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Scenic Painter Activate, Inc - 3.0 Ferndale, MI Job Details Part-time | Full-time | Contract 19 hours ago Qualifications Fabrication Teamwork Visual color comparison Staining (finishing technique) Personal protective equipment (PPE) adherence Wood finishing Attention to detail Quality control Collaboration with manufacturing teams Safety equipment Theater experience Managing projects Color matching analysis Full Job Description Company Overview At Activate, we are renowned for crafting extraordinary experiences that make a lasting impact for some of the world's most influential brands. Our expertise spans the production of kits, mobile tours, custom fabrication, and standout live events, enhancing brand visibility and strengthening customer loyalty. As a WBENC-certified company, we take pride in fostering an inclusive work environment that emphasizes growth, offers competitive benefits, and champions collaboration. Position Summary Activate is seeking a skilled, detail-oriented Scenic Painter / Experiential Fabrication Painter to help bring our custom builds and branded experiences to life. This is not your typical painting job. Our fabrication team creates everything from custom event displays and branded environments to scenic elements, props, dimensional signage, mobile-tour assets, and one-of-a-kind builds. We're looking for someone who can take those pieces from the fabrication stage through a polished, professional finish. The ideal candidate has strong experience with surface preparation, spraying, rolling, brushing, color matching, and finishing a variety of materials. Just as importantly, we're looking for a resourceful craftsperson who understands that experiential work rarely involves painting the same thing twice. You should be comfortable looking at a rendering, reference image, paint specification, or finished concept and determining how to achieve the desired result efficiently and at a high level of quality. We are open to candidates interested in a full-time position as well as experienced freelance/contract painters interested in project-based work. Key ResponsibilitiesScenic Painting & Finishing Paint and finish custom scenic elements, displays, props, signage, event structures, branded environments, and other fabricated assets. Prepare wood, MDF, plywood, metal, plastics, foam, and other common fabrication materials for painting and finishing. Perform proper surface preparation including filling, patching, sanding, priming, masking, and cleaning. Apply paints, primers, sealers, clear coats, stains, and other finishes using spray equipment, rollers, brushes, and other appropriate application methods. Produce smooth, consistent, professional-quality finishes appropriate for client-facing experiential environments. Match specified colors and finishes based on brand standards, physical samples, renderings, or creative direction. Identify the appropriate preparation, coating, application method, and finishing process based on the material and intended use. Complete touch-ups, repairs, refinishing, and paint corrections as needed throughout the fabrication process. Scenic & Specialty Finishes Create specialty or decorative finishes when required, including distressed, aged, textured, metallic, faux, dimensional, or other scenic treatments. Translate creative concepts and reference imagery into achievable physical finishes. Create paint samples or finish samples for review and approval when appropriate. Experiment with materials and application techniques to achieve unique visual effects while maintaining durability and quality. Collaboration & Problem Solving Partner closely with Fabrication, Creative, Production, and Operations teams to understand project requirements and desired finishes. Review renderings, drawings, brand standards, paint specifications, and reference materials before beginning work. Recommend paint systems, materials, preparation methods, and finishing approaches based on project requirements. Communicate proactively regarding material needs, paint quantities, drying or curing times, project status, and potential timeline concerns. Adapt to changing creative direction, accelerated schedules, and last-minute adjustments common within experiential and live-event production. Help troubleshoot finishing challenges and identify practical solutions that maintain the creative vision. Shop & Project Support Properly mask and protect surrounding work areas and finished components during painting. Maintain organized paint, finishing materials, supplies, and equipment. Clean and maintain spray guns, paint equipment, tools, and work areas. Track paint colors and finishing specifications when needed to support future touch-ups or repairs. Assist with final quality-control inspections before completed assets leave the shop. Support fabrication and general shop work when appropriate based on project needs. Installation & On-Site Support Participate in occasional event installations, load-ins, touch-ups, repairs, and strikes as project needs require. Perform field touch-ups or finish corrections when assets are damaged during transportation or installation. Work collaboratively with fabrication, production, operations, and event crews during onsite execution. Safety Maintain a safe, clean, and organized painting and finishing environment. Properly use required PPE and follow safety procedures related to paints, coatings, solvents, spray equipment, ventilation, and other finishing materials. Properly store, label, handle, and dispose of paints, chemicals, solvents, and related materials. Maintain awareness of SDS requirements and manufacturer instructions for coatings and chemicals being used. Job Qualifications & Requirements 3+ years of professional painting, scenic painting, fabrication finishing, automotive finishing, cabinet finishing, exhibit fabrication, theatrical production, or related experience preferred. Strong understanding of surface preparation, priming, painting, and finishing techniques. Experience using HVLP, conventional spray equipment, airless sprayers, or similar professional spray systems strongly preferred. Experience painting and finishing wood, MDF, plywood, metal, plastics, foam, and other fabricated materials preferred. Strong attention to detail and ability to produce clean, consistent, client-ready finishes. Ability to match colors and follow brand-specific color and finish requirements. Understanding of different paint, primer, coating, and clear-coat systems and when to use them. Ability to troubleshoot adhesion, coverage, surface, texture, and finishing issues. Scenic, theatrical, exhibit, museum, automotive, cabinet, furniture, or experiential fabrication experience is a plus. Specialty scenic-finishing experience—including faux finishes, distressing, aging, textures, metallics, or similar techniques—is a plus. Ability to work independently while also collaborating effectively with fabricators, designers, producers, and operations personnel. Ability to manage multiple projects and deadlines in a fast-paced fabrication environment. Ability to lift 50+ lbs and perform physical work for extended periods. Comfortable working around paint fumes, dust, loud equipment, chemicals, and active fabrication operations while utilizing appropriate PPE and safety procedures. Willingness to work flexible hours, including occasional early mornings, evenings, or weekends based on project schedules. Ability to occasionally travel for installations or event support. What We're Looking For We're looking for someone who takes pride in the last 10% of the build —the details that turn something from "constructed" into something that looks finished, intentional, and ready to represent a major brand. You don't need to come specifically from experiential marketing. Strong candidates may come from scenic fabrication, theater, exhibits, museums, automotive or industrial painting, cabinet or furniture finishing, sign shops, custom fabrication, or other environments where craftsmanship and finish quality matter. What matters most is that you can solve problems, work with your hands, produce high-quality finishes, and take pride in making things look exceptional. Employment Options Activate is open to candidates seeking: Full-Time Employment — For experienced painters/finishers interested in joining our fabrication and operations team on an ongoing basis.

Contract / Freelance

Opportunities — For experienced scenic painters and finishers interested in project-based work based on production schedules and availability. Contract opportunities may vary in duration and hours depending on individual project requirements. Activate provides equal employment opportunities to all employees and applicants for employment without regard to race, color, creed, ancestry, national origin, citizenship, sex or gender (including pregnancy, childbirth, and pregnancy-related conditions), gender identity or expression (including transgender status), sexual orientation, marital status, religion, age, disability, genetic information, service in the military, or any other characteristic protected by applicable federal, state, or local laws and ordinances.

Work Location:

In person