typical Career Path

Entry Point From:

Aircraft Cleaner / Surface Preparation Technician
Industrial Painter / Production Painter
Maintenance Technician (with painting responsibilities)

Advancement To:

Lead Jet Painter / Senior Aircraft Painter
Aircraft Paint Technician (certified)
Paint Shop Supervisor or Paint Process Engineer

Lateral Moves:

Corrosion Control Technician
Composite or Structural Finishing Technician

Core Responsibilities

Primary Functions

Perform detailed surface preparation on airframe and component surfaces including degreasing, washing, sanding, feathering, feather-edge blending, scuffing, and chemical stripping to ensure proper coating adhesion and meet aerospace surface specification requirements.
Accurately mask, tape, and protect aircraft windows, avionics openings, fasteners, seals, and sensitive components using aerospace-approved masking materials and techniques to prevent overspray and contamination.
Mix, thin, and prepare paints, primers, sealers, and topcoats according to manufacturer technical data sheets (TDS), paint room recipes, and color-matching standards, ensuring proper mixing ratios, pot life, and traceability.
Set up and operate spray equipment including HVLP, conventional, air-assisted, and electrostatic spray guns under supervision, adjusting pressure, fluid flow, and nozzle selection to achieve consistent, defect-free finishes.
Assist in calibrating and maintaining paint booth environmental controls (temperature, humidity, filtration) to meet required curing and application parameters and to minimize particulate contamination during application.
Apply primers, basecoats, and clearcoats to aircraft surfaces following specified film build targets, application techniques, and curing schedules to meet FAA, NADCAP, and OEM quality standards.
Use wet film thickness gauges, dry film thickness gauges, and other inspection tools to verify coating thickness and uniformity and document results in quality logs and coating records.
Remove old coatings and corrosion by mechanical or chemical methods as directed, and prepare repair areas for spot priming or full refinishing while preventing damage to substrate and adjacent structures.
Perform touch-ups, sanding between coats, and final surface finishing (cutting, buffing, polishing) to eliminate defects such as runs, sags, orange peel, or dust nibs, delivering smooth, high-quality appearance standards.
Read and interpret paint orders, engineering drawings, work instructions, and surface treatment specifications to execute painting tasks in accordance with job cards and production schedules.
Maintain accurate paint usage, batch, and MSDS documentation; log lot numbers and material traces to support quality assurance and regulatory compliance.
Follow hazardous materials handling procedures including proper labeling, storage, and disposal of paints, solvents, and thinners in accordance with MSDS, EPA, and local regulations.
Conduct pre-paint and post-paint inspections to identify defects, confirm surface cleanliness, and ensure that masking and protections are complete prior to spray operations.
Assist with scaffolding, platforms, lifts, and rigging set-up to safely access aircraft surfaces, adhering to fall protection and equipment operation protocols.
Clean, decontaminate, and maintain spray booths, mixing rooms, filters, and paint equipment, performing routine maintenance on spray guns, pumps, regulators, hoses, and mixing tools to ensure reliability and reduce downtime.
Participate in paint-related non-destructive testing (NDT) support and coordinate with quality teams to address delamination, adhesion failures, or paint compatibility issues identified during inspections.
Report discrepancies, surface anomalies, or material non-conformances to lead painters or quality engineers, and assist in implementing corrective actions or rework plans.
Assist with color-matching and touch-up work using spectrophotometers or approved color standards, ensuring visual and specification conformity for brand liveries and regulatory markings.
Support continuous improvement initiatives in the paint shop by suggesting workflow, material, or process improvements to increase efficiency, reduce waste, and improve finish quality.
Participate in required safety, environmental, and technical training including PPE use, respirator fit testing, FAA/NADCAP compliance topics, and manufacturer product training.
Maintain inventory of paints, primers, solvents, tapes, and protective materials; assist with stock rotation, labeling, and requisitioning to avoid production delays.
Help prepare aircraft for paint removal or full refinishing by coordinating with production planning, moving covers, and assisting in blanking out avionics and sensitive systems.
Document all painting activities in electronic or paper logs, ensuring traceability of materials and processes for warranty, audit, and regulatory review.
Support emergency response within the paint shop for spills, overspray incidents, or equipment failures following established safety protocols.

