Metal Spray Technician

Thermal Spray Technician Trainee (Traveling)

Immediate Openings – Paid Training in Richmond, VA.

Travel the country. Learn a skilled trade. Get paid to train.

IGS is hiring Full-Time Thermal Spray Technician Trainees to join our traveling industrial coatings team. If you’re dependable, physically tough, and ready to build a long-term career in heavy industry — we’ll train you.

💰 What You’ll Get

• 32+ hours guaranteed

• Competitive hourly pay

• $64/day per diem

• Airfare, hotel & rental car paid while traveling

• Paid training in Richmond, VA 

• PPE & specialized tools provided

• Clear promotion path with performance-based raises

• Full benefits package (details below)

🌎 What You’ll Do

• Apply protective industrial coatings using advanced HVAS equipment

• Operate blasting and spray equipment

• Work at heights, in confined spaces, and in industrial environments

• Travel 4–6 weeks at a time (U.S. & international projects)

• Follow strict safety and quality procedures

This is hands-on, physical work in real industrial environments — refineries, power plants, and heavy facilities.

✅ What We’re Looking For

• Strong work ethic and reliability

• Comfortable working 12-hour shifts for 7+ consecutive days

• Able to lift 50+ lbs

• Willing to travel extensively

• Valid driver’s license required

• REAL ID or Passport Book required for air travel (Day 1 of training)

• Ability to pass drug screen & background check

Construction, military, coatings, or heavy industry experience is a plus — but not required.

We train the right attitude.

📈 Career Growth

Start as a Trainee → Promote to Junior Technician → Continue advancing with pay increases and skill certifications.

We are growing and actively building our traveling team.

🏥 Benefits

• Medical, Dental & Vision Insurance

• 401(k) with 3.5% match (up to 6%)

• Company-paid Life Insurance

• HSA contributions (HDHP plans)

• Voluntary Short-Term & Long-Term Disability

• Critical Illness & Accident Insurance

• Employee Assistance Program

• Financial Wellness Program

• Employee Discount Program

Why Join IGS?

If you want a career — not just a job — and you're ready to work hard, travel, and learn a specialized trade, this is your opportunity.

General Purpose of the Position:

Provides information to the Manpower Manager on all matters related to safety, timeline, and application of IGS products. Trainees are accountable for knowing and adhering to the health, safety, environmental, and quality programs and policies of IGS. Trainees will have additional supervision and direction. However, progression toward self-sufficiency is expected within a reasonable time frame. Such progression will be recognized through promotion to Technician. Participation and satisfactory completion of assigned training is required.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities:

• Comply with IGS and site-specific safety protocols/ equipment safe operating practices
• Maintain a valid driver’s license to operate company or rental vehicles
• Pass all necessary trainings provided by IGS and customer’s requirements
• Work safely, ensuring all activities conform with both IGS and customer site specific safety requirements
• Produce a high volume of coated area that meets or exceeds project specification, quality control standards and IGS SOP’s (standard operating procedures)
• Produce uniform coating above minimum specification
• Conduct yourself in a professional manner at all times through personal adherence of IGS values (the IGS Way)
• Strive for professional development in terms of improvements in work quality and consistency
• Prevent any non-conformance that can cause loss of confidence from the customer and project’s profit.

Quality Control

• Perform duties at least 90% independent
• Assist in planning upcoming work scope
• Understand QC role in QCP, assist in QCP completion
• Review QCP with the Team Leader prior to start of any work

Troubleshooting and Maintenance

• Perform thorough troubleshooting of equipment as needed
• Handle power pack and control box malfunctions
• Replace Knurl wheel, toggle switch,
• Repair deadman, blast pot, air block (pressure switch)
• Operate breathing box, change air block and motor if necessary
• Clear information from and tag damaged equipment

Interpret Coating Maps

• Understand coating documents for boiler and vessel
• Understand color coding for coated areas
• Identify internal instruments, nozzles and plates

Profiling

• Meet required profile depth, consistently with no holidays
• Create profile with no spalls near edge of coating UOP

Spraying

• Ensure quality application, regardless of time restrictions
• Produce coatings +/- 2 mils within specification for majority of UOP
• Be Able to surpass company expectations by 25% and assist others as needed

Tapers and Tie-Ins

• Spray tapers and tie-ins with no lips or hard edges, cosmetically perfect
• Maintain consistent transition through the tie-in
• Produce tapers and tie-ins with no out of range thickness

