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Now hiring · $55–$75 / hour
Coatings Inspector III (AMPP CIP Level 3)
A Coatings Inspector III is the senior authority on protective coatings across projects: reviewing and writing coating specifications and inspection and test plans, investigating coating failures, auditing applicators and coating suppliers, supervising Level 1 and 2 inspectors, and advising owners and engineers on coating system selection and quality requirements. AMPP (NACE) CIP Level 3 is required; failure analysis experience and a Protective Coatings Specialist credential are strong pluses.
What you'll do
- Review and write coating specifications, inspection and test plans, and quality requirements
- Investigate coating failures: field evaluation, sampling, laboratory coordination, and the written finding
- Audit applicators and coating suppliers; qualify inspection subcontractors
- Supervise and develop Level 1 and 2 inspectors across projects; calibrate their acceptance standards
- Advise owners and engineers on coating system selection, service life, and maintenance planning
What we're looking for
- AMPP (NACE) CIP Level 3 certification, current, with 8+ years of coatings inspection including supervision
- Coating failure investigation experience; AMPP Protective Coatings Specialist (PCS) preferred
- Broad experience across industrial, water/wastewater, marine, and infrastructure coatings
- Writes specifications and findings that hold up with owners, applicators, and manufacturers
What a week in this job looks like
Less gauge work, more judgment: a failure investigation on a tank lining that blistered after two years, an applicator audit before a bridge repainting package is awarded, a specification review where the engineer picked a system that will not survive the service, and a Level 2 inspector's report that needs a second look before it goes to the owner. You still get in the tank when the question demands it.
You are also the practice's coatings reference — the systems that work in Gulf Coast humidity, the applicators that hold profile, and the specifications that keep failing for the same reason.
Certifications, training, and where this leads
Coatings Inspector III is a senior technical seat. The path from here is leading the coatings inspection practice, or coatings quality management embedded with an industrial or municipal owner.
Pay, schedule, and travel
Pay runs $55 to $75 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 II (AMPP CIP Level 2) · $40–$55 / hour
Openings by city
Connecticut
District of Columbia
Massachusetts
New Hampshire
New Jersey
North Dakota
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Texas
HoustonSugar LandKatyThe WoodlandsPearlandPasadenaBaytownLeague CityConroeRichmondGalvestonBeaumontAustinSan AntonioDallasFort WorthAbileneEl PasoCorpus ChristiPlanoLubbockLaredoArlington
West Virginia
FAQ
Coatings Inspector III (AMPP CIP Level 3) — questions applicants ask
What does a Coatings Inspector III (AMPP CIP Level 3) earn?
The listed range is $55–$75 / 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 III (AMPP CIP Level 3)?
AMPP (NACE) CIP Level 3 is required, current; an AMPP Protective Coatings Specialist credential and failure-analysis experience are expected at this level and sponsored if not held.
Which standards does a Coatings Inspector III (AMPP CIP Level 3) 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.