Overview

Position Summary The Paint Team Manager is responsible for leading all paint operations at Cummins Clean Fuel Technologies (CCFT), ensuring the highest standards of safety, quality, productivity, and employee development. This position oversees paint booth operations, surface preparation, paint application, color matching, paint mixing, coating performance, and final finish quality for fuel system components, structures, and assemblies. The successful candidate will bring extensive experience in commercial vehicle, truck, heavy equipment, fleet, or industrial painting environments and possess deep technical knowledge of coating systems, paint chemistry, color formulation, and the preparation of aluminum and steel substrates. This leader will work closely with Production, Quality, Engineering, and Safety teams to ensure products meet CCFT's customer and manufacturing standards. Essential Responsibilities Paint Department Leadership Lead and supervise all paint department personnel, including painters, prep technicians, and paint booth operators. Develop employee skills through training, coaching, and performance management. Establish daily production priorities and staffing requirements to meet production schedules. Foster a culture focused on safety, quality, accountability, and continuous improvement. Conduct performance reviews and support employee development plans. Technical Paint Operations Manage all paint booth activities from surface preparation through final finish inspection. Serve as the department subject matter expert for paint systems, coating processes, and finishing techniques. Oversee paint mixing, color matching, viscosity control, and material usage to ensure consistency and minimize waste. Troubleshoot and resolve paint-related issues including adhesion failures, fisheyes, orange peel, runs, contamination, blistering, and curing defects. Ensure compliance with paint manufacturer specifications and engineering requirements. Surface Preparation Oversee preparation of aluminum and steel components prior to painting. Ensure proper cleaning, sanding, grinding, masking, pretreatment, and primer application processes. Verify substrates meet coating requirements for adhesion, corrosion resistance, durability, and appearance. Establish and maintain standard work instructions for all preparation and painting processes. Quality Assurance Ensure all painted components meet CCFT quality standards and customer specifications. Perform inspections for color consistency, gloss, coverage, film thickness, surface finish, and overall appearance. Monitor paint process capability and implement corrective actions when quality issues arise. Partner with Quality and Engineering teams to investigate root causes and prevent recurring defects. Maintain paint quality documentation and inspection records. Production & Continuous Improvement Drive efficiency improvements within paint operations. Monitor labor productivity, throughput, and paint material utilization. Reduce rework, scrap, and paint waste through process optimization. Participate in Lean Manufacturing and Continuous Improvement initiatives. Support production planning and scheduling to ensure on-time delivery performance. Safety & Environmental Compliance Ensure compliance with OSHA, EPA, environmental, and CCFT safety standards. Enforce proper use of personal protective equipment (PPE). Oversee safe handling, storage, and disposal of paints, solvents, and hazardous materials. Conduct regular safety observations and department audits. Maintain compliance with all applicable environmental permits and regulations. Required Qualifications High School Diploma or GED required; Associate's or Bachelor's degree preferred. Minimum 5 years of experience in commercial truck, vehicle, heavy equipment, fleet, or industrial painting operations. Minimum 3 years of supervisory or management experience in a manufacturing paint environment. Strong knowledge of paint chemistry, coating syst