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Now hiring · $40–$55 / hour
Coatings Inspector II (AMPP CIP Level 2)
A Coatings Inspector II leads the inspection of protective coating and lining work on industrial, water, and infrastructure projects with sign-off authority: planning inspection hold points from the coating specification, verifying surface preparation, application, and cure, performing adhesion and holiday testing, resolving nonconformances with the applicator, and writing the inspection reports the owner and engineer rely on. AMPP (NACE) CIP Level 2 is required; experience with tank linings, pipeline coatings, or bridge and structural steel coatings sets the assignment.
What you'll do
- Plan inspection hold points and testing from the coating specification and the manufacturer's data
- Verify surface preparation, application, and cure with sign-off authority at each hold point
- Perform adhesion, holiday, and cure testing; disposition defects and specify repairs
- Supervise Level 1 inspectors on larger projects and review their logs
- Write inspection and nonconformance reports; represent the inspection program to the owner and applicator
What we're looking for
- AMPP (NACE) CIP Level 2 certification, current, with 2+ years inspecting under it
- Command of SSPC/NACE surface preparation standards and common industrial coating systems
- Experience on tank, pipeline, water/wastewater, or structural steel coating projects
- Able to stop an application that is out of specification and document it so it closes
What a week in this job looks like
You own the hold points: the specification says when the work can proceed, and the applicator waits on your signature at each one. A typical week runs from a pre-job meeting on a new tank lining, through blast and profile verification, first and second coat inspection with film thickness mapping, to a holiday test before the tank goes back in service. When a reading is out — film too thin, dew point too close, a batch past pot life — you stop it, write it, and specify the fix.
On larger projects you have a Level 1 inspector taking readings under you; their log is part of your report, and its quality is your responsibility.
Certifications, training, and where this leads
Level 2 leads to CIP Level 3 with the required experience and peer review, and into coatings quality management on industrial programs. Sponsored training covers concrete coatings and linings, cathodic protection basics, and the specific systems your clients specify.
Pay, schedule, and travel
Pay runs $40 to $55 an hour depending on certifications held, verified experience, and the program you are assigned to. Coating schedules follow the weather and the outage calendar: early starts to catch the dew point window, night shifts on some industrial turnarounds, and extended days when a tank has to go back in service.
Texas positions are dispatched from the Sugar Land headquarters; project-site positions elsewhere are staffed on a project basis with travel and per diem as assigned, and the listing for your city says which one it is.
Safety, quality, and the standards we work under
Coatings inspection is performed to the project specification and the SSPC/NACE and AMPP standards it references, and reported under our documented AASHTO R18 quality system. Readings are reported as taken; a hold point is not released on a promise.
The safety side includes confined-space entry, respiratory protection around blasting and solvents, and work at height; the training is provided and the requirements are not optional.
How hiring works, and our commitment
Apply with your AMPP certification number and level, the coating systems and projects you have inspected, and your instrument experience. Expect a direct conversation with the people you would work for, references that get called, and a written offer consistent with this posting. The role requires a valid driver's license and the ability to be present on active jobsites, with pre-employment screening consistent with jobsite and client requirements.
We are an equal opportunity employer and consider every applicant without regard to race, color, religion, national origin, age, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, disability, or veteran status.
Apply for this position — upload your resume and we fill in the form
Any city — tell us where you are and we'll match you to the nearest work. Or pick your city below for the local posting.
Other levels of this role
Coatings Inspector I (AMPP CIP Level 1) · $30–$40 / hourCoatings Inspector III (AMPP CIP Level 3) · $55–$75 / hour
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FAQ
Coatings Inspector II (AMPP CIP Level 2) — questions applicants ask
What does a Coatings Inspector II (AMPP CIP Level 2) earn?
The listed range is $40–$55 / hour, set by certifications held, years of documented field or laboratory experience, and the hub's market. Certified candidates enter above the bottom of the range.
What certifications matter most for a Coatings Inspector II (AMPP CIP Level 2)?
AMPP (NACE) CIP Level 2 is required, current. The company sponsors CIP Level 3 when you meet the experience requirement, plus specialty training in concrete coatings, linings, and cathodic protection.
Which standards does a Coatings Inspector II (AMPP CIP Level 2) work to?
SSPC/NACE joint surface preparation standards (SP 1 through SP 16) and the AMPP standards that replaced them; ASTM D4417 (surface profile), D4414 (wet film), D7091 (dry film thickness), D5162 (holiday testing), D4541 and D3359 (adhesion), and D3276 (inspection guide); plus the coating manufacturer's product data sheets, which are part of the specification.
How do I apply?
Use the form on any city listing for this role: name, phone, email, years of experience, certifications, and a resume file or link. A hiring manager responds within a few business days. If you would rather talk first, call (346) 420-5425.
Where is this role based?
Wherever the project is. Choose the city page nearest you; Houston-area roles dispatch from Sugar Land, and roles in other metros are staffed through the regional hub that covers them.