How to hire coating, painting, and spraying machine setters, operators, and tenders
A job description you can copy, interview questions tied to the real work, and what to pay. Free.
Job description template
Copy it, fill in the brackets, and remove anything that does not fit your job. Keep only must-haves you would really turn someone away for.
[Job title] at [Company name] [City, State] · [Full-time / Part-time] · [Pay range] About the role [Two or three sentences about your team, the work and why it matters.] What you will do • Apply rust-resistant undercoats and caulk and seal seams. • Clean equipment and work areas. • Disassemble, clean, and reassemble sprayers or power equipment, using solvents, wire brushes, and cloths. • Dispose of hazardous waste in an appropriate manner. • Fill hoppers, reservoirs, troughs, or pans with material used to coat, paint, or spray, using conveyors or pails. • Hold or position spray guns to direct spray onto articles. • Monitor painting operations to identify flaws, such as blisters or streaks, and correct their causes. • Spray prepared surfaces with specified amounts of primers and decorative or finish coatings. What you bring • [Required license, certification or years of experience, if any] • [Education, only if you truly need it. Typical to start in this job: High school diploma or equivalent] • Strong monitoring skills • [Anything else you would really turn someone away for] Pay and benefits [Pay range]. For reference, the U.S. median for this job is $23.20 an hour ($48,250 a year). [Benefits, schedule and anything else candidates should know.] How to apply [Apply on JAI Bot. Every applicant hears back.]
Interview questions for coating, painting, and spraying machine setters, operators, and tenders
Ask every candidate the same questions, in the same order, and write down what they say. Questions about past work show what someone has actually done.
- Tell me about a time you had to apply rust-resistant undercoats and caulk and seal seams. What did you do, and how did it turn out?
- Tell me about a time you had to clean equipment and work areas. What did you do, and how did it turn out?
- Tell me about a time you had to disassemble, clean, and reassemble sprayers or power equipment, using solvents, wire brushes, and cloths. What did you do, and how did it turn out?
- Tell me about a time you had to dispose of hazardous waste in an appropriate manner. What did you do, and how did it turn out?
- How do you keep track of your own work quality during a busy shift or week? Give an example of catching a problem early.
- Why this job, and why now? What would make you stay here for the long term?
Good answers name a real situation, what the person did themselves and what happened. Avoid questions about age, family plans, religion, health, national origin or anything else unrelated to the job.
What coating, painting, and spraying machine setters, operators, and tenders do
- Apply rust-resistant undercoats and caulk and seal seams.
- Clean equipment and work areas.
- Disassemble, clean, and reassemble sprayers or power equipment, using solvents, wire brushes, and cloths.
- Dispose of hazardous waste in an appropriate manner.
- Fill hoppers, reservoirs, troughs, or pans with material used to coat, paint, or spray, using conveyors or pails.
- Hold or position spray guns to direct spray onto articles.
- Monitor painting operations to identify flaws, such as blisters or streaks, and correct their causes.
- Spray prepared surfaces with specified amounts of primers and decorative or finish coatings.
Skills that matter most
Education, experience and outlook for coating, painting, and spraying machine setters, operators, and tenders
- Typical education to start: High school diploma or equivalent (BLS)
- Related work experience most have: Up to 1 month (O*NET)
- Training on the job: Moderate-term on-the-job training (BLS)
- Job outlook: +2.5% over ten years, about as fast as average · about 15,300 openings a year (BLS)
What to pay coating, painting, and spraying machine setters, operators, and tenders
Pay depends a lot on where the job is. Highest and lowest median yearly pay by state:
| State | Median yearly pay |
|---|---|
| Washington | $59,980 |
| New Jersey | $58,240 |
| Maine | $56,200 |
| Maryland | $55,510 |
| Colorado | $53,590 |
| Nevada | $45,750 |
| Michigan | $44,670 |
| Alabama | $44,250 |
See coating, painting, and spraying machine setters, operators, and tenders pay in every state
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Post this job on JAI Bot. Free to start: JAI Bot reads every applicant against your must-haves, shows the resume evidence behind each one, and helps you reply to everyone. People make every decision.
Post a job freePay by areaJob duties and skills: O*NET 31.0 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA), used under the CC BY 4.0 license; O*NET® is a trademark of USDOL/ETA. JAI Bot has modified this information; USDOL/ETA has not approved, endorsed, or tested these modifications. Pay: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS, May 2025. Interview questions and the job description template: JAI Bot, based on the duties and skills above.