Official Job Title: Finishing
Company / Brand: American Bath Group / Aquatic Bathware
Plant / Work Location: Elizabethtown, Pennsylvania
Department: Manufacturing - Finishing / Repair
Reports To: Finishing Supervisor
Supervisory Scope: None
Employment / FLSA Status: Hourly; non-exempt
Hourly Rate: In accordance with the current plant wage structure
Shift / Standard Schedule: Monday through Thursday 5:00 am to 3:30 pm
Work Model: Onsite
Overtime / Schedule Expectations: May be required based on production needs
2. Position Summary and Primary Mandate
Inspect, repair, sand, grind, blend, buff, polish, and otherwise finish bathware units so surface imperfections and approved defects are corrected before the product proceeds to final quality review, packing, or shipment. The role combines defect recognition, controlled use of repair materials and power tools, and hands-on surface finishing in a paced manufacturing environment.
Finishing occurs late enough in the process that defects may already contain significant material, labor, and production value. The employee must therefore distinguish repairable conditions from defects that require Quality or supervisor review, perform approved repairs without creating new cosmetic or structural damage, and leave the unit with a consistent appearance that meets Aquatic acceptance criteria.
3. Essential Duties and Responsibilities
Incoming Inspection and Defect Identification
- Receive assigned units from molding, trimming, repair, or another upstream operation and confirm the model, work order, traveler, or production identity before work.
- Inspect visible and touch-accessible surfaces for scratches, chips, voids, pinholes, rough areas, resin/fiberglass exposure, edge damage, surface waviness, contamination, incomplete trim, or other defects covered by the station's acceptance criteria.
- Determine whether the condition is within the employee's approved repair scope; hold or escalate units when defects exceed the standard, repeat, or suggest deeper structural/process concerns.
- Protect acceptable surrounding surfaces before grinding, sanding, patching, or buffing so repair activity does not create secondary damage.
Repair Preparation and Material Mixing
- Clean and prepare the defective area using the approved method so repair material adheres and contamination is not trapped beneath the repair.
- Grind, feather, or sand damaged areas to the depth and profile allowed by the work instruction while protecting the product geometry and finished surface.
- Measure and mix approved patch compound, filler, putty, catalyst, pigment, or related repair material using the specified ratio, quantity, pot-life, and labeling controls.
- Use only current, identified, and approved repair materials; report expired, contaminated, incorrectly labeled, or abnormal materials before use.
Repair, Sanding, Buffing, and Finish Restoration
- Apply repair material to approved defects and shape or level the repair to match surrounding contours, radii, edges, and surface transitions.
- Allow repair materials to cure or set for the required time before sanding, finishing, or handling further.
- Use orbital sanders, grinders, hand-sanding tools, buffers, polishers, or other approved equipment with controlled pressure, angle, speed, and abrasive sequence.
- Wax, polish, buff, or blend repaired areas as required to restore a consistent finish without burning, gouging, thinning, scratching, or distorting the surface.
- Remove dust, residue, compound, or masking materials and present the unit in a clean condition for final inspection.
Quality Verification, Flow, and Documentation
- Perform a final self-inspection of repaired areas under the lighting and viewing conditions specified by Aquatic before releasing the unit forward.
- Do not pass a known defect forward; correct within training and repair limits or notify Quality or supervision for disposition.
- Maintain required production pace while protecting repair quality, cure times, tool control, dust collection, ventilation, and PPE requirements.
- Complete production counts, defect codes, repair records, rework documentation, material tracking, or other required paperwork and system entries.
- Maintain tools and work areas in clean, orderly condition; dispose of dust, used abrasives, cured repair waste, chemical containers, and contaminated materials according to plant requirements.
4. Key Accountabilities and Performance Expectations
The following expectations define the stable, ongoing performance requirements of the role. Numeric production targets, annual goals, and temporary priorities are managed through current plant performance standards.
Repair Quality - Produces repairs that meet Aquatic appearance, surface, geometry, and acceptance criteria without creating secondary defects.
Defect Recognition and Containment - Identifies nonconforming product, repairs only within authorized limits, and prevents known defects from being passed to packing or shipment.
