Facility Engineer

Position Overview:

The Facility Engineer – Paint and Industrial Cleaning & Dirt Fighting is responsible for safeguarding Class A surface quality in the automotive painting process by leading contamination control, clean zone management, and all paint shop-related industrial cleaning operations. The role requires deep technical knowledge in paint defect prevention, strong leadership, and collaboration across quality, production, and maintenance functions to drive a dirt-free paint environment.

Key Responsibilities:

1.     Contamination Control & Dirt-Fighting Strategy

• Develop and implement comprehensive dirt-fighting and contamination control strategies.
• Oversee airflow, filtration, and pressure balancing in paint booths, clean tunnels, and sealing areas.
• Use tools like light booths, surface analyzers, and MES/QMS systems to detect, analyze, and reduce paint defects.
• Manage body cleaning technologies (e.g., ostrich feather dusters, blow-off stations, tack-off mats).
• Maintain cleanroom entry systems including air showers and tacky zones.

2. Supervision of Cleaning Operations

• Lead industrial cleaning technicians and manage external janitorial contractors.
• Coordinate cleaning of critical systems such as paint booths, ovens, pre-treatment tunnels, HVAC, and water treatment areas.
• Enforce strict cleaning cycles based on shift production or equipment usage thresholds.
• Supervise both dry and wet cleaning procedures, including de-sludging activities.

3. Equipment & Systems Oversight

• Operate and monitor booth filtration systems, sludge removal, mist separators, and AHUs.
• Ensure performance and hygiene of dehumidification and climate control systems.
• Coordinate with maintenance for scheduling preventive actions on cleaning-related assets.

4. Quality & Compliance

• Maintain adherence to OEM paint quality and Class A surface standards.
• Conduct particle counts, cleanliness audits, and blacklight inspections.
• Drive root cause investigations for all dirt-related defects and collaborate cross-functionally to implement solutions.

5. Safety & Environmental Compliance

• Enforce strict compliance with EHS standards, especially related to chemical handling and VOC emissions.
• Ensure correct usage and availability of PPE among team members.
• Manage safe disposal of hazardous and non-hazardous cleaning waste in line with regulatory and sustainability requirements.

6. Continuous Improvement & Reporting

• Apply Lean, TPM, and 5S principles to continuously improve cleaning procedures.
• Analyze defect trends and environmental data to eliminate recurring dirt sources.
• Track and report key metrics: dirt-related defect rates, cleaning efficiency, and unplanned downtimes.
• Supervise cleaning of ancillary items including paint shop body holders, skids, dollies, robot covers, and operator clothing.

Skills:

• Contamination Control Expertise – Deep understanding of dirt-fighting strategies, airflow design, and clean zone operations in automotive paint environments.
• Paint Shop Process Knowledge – Strong technical background in paint booth systems, pre-treatment, oven zones, and related support systems.
• Root Cause Analysis – Proficient in using tools such as 5 Why, Fishbone, and Pareto to identify and eliminate dirt-related defects.
• Equipment Handling & Maintenance – Hands-on experience with filtration systems, sludge removal, mist collectors, and HVAC cleanliness.
• Leadership & Supervision – Ability to lead cross-functional teams, manage contractors, and enforce SOPs in high-cleanliness zones.
• EHS & Compliance Awareness – Strong knowledge of environmental and safety compliance regarding VOCs, chemical handling, and hazardous waste.
• Data-Driven Decision Making – Skilled in interpreting defect tracking data (MES/QMS), particle counts, and KPI trends for process improvement.
• Continuous Improvement – Application of Lean, 5S, and TPM methodologies to improve efficiency and reduce cleaning-related downtime.
• Audit Readiness – Experienced in preparing for and participating in ISO 14001 and IATF 16949 compliance audits.
• Effective Communication – Capable of coordinating effectively with production, quality, maintenance, and external contractors.
• Technical Reporting – Proficient in technical documentation, inspection reports, and performance dashboards.

Minimum Qualifications:

Education: Diploma or Bachelor's degree in Mechanical, Industrial, or Chemical Engineering.

Experience: 5–8 years in an automotive paint shop, with at least 3 years in a cleanliness or quality control supervisory role.

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