What are the responsibilities and job description for the Metal Prep Technician (aka Blast Tech) position at TransMaster Trailers?
TransMaster Trailers.... It’s not just what we do that sets us apart, it’s how we do it. Safety. Integrity. Respect. Biblical principles. These core values guide our actions and daily decisions.
Our Purpose - to provide specialized trailer solutions for our customers, through innovation and quality, while providing a safe, respectful workplace for employees and support for our community. Quality trailers, and quality employment experience.
Job Summary
We are seeking an efficient Industrial blaster to join our team in our brand-new, state-of-the-art trailer manufacturing facility. This role operates within a modern blast room equipped with an automated floor auger and mechanical media reclamation system. You will be responsible for blasting raw steel trailer frames to remove mill scale and weld slag, ensuring a perfect anchor profile for our coating department. Because this role utilizes advanced reclamation technology, you will balance high-volume production blasting with the basic monitoring and maintenance of our automated media recovery systems.
Key Responsibilities and Duties
- Production Blasting: Safely operate high-pressure abrasive blasting equipment to process raw steel trailer structures (flatbeds, utility, or heavy haulers) on a fast-paced manufacturing schedule.
- Surface Profiling: Uniformly blast surfaces to specified anchor profiles (e.g., SSPC-SP 6 or SP 10) to ensure maximum paint and powder-coat bonding.
- Auger & Recovery System Oversight: Monitor the automated floor auger, bucket elevator, and air-wash separator systems during operation to ensure continuous media recycling and prevent system overloads or jams.
- Floor Maintenance: Keep the floor grates clear of oversized debris, weld slag chunks, or trash that could clog the auger troughs; safely sweep residual abrasive media into the recovery floor system.
- Weld Clean-up & Masking: Target and eliminate weld spatter and manufacturing residues. Mask off precision-engineered areas like pre-machined holes, axle mounting points, and VIN plates.
- Post-Blast Quality Control: Use compressed air lines to thoroughly blow off dust and steel grit from the trailer before transferring it out of the booth, ensuring zero contamination reaches the paint department.
- Material Handling: Operate overhead cranes, hoists, or forklifts to safely load raw trailers into the new blast facility and advance completed frames to the next production stage.
- Qualifications & Skills
- Experience: 1 years of experience in industrial abrasive blasting, preferably within a manufacturing, structural steel fabrication, or automotive environment. Will train the right person.
- Mechanical Aptitude: Ability to understand and perform basic troubleshooting on mechanical recovery systems (e.g., identifying auger blockages or monitoring elevator belt tracking).
- Physical Capabilities: High physical stamina. Must be able to manage the recoil of high-pressure blast hoses, lift up to 50 lbs, and stand for long periods inside a heavy industrial booth.
- Safety Compliance: Strict adherence to OSHA standards. Must be medically cleared to work in a supplied-air blast hood (respirator) with full protective blast gear.
- Efficiency: Ability to work productively within a structured manufacturing schedule to prevent assembly line bottlenecks.
- This position is located in our brand-new, modern production facility, working inside a dedicated blast room featuring a climate-controlled, air-fed safety hood.
- The automated auger and ventilation systems greatly reduce manual media cleanup and dust exposure compared to traditional blast setups, though the environment remains loud and physically demanding.
Benefits & Compensation
- Competitive hourly production wage
- Full healthcare benefits (medical, dental, vision)
- 401(k) with company match
- Paid time off (PTO) and paid company holidays
- All specialized PPE, including air-fed hoods, blast suits, and safety gear, provided by the company
It is the policy of TransMaster Trailers to provide equal employment opportunities to all persons, without regard to any protected status or characteristic.