Paint Quality Engineer

About the Role

We are seeking a highly skilled Paint Quality Engineer to protect and enhance the visual quality of painted exterior and interior components across premium supercar production. You will lead structured problem solving, drive standards, and ensure our paint finish meets the highest customer appearance requirements. The role also ensures compliance with internal and external audits, maintaining an audit‑ready environment across all paint quality processes. Working at the point of manufacture and with cross-functional teams, you will reduce defects, optimise process parameters, and translate data into practical actions.

Benefits

• Competitive Salary DOE

Key Responsibilities

• Take ownership of paint quality performance for assigned models, processes, or workstations.
• Support optimisation of application parameters and environmental controls.
• Monitor, analyse, and reduce defects, prioritising those with the highest FPV impact.
• Implement containment, corrective, and preventative actions to reduce rework and polishing labour.
• Lead root-cause analysis using structured methods (5‑Why, Ishikawa, 8D, DMAIC).
• Run validation trials and confirm improvements with data-driven evidence.
• Maintain work instructions, PFMEAs, and inspection guides.
• Support introduction of new materials, colours, substrates, and paint systems.
• Collaborate with Production, Engineering, Manufacturing Quality, Corporate Quality, and Compliance to resolve appearance issues.
• Analyse defect data and present trends with actionable recommendations.
• Maintain audit-ready documentation in line with internal and external standards.

Required Skills & Knowledge

• Knowledge of automotive paint technologies, including water-based, solvent-based, composite substrates, and clearcoat systems.
• Understanding of paint materials, curing, defect mechanisms, and appearance standards.
• Familiarity with paint shop equipment, environmental controls, and metrology tools (DOI, orange peel, spectral analysis).
• Competent in quality tools (8D, 5‑Why, Ishikawa, SPC, PFMEA) and basic process capability analysis.
• Ability to read technical specifications and translate requirements into shop-floor actions.

Experience Required

• Automotive paint environment experience (OEM, Tier 1, or high-end bodyshop).
• Demonstrated success in defect and rework reduction using structured problem solving.
• Strong shop-floor presence with practical troubleshooting capability.
• Typically 3–5+ years for Engineer level; 5–8+ years for Senior level.

Education & Qualifications

• Degree or HNC/HND in Engineering, Materials, or Automotive (or equivalent experience).
• Desirable: coatings/paint technology, 8D, SPC, Six Sigma certification.

Behaviours & Competencies

• Structured problem-solving mindset.
• Effective in fast-paced production environments.
• Collaborative, able to influence across functions.
• Proactive with strong ownership of issues.
• Clear and concise communication skills.

Nice to Have:

• Premium/luxury automotive experience.
• Composite substrate knowledge.
• Appearance metrology and new paint system launches.

Make an impact on vehicles seen and admired worldwide. If you care about flawless finishes and continuous improvement, we want to hear from you!

If you’re looking to play a key role in supporting next-generation automotive programmes, apply today for a confidential conversation.

G&P is a world-leading quality management services provider, supporting manufacturers in the automotive, defence, aerospace and industrial sectors, and their associated supply chains, to transform quality and efficiency levels.

 

With over 30 years of experience, we provide tailored solutions through senior management support and expert personnel from our dedicated talent division. Through our award-winning engineering, technical, inspection and talent services, we help businesses minimise risk, maximise performance and achieve operational excellence.

 

Operating from strategic hubs in six countries, we continue to grow across new sectors, always focused on eliminating disruptions and supporting our clients’ drive to zero defects.

 

G&P is an equal opportunities employer and do not discriminate on the grounds of gender, sexual orientation, marital or civil partner status, pregnancy or maternity, gender reassignment, race, colour, nationality, ethnic or national origin, religion or belief, disability or age.