What do coating, painting, and spraying machine setters, operators, and tenders do?
Set up, operate, or tend spraying or rolling machines to coat or paint any of a wide variety of products, including glassware, cloth, ceramics, metal, plastic, paper, or wood, with lacquer, silver, copper, rubber, varnish, glaze, enamel, oil, or rust-proofing materials. Includes painters of transportation vehicles such as painters in auto body repair facilities.
This describes a U.S. occupation, not a live vacancy. Individual employers may use different titles and requirements.
Job titles to recognize in your search
O*NET reports these titles for this occupation. Compare the responsibilities in each posting before treating titles as equivalent.
- Automotive Painter (Auto Painter)
- Automotive Refinish Technician (Auto Refinish Tech)
- Coater Operator
- Hand Sprayer
- Industrial Painter
- Paint Technician (Paint Tech)
- Painter
- Powder Coater
Core tasks to compare with a job posting
- Dispose of hazardous waste in an appropriate manner.
- Hold or position spray guns to direct spray onto articles.
- Spray prepared surfaces with specified amounts of primers and decorative or finish coatings.
- Monitor painting operations to identify flaws, such as blisters or streaks, and correct their causes.
- Disassemble, clean, and reassemble sprayers or power equipment, using solvents, wire brushes, and cloths.
- Fill hoppers, reservoirs, troughs, or pans with material used to coat, paint, or spray, using conveyors or pails.
- Clean equipment and work areas.
- Apply rust-resistant undercoats and caulk and seal seams.
- Start and stop operation of machines, using levers or buttons.
- Determine paint flow, viscosity, and coating quality by performing visual inspections, or by using viscometers.
Prepare an application for this occupation
- Check the employer’s requirements, location, schedule and any licenses against your situation.
- Choose two or three tasks above that match the posting and your actual experience.
- Build a resume evidence worksheet using the skills and software relevant to that employer.
- Practice explaining your contribution, decisions and results before an interview.
Ready to plan your search?
Start with coating, painting, and spraying machine setters, operators, and tenders as your target. You can change your role in the quiz and tell us your location and work preferences.