Material Mixing and Control - Uses approved repair materials, ratios, quantities, pot-life, labeling, and disposal methods and reports abnormal or expired material.
Tool Technique - Uses grinders, sanders, buffers, and hand tools with controlled technique to remove only the material necessary for an approved repair.
Production Flow and Efficiency - Completes repairs within the expected production pace while respecting cure time, quality checks, and safety controls.
Housekeeping and Exposure Control - Maintains dust collection, ventilation, clean work surfaces, orderly cords/hoses, and compliant waste handling.
Records and Communication - Documents defects and repairs accurately and communicates recurring defects or conditions that may indicate an upstream process problem.
5. Decision-Making Authority and Escalation
Within Training and Authorization, the Finishing Employee May
- Inspect assigned units and perform approved cosmetic or surface repairs that fall within documented acceptance and repair limits.
- Select and use the approved abrasive sequence, repair tool, patch material, buffing compound, or finishing method identified by current standard work.
- Hold or stop a unit from moving forward when a known defect remains or when the repair outcome cannot be confirmed acceptable.
- Request correction or additional information from upstream production when an incoming condition prevents an effective repair.
- Stop work when dust collection, ventilation, guarding, tool condition, chemical identification, or required PPE is not adequate.
Supervisor, Quality, EHS, or Maintenance Direction Is Required For
- Cracks, delamination, major voids, structural damage, repeated failures, excessive material removal, or defects outside the employee's approved repair standard.
- Unclear acceptance criteria, color or gloss mismatch, recurring defects, or a repair that remains visible or tactile after the allowed process.
- Abnormal repair-material reaction, incorrect mix, unexpected cure time, excessive heat, strong or unusual odor, unknown chemical, or missing SDS/label information.
- Damaged guards, cords, hoses, dust collection, ventilation, grinders, sanders, buffers, or other powered equipment.
- Chemical splash, exposure symptoms, uncontrolled dust, spill conditions outside assigned response training, or any change to required respiratory protection.
- Any need for structural repair, equipment servicing, lockout/tagout, or material/process substitution outside authorized standard work.
6. Working Relationships
Finishing Supervisor / Team Lead - Receives repair priorities, model assignments, rate expectations, and disposition direction; escalates complex defects, tool issues, or production constraints.
Molding / Pull / Trim Operations - Communicates recurring defects, incomplete trim, surface damage, or conditions that appear to originate upstream.
Quality - Confirms acceptance criteria, reviews defects or repairs outside standard limits, provides hold/disposition direction, and audits finished units.
Packing / Shipping - Transfers completed units only after required repair and inspection steps are complete and communicates any special handling concern.
Material Handling -Coordinates movement of units, carts, racks, and repair supplies while preventing product damage.
Maintenance - Reports damaged sanders, buffers, grinders, dust collection, ventilation, cords, guards, or fixtures and supports safe troubleshooting within authorization.
EHS / Plant Safety - Follows chemical, dust, PPE, respiratory, hearing, ergonomic, waste, and emergency requirements and reports exposure or control concerns.
7. Required Qualifications
- Ability to follow visual work instructions, repair standards, safety rules, quality specifications, and production schedules.
- Ability to identify surface imperfections and compare repaired areas to surrounding finish for contour, smoothness, color, gloss, and visible defects as applicable.
- Ability to learn safe operation of sanders, buffers, grinders, and hand tools assigned to the workstation.
- Basic measuring and mixing ability sufficient to prepare approved repair compounds using documented ratios and quantities.
- Ability to communicate nonconforming conditions, recurring defects, and equipment or chemical concerns promptly.
- Ability to perform prolonged standing and repetitive hand/arm work and to meet established lifting, handling, and posture requirements.
8. Preferred Qualifications
- Prior fiberglass, composites, acrylic/plastics, bathware, autobody, marine, paint/coating, sanding/buffing, or other surface-repair manufacturing experience preferred.
- Experience mixing two-part repair materials, catalysts, fillers, putties, pigments, or coatings according to controlled ratios is preferred.