Secondary Functions

Assist with general shop housekeeping, sweeping, and disposal of used rags and filters to maintain a clean, safe painting environment.
Support ad-hoc maintenance of facility environmental controls such as HVAC filter replacement and booth lighting checks.
Help train and mentor new assistants and apprentices in basic surface prep, masking, and spray techniques under the supervision of senior painters.
Coordinate with logistics to stage and move parts, jigs, and fixtures into and out of the paint area in accordance with production flow.
Participate in pre-shift briefings and post-shift debriefs to communicate status, safety concerns, and material needs.
Assist quality and production teams with data entry for paint jobs and help prepare documentation for audits and inspections.
Support implementation of Lean 5S practices in the paint area to optimize organization and reduce waste.
Provide support for small fabrication or minor composite repair tasks when necessary to enable timely painting operations.

Required Skills & Competencies

Hard Skills (Technical)

Proficient in surface preparation techniques for aircraft substrates (aluminum, composites, titanium), including sanding, feathering, acid/chemical stripping, and corrosion removal.
Experience operating and maintaining spray equipment: HVLP, conventional, air-assisted systems, and basic electrostatic spray systems.
Knowledge of paint mixing practices, use of scales and mixing cups, thinning ratios, pot life management, and color matching fundamentals.
Familiarity with aerospace coating systems: epoxy primers, polyurethane topcoats, polysiloxane, and specialty corrosion inhibiting products.
Ability to use inspection tools such as wet/dry film thickness gauges, gloss meters, and basic measuring tools to verify compliance with specifications.
Understanding of FAA, NADCAP, OEM, and manufacturer paint specifications, technical data sheets (TDS), and material safety data sheets (MSDS).
Competence in masking and protection techniques for complex airframe geometries using industry-approved tapes, films, and plugs.
Knowledge of hazardous materials (hazmat) handling, labeling, storage, and disposal protocols and familiarity with EPA and OSHA regulations applicable to coatings.
Experience maintaining and troubleshooting spray booth environmental controls (temperature, humidity, filtration) and basic mechanical systems.
Ability to read and interpret engineering drawings, paint work orders, and job cards with attention to symbol conventions and finish codes.
Basic skills with lifts, scaffolding, and personal fall arrest systems to access elevated work areas safely.
Familiarity with shop documentation systems, paint logs, and inventory control for coating materials.

Soft Skills

Exceptional attention to detail with a strong focus on finish quality and defect prevention.
Strong teamwork and communication skills to coordinate with painters, quality inspectors, and maintenance staff.
Time management and organization skills to meet production schedules while maintaining quality standards.
Reliability and punctuality with a safety-first mindset and willingness to follow standard operating procedures.
Problem-solving aptitude to identify root causes for coating defects and suggest corrective actions.
Physical stamina and manual dexterity for repetitive tasks, standing, bending, and working in PPE for extended periods.
Adaptability to changing production demands, shift work, and urgent rework requirements.
Continuous improvement mindset with openness to feedback and training.

Education & Experience

Educational Background

Minimum Education:

High School Diploma or GED; vocational training or certificate in industrial painting or aviation maintenance preferred.

Preferred Education:

Technical certificate in Aircraft Refinishing/Aerospace Coatings, Paint Technology, or related industrial coating programs.
Formal apprenticeship or manufacturer-specific coating system training (e.g., PPG, AkzoNobel, Sherwin-Williams).

Relevant Fields of Study:

Aviation Maintenance Technology
Industrial Coating Technology
Composite Repair and Finishing
Metal Fabrication / Sheet Metal Work

Experience Requirements

Typical Experience Range: 0–3 years (entry-level roles often accept limited experience with on-the-job training); 1–5 years preferred for mid-level assistant roles.

Preferred:

1+ years of experience in aircraft or aerospace painting environments, or equivalent experience in industrial/coatings workshops.
Experience working under FAA, NADCAP, OEM, or airline maintenance shop regulations is highly desirable.
Demonstrated familiarity with aviation safety practices, respirator use, and hazardous materials handling.