Painter Lead

Job Title: Painter Lead
Department: Maintenance  
Classification: Union
FTE/Working Schedule: 1.0 FTE, Monday - Friday, 8:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m.

Position Overview:

This full-time (1.0 FTE), union-represented position performs a wide variety of painting, patching, and finishing functions. The Lead Painter oversees the operations of the Paint Shop, assists with managing outside contractors when necessary, and advises the Maintenance Manager on all paint-related issues. Continuous education and training are required to maintain trade standards.

Union Salary and Benefits: The full-scale wage for the Painter Lead position is $40.49 per hour. New employees will be hired with a one-year training period. At the start of the training period, wages are reduced by $2.00 per hour from the base classification rates. Employees will receive a $1.00 per hour increase after six months, and another $1.00 per hour increase after twelve months.

Essential Job Functions/Responsibilities: 

• Oversee daily paint shop operations and assist the Maintenance Manager in directing personnel assigned to the shop, including journey-level painters, outside contractors, and student workers.
• Prioritize, schedule, and assign daily work orders to maximize efficiency.
• Assess campus painting needs, accurately estimate labor time and supply costs, and coordinate project timelines with contractors.
• Prepare paint samples, mix and match custom colors, issue supplies for student painting projects, and perform quality control inspections on completed rooms.
• Finish new cabinetry, doors, shelving, and other millwork; refinish and restore existing furniture and historic woodwork as needed.
• Install and repair vinyl, wallpaper, and specialized wall coverings to preserve campus aesthetics.
• Evaluate and document interior and exterior painting repairs needed across academic, administrative, dining, and on/off-campus residential facilities.
• Collaborate with the Storekeeper and Maintenance Manager to evaluate, select, and procure trade-specific products, materials, and equipment.
• Maintain a flexible work schedule when necessary to minimize disruptions to the academic calendar and campus operations.
• Coordinate workflows and project timelines between the Paint Shop and other facilities departments or skilled trades.
• Conduct routine inventory audits of tools, equipment, safety gear, and paint supplies to ensure shop readiness.
• Maintain, clean, and safely operate all paint shop machinery, sprayers, and equipment.
• Provide direct guidance, safety training, and supervision to student workers and temporary employees.
• Support broader Facilities operations by assisting with other maintenance tasks as directed.

Education/Experience/Skills: 

Required: 

• Four years full-time professional painting experience in a contractor setting.
• Must have complete the Certified Renovator training for lead paint and have a current certificate.
• Demonstrated expertise in mixing, matching, and tinting paints, stains, and varnishes.
• Proven experience in commercial furniture refinishing, wood restoration, and surface finishing.
• Proficiency in sheetrock taping, ceiling texturing, airless spray painting, and patching plaster or alternative wall surfaces prior to coating.
• Strong interpersonal skills with the ability to communicate professionally with faculty, students, and staff when selecting finishes and scheduling projects.
• A positive, cooperative attitude and a commitment to working effectively within a diverse, residential liberal arts college environment.
• A valid, unrestricted Minnesota driver’s license, with a driving record insurable by the College.
• Commitment to neat, orderly, and safety-conscious work habits.
• Effective written and verbal communication skills, including the ability to utilize digital work order systems.
• Physical capability to lift up to 60 lbs. occasionally, 50 lbs. frequently, and carry 25 lbs. up to 120 steps frequently.
• Ability to climb step ladders and up to 24-foot extension ladders while carrying 25 lbs. of gear.
• Ability to stand and walk on concrete floors continuously, exert up to 60 lbs. of force when pushing or pulling, manipulate small parts, and firmly grasp power tools.
• Physical agility to perform frequent squatting, kneeling, and crawling as required by the trade.

Preferred: 

• Prior experience performing painting and structural maintenance in a higher education or corporate campus setting with multiple buildings.
• Demonstrated leadership experience coordinating multi-person painting projects and directing crews.

Must have the ability to understand and follow written and oral work instructions, operations, safety procedures, and hazardous labels. 

Note: This position description is not intended to be all-inclusive. Employees may perform other related duties to meet the ongoing needs of the organization. 

Review of applications begins immediately and continues until the hire is complete. We accept only online applications.

Carleton College is an AA/EEO Employer: We are committed to developing our staff to better reflect the diversity of our student body and American society. Members of underrepresented groups are strongly encouraged to apply. 

Carleton also offers a robust suite of benefits including: A generous pension plan with a 10% employer contribution. Medical, dental, vision, life and disability insurance. Paid time-off, including 25 annual leave days, 8 paid holidays, and extra days at the end of the calendar year to make a continuous week off before New Year’s. Employee Assistance Program (EAP) for all employees. A dependent tuition program after six years of service.

Founded in 1866, Carleton College is a private, coeducational liberal arts college of roughly 2,000 students located in the historic river town of Northfield, Minnesota. Carleton College occupies more than 1,000 scenic acres of campus, arboretum, over 100 campus buildings, and athletic fields. Located 40 miles south of Minneapolis and St. Paul, Carleton offers access to the cultural advantages of a major metropolitan area.