- Prior quality inspection or rework experience in a visible-finish product environment is preferred.
9. Knowledge, Skills, Competencies, and Behaviors
- Visual and tactile defect recognition, including scratches, pinholes, voids, roughness, chips, exposed fibers, edge damage, contour irregularity, and finish mismatch within the plant standard.
- Controlled power-tool technique: angle, pressure, speed, abrasive progression, edge control, and awareness of heat buildup or over-removal.
- Basic repair-material control, including measuring, mixing, catalyst ratio, cure time, pot life, contamination prevention, and waste handling.
- Attention to detail and patience sufficient to blend a repair into surrounding geometry and finish without overworking the unit.
- Chemical- and dust-safety awareness and disciplined compliance with ventilation, dust collection, PPE, labeling, spill, and disposal controls.
- Production judgment: balancing pace with cure time, inspection, repair limits, and defect containment rather than sending incomplete work forward.
- Alignment with American Bath Group values, including Integrity, Transparency, Servant Leadership, Accountability, Teamwork, and Safety.
10. Tools, Equipment, Materials, and Systems
- Orbital sanders and buffers/polishers identified in the source role description
- Plant-approved grinders, rotary tools, hand-sanding blocks, scrapers, files, or detail tools as included in Aquatic standard work
- Abrasive discs, sanding paper, polishing pads, buffing pads, and consumable repair accessories
- Approved patch compound, filler/putty, catalyst, pigment, wax, polish, cleaning materials, and related repair chemicals specified by current Aquatic work instructions and SDSs
- Mixing cups, scales, measuring devices, stir tools, dispensers, or timers used to control repair-material preparation
- Dust collection, local exhaust, vacuum systems, work lights, carts, fixtures, stands, production travelers, scanners, or check sheets
Authorization boundary: Employees may use only approved repair chemicals, tools, abrasives, and powered equipment for which they have completed required training. Material substitutions, off-standard mix ratios, structural repairs, equipment servicing, lockout/tagout, and changes to ventilation or respiratory protection require the appropriate supervisor, Quality, Maintenance, or EHS authorization.
11. Safety and Personal Protective Equipment
Required PPE and engineering controls are established by posted plant rules, task-specific hazard assessments, applicable safety data sheets, and written safety programs. Employees must use assigned PPE and may not bypass controls or perform work outside their training and authorization.
Safety glasses with side protection; safety-toe, slip-resistant footwear; plant-approved work clothing.
Grinding / sanding / flying debris - Primary eye protection plus face shield when required by the hazard assessment; guarding and dust collection must be in service.
Repair chemicals / catalyst handling - Chemical-resistant gloves and protective sleeves or clothing selected for the specific repair materials and SDS requirements.
Noise-designated area - Hearing protection as posted or required.
Dust / vapor respiratory hazard - Only EHS-selected, NIOSH-approved respiratory protection for measured particulate or vapor exposure, used under the site's written respiratory-protection program.
Sharp fiberglass edges / rough product handling - Cut- or abrasion-resistant gloves when required by the task hazard assessment and compatible with tool operation.
12. Physical Requirements
The following describes the general nature of the essential work. Reasonable accommodations will be considered in accordance with applicable law.
- Standing: Prolonged standing while inspecting, sanding, patching, buffing, and handling units throughout the assigned shift.
- Posture: Frequent bending, stooping, kneeling, twisting, reaching across large bathware surfaces, and occasional crouching.
- Repetitive motion: Frequent gripping, sanding, buffing, wrist rotation, forearm movement, and sustained hand/arm activity with powered and manual tools.
- Lifting / handling: Lifting, carrying, positioning, or moving repair materials, tools, and bathware components within established safe-handling limits; team or mechanical assistance is used when required.
- Chemical handling: Handling and mixing of repair chemicals requires fine motor control and safe measuring technique.
- Sensory / coordination: Near vision, color/finish discrimination as applicable, hand-eye coordination, and tactile feedback sufficient to identify and blend surface imperfections.
- Endurance: Ability to sustain physically repetitive repair activity in a paced manufacturing environment without bypassing cure, inspection, or safety controls.