Spray - Repairs

• Spray repairs with no hard edges, lips or out of range thicknesses
• Understand repair geometry
• Correct profile and repair preparation
• Assist in repair inspections

Elcometer Use

• Calibrate elcometer
• Use with care, be responsible for the instrument

Testex Application and Micrometer Use

• Perform proper Testex application
• Remedy low or high Testex readings – adjust profile
• Record Profile thickness, document Testex in QCP/ UOP sheet

SEE Report

• Complete SEE report readings with minimal direction
• Provide clear feedback to Team Leader
• Correct elevation and marking

Standards of Practice (SOP’s)

• Comply with task specific SOP’s including: sandblasting and HVAS set up and operation, profiling and surface preparation,
• Preparation, application and inspection of Production Test Plate, if project requires

Employee Mentor

• Offer other personnel HVAS guidance, practical demonstration, feedback, motivation and/ or positive criticism as deemed appropriate/ necessary
• Fill roles of alternate positions to assist where needed

Skills and Abilities Required

Physical:

• Lift 50lbs. or more multiple times through each shift; Walk up and down multiples flights of stairs or climb ladders
• Able to work in tight/confined spaces as well as on elevated surfaces (scaffolding)
• Able to work 12-hour shifts, day or night, 7 days per week
• Able to wear full-face respirator and supplied-air hood PPE for extended periods (i.e. coveralls, work gloves, hardhat)
• Comfortable working with pressurized equipment and air systems up to 140 PSI or higher in confined, dusty, or high-temperature environments

Client-Site Documentation

• Due to nature of certain restrictions for our clients, we require all employees to hold a valid and unrestricted U.S. Driver's License
• Employees will also be subject to a DISA background check and drug screening prior to employment and periodically during tenure.

Travel

• Must be willing and able to travel 1 – 4 weeks at any given time.
• Ability to obtain Passport and travel internationally.

Contacts:

• Frequent contact with onsite leadership, office, and field service personnel
• Occasional contact with customers

Decision/Judgment:

• Decisions are guided by a general understanding of the company’s mission, vision, IGS Way Values framework, standards of operation and mutually determined strategies and objectives

Effort/Working Conditions:

• High physical effort and high level of physical exertion is required for this position
• Job is performed in a challenging environment in various client facilities which includes but are not limited to refineries, paper mills and power plants in both the USA and International locations
• Work is generally performed in a confined space with extreme temperature variations
• The work environment is typically dusty due to the nature of materials handled. Must be comfortable working in such conditions and wear personal protective equipment as required 
• Regular attendance is essential for satisfactory performance in this position, reliability is required
• Great flexibility is required including the working of overtime to meet seasonal or other peak workload demands
• Moderate to high degree of danger associated with the job

Education and Experience Required

• Industrial or Field Service experience preferred (power plants, petrochemical, oil and gas, mining, commercial, concrete, sandblasting, hydro-blasting, coating application, painting, or manufacturing environments)
• High School Diploma or equivalent

To be on the Versatility Team, you must: 

• Be active in our main DISA drug screen policies including our Urine & Alcohol and Hair Follicle tests.
• Be able to clear any other project specific drug screen as needed.
• Have an acceptable Criminal Background to be able to access our strictest client sites including Canada and/or not have a DISA background score higher than 2.
• Have a Valid US Driver’s License and an acceptable driving record.
• Have a Valid TWIC Card.
• Have a Valid Passport (US or Foreign).
• Be able to pass site-specific testing (such as Basic Plus or other general safety and site knowledge tests.

We offer our employees 60 days from hire to provide these credentials in order to be enrolled in the versatility team. 

Compensation

Expected hourly pay range for this position is $16.00 - $24.00 per hour, depending on experience, certifications, travel flexibility, and project assignment.

• Additional compensation may include:
• Overtime pay
• Per diem
• Mobilization pay
• Travel reimbursement

Compensation ranges are provided in compliance with applicable state and local pay transparency laws and represent the company’s good-faith estimate of pay for this position at the time of posting.

Benefits

Benefits eligibility is subject to company policy and applicable plan terms. Eligible employees may receive a competitive benefits package including:

• Medical, dental, and vision insurance
• 401(k) with company match
• Paid time off and company holidays
• Company-paid training

Equal Employment Opportunity

IGS is an Equal Opportunity Employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, age, disability, veteran status, or any other protected classification under applicable law.