Description

Position Summary
The Paint Superintendent is responsible for running all blasting, surface prep, and coating work in the shipyard. This role oversees painters and laborers, coordinates with other trades to align work and eliminate conflicts, and makes sure jobs are completed safely, on schedule, and to spec.

This is a hands-on leadership position in a fast-paced shipyard. The superintendent must keep the crews productive, materials ready, and jobs moving.

Key Responsibilities
Run daily operations for blasting, surface prep, and painting across all vessels and yard projects

Supervise painters and laborers, assigning work based on priorities and schedule demands

Hold daily kickoff meetings with crews to assign work, priorities, and expectations

Actively utilize laborers to support painting operations and overall yard productivity (material handling, staging, cleanup, containment, etc.)

Take charge of production output for all blasting and painting work

Adjust manpower in real-time to keep jobs on schedule

Plan ahead – ensure paint, consumables, and equipment are on hand before work starts.    

Coordinate manpower and equipment to hit production goals and avoid downtime

Oversee surface prep including blasting, power tool cleaning, washing, masking, and containment setup

Ensure coatings are applied correctly per spec (DFT, environmental conditions, cure times, etc.)

Inspect work in progress and completed work to ensure quality and minimize rework

Identify and correct issues early to prevent rework and lost time

Work closely with Project Managers, QA/QC, and other trades to keep jobs moving without conflicts

Manage subcontractors when used for blasting, coatings, or containment

Maintain daily reports including labor, production, and material usage

Enforce safety and environmental compliance (OSHA, shipyard practices, containment, waste handling)

Hold crew members accountable for performance, attendance, and quality of work

Requirements

Qualifications & Experience
5+ years shipyard painting/blasting experience (marine environment required)

2+ years running crews (painters and/or laborers)

Strong understanding of marine coating systems and surface prep standards (SSPC / NACE / AMPP)                                   

AMPP CIP Level 1 or 2, or the ability to pass and obtain level 1

Ability to read and understand specs, drawings, and coating requirements

Experience with containment, environmental controls, and waste handling in a shipyard setting

Strong leadership—must be able to manage crews, push production, and hold people accountable

Bilingual (English/Spanish) is a major plus and strongly preferred

Basic computer skills (daily logs, tracking, communication)

Work Environment
Shipyard environment (outdoors, vessels, confined spaces, heights)

Fast-paced with shifting priorities

Requires hands-on involvement, not just supervision

Must be able to make decisions quickly and keep work moving

Train new employees to develop a strong workforce

What Success Looks Like
Crews are productive and know what they’re doing every day
Materials are always ready ahead of the job
Minimal rework due to proper prep and application
Jobs stay on schedule
Laborers are effectively used to support painting and overall yard needs
Strong communication between field and office