Lead Design Painter
About Lucid
At Lucid, we are creating exceptional mobility experiences through innovation to drive the world forward. Built on Lucid’s proprietary technology and software-defined vehicle architecture, our award-winning vehicles bring our “Compromise Nothing™” approach to the global automotive market. That means refusing to choose between performance and sustainability, design and engineering, ambition and integrity. In Lucid Air and Lucid Gravity, we have designed and built vehicles that have redefined their segments, combining exceptional range, performance, design, and expansive space in a single experience.
We achieve this through deep vertical integration, with design, engineering, and production happening in-house across our global offices and manufacturing facilities. Our teams come from industries around the world, united by a shared commitment to excellence. By refusing to settle, you can help redefine what’s possible and shape the future of mobility.
Role Overview
The Lead Design Painter is responsible for leading paint, surfacing, color development, and finish execution for show cars and Design Studio development models. This role ensures that every painted property achieves the studio’s highest standards for surface quality, body-line definition, color accuracy, gloss, depth, and overall visual presentation. Working closely with Design, Engineering, Modeling, Fabrication, and other studio partners, the Lead Design Painter translates design intent into physically compelling finishes while coordinating team priorities, technical processes, and project delivery. The ideal candidate combines concours-level automotive painting and surfacing expertise with strong leadership, refined visual judgment, and the ability to deliver flawless results in a fast-paced prototype environment.
Key Responsibilities
Paint, Surfacing & Finish Quality
- Lead the complete paint and surfacing workflow for show cars, concept vehicles, design properties, and studio development models.
- Establish and maintain concours-level standards for substrate preparation, surfacing, priming, sealing, color application, clear coating, curing, wet sanding, polishing, and final detailing.
- Evaluate surfaces, body lines, highlights, transitions, gaps, and reflections; direct corrections to ensure the finished property accurately communicates the intended design.
- Inspect work at each stage and ensure minor defects, contamination, texture variation, edge issues, or color inconsistencies are corrected before