13. Work Environment and Exposure
- Indoor manufacturing environment with bathware units, carts, racks, powered hand tools, hoses/cords, and material-handling traffic.
- Potential exposure to fiberglass dust or strands, sanding/grinding particulate, repair-material vapors or odors, noise, and sharp or rough product edges.
- Work may occur in non-climate-controlled production areas with seasonal heat and changing temperature or humidity conditions.
- Work may involve wet or uncured repair compounds, cured fiberglass, dust-producing operations, buffing compounds, and housekeeping or cleaning chemicals.
- Local exhaust ventilation, dust collection, guarding, safe-work procedures, chemical labeling, waste controls, and required PPE must be used as trained.
14. Safety, Quality, and Compliance Responsibilities
- Follow all applicable company and plant safety policies, standardized work, quality criteria, environmental requirements, and chemical-handling rules.
- Use only approved repair materials and documented mix ratios; follow cure, pot-life, labeling, storage, and disposal requirements.
- Maintain guards, dust collection, ventilation, cords, hoses, and emergency access in service and report defects immediately.
- Do not knowingly pass a visible or tactile defect forward when it remains outside the acceptance standard.
- Operate only tools and equipment for which required plant training and authorization have been completed and never service equipment outside assigned authorization.
- Complete required production, quality, defect, repair, material, downtime, housekeeping, and training documentation accurately and on time.
- Report chemical splash or symptoms, unusual odor changes, uncontrolled dust, damaged guards/tools, near misses, spills, and unsafe or nonconforming conditions immediately.
15. Onboarding, Training, and Independent Proficiency
Plant-specific training requirements will be communicated during onboarding. The employee must complete assigned prerequisites, observation, coached practice, evaluations, and required sign-offs before performing applicable work independently.
- Plant orientation, safety, hazard communication, emergency response, PPE, respiratory protection when applicable, quality, chemical, and job-specific training before related work is performed.
- Defect library and acceptance criteria: which conditions are cosmetic, repairable, structural, hold-required, or scrap/disposition conditions.
- Coached practice for cleaning, grinding, sanding, mixing, patching, shaping, curing, buffing, polishing, and final self-inspection using Aquatic-approved methods.
- Hands-on tool qualification for each assigned grinder, sander, buffer, polisher, dust-collection system, or other powered equipment.
- Material-mixing qualification covering identification, ratio, pot life, cure behavior, contamination prevention, labeling, storage, spill response, and waste disposal.
- Independent proficiency should require repeatable defect recognition, controlled material removal, acceptable repair blending, compliant chemical/tool use, accurate records, and timely escalation.
16. Standard Company Statements
Equal Employment Opportunity
American Bath Group is an Equal Opportunity Employer. Employment decisions are made without discrimination based on any characteristic protected by applicable federal, state, or local law.
Work Authorization and Sponsorship
Applicants must be legally authorized to work in the United States. We do not sponsor employment visas now or in the future.
At-Will Employment and General Duties
This job description is not intended to contain a comprehensive listing of all duties, responsibilities, or qualifications required of the employee. Duties and responsibilities may be changed or assigned based on business needs. Nothing in this job description creates a contract of employment or alters the at-will employment relationship. Either the employee or American Bath Group may terminate employment at any time, with or without cause or notice, subject to applicable law.
Reasonable Accommodation
Reasonable accommodations will be considered in accordance with applicable law.
Job Type: Full-time
Pay: From $16.00 per hour
Benefits:
- 401(k)
- 401(k) matching
- Dental insurance
- Employee assistance program
- Health insurance
- Life insurance
- Paid time off
- Vision insurance
Application Question(s):
- What is your desired base rate of pay on an hourly basis?
- Will you now or in the future require Sponsorship for an employment VISA?
- Have you used power tools (ie orbital sanders, grinders, rotary tools)?
- Are you able to work Monday through Thursday 5:00 am to 3:30 pm?
- Do you have any previous quality inspection or repair experience?
Experience:
- Manufacturing: 2 years (Preferred)
Ability to Commute:
- Elizabethtown, PA 17022 (Required)
Work Location: In person
