Thermal Spray Technician Trainee (Traveling)
Immediate openings – paid training starts March 23 – 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 (March 23 class)
- 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
