Job Description

Overview

At FAPS, part of the Ports America family of companies, the Automotive Painter will complete final prep, spray painting, and clear coating on vehicles as assigned, contributing to the maritime industry's role in global trade.

Responsibilities

  • Inspect vehicles for body damage during final prep.
  • Fine line tape the damaged vehicle or part.
  • Properly clean the surface to be painted and tack it off.
  • Mix paint for acceptable color match.
  • Spray paint prepped surface, ensuring adequate coverage and acceptable color match.
  • Blend paint to meet manufacturer’s quality standards.
  • Clean equipment and maintain proper working order.
  • Complete each job efficiently, observing the highest quality standards.
  • Complete reports on each job as required by the manufacturer.
  • Maintain inventory of paint supplies and notify manager when additional supplies are needed.
  • Attend training as needed to maintain and improve skills and knowledge.
  • Assist in training and orientating new employees and co-workers as requested.
  • Suggest methods for improving operations in the department.
  • Ensure a spotter is present when backing up vehicles.
  • Maintain a clean and hazard-free work environment and follow all safety policies and procedures.
  • Perform other duties as assigned.

Requirements

  • 2+ years of formal auto body training or certification.
  • 2+ years experience operating automatic and straight (manual) shift vehicles.
  • High School Diploma or GED.
  • Valid US Driver’s License.
  • Ability to obtain a Port Access Card issued by the New Jersey State Police.

Additional Information

  • Shift: Monday – Friday 7:00am - 3:30pm with possibility of overtime and/or weekend work as directed by business need.
  • This role does not offer sponsorship for work authorization. External applicants must be eligible to work in the US.
  • NJ Pay Transparency $27/hr.

How this job compares in Newark, NJ

Pay in context

At roughly $27/hr, this posting comes in about 29% below the $38/hr median for welding jobs in Newark, NJ, where the middle half runs $35–$42/hr across 9 postings with published pay. Put another way, it pays more than about 0% of the comparable postings we have wage data for. That gap is worth raising directly — in a market this size there is normally room to negotiate toward the median, particularly if you already hold the certifications the posting asks for.

The local market in Newark, NJ

We're tracking 15 other active welding openings in Newark, NJ right now, from 12 different employers. 7 of them were added in the last week. Across New Jersey as a whole we're tracking 210 other active welding openings from 131 employers. A metro this active generally means you have real leverage — employers here are competing for the same welders. Browse every welding job in Newark, or widen the search to New Jersey.

The most active employers in New Jersey at the moment, by number of open welding reqs, are Rhoads Industries (13), MillenniumSoft Inc (11), and Gpac (9). Volume like that usually means either a genuine expansion or a staffing agency working several client sites — worth knowing which before you apply.

Within New Jersey, the best-paying metros we track by median hourly rate are Newark at $38/hr, Camden at $37/hr, and Cinnaminson at $30/hr. Newark is among them.

Similar openings near Newark, NJ

Pay figures are medians computed from live postings in the Welding Pros index, not from survey data, and they move as employers post. Automotive Painter figures were last recalculated when this page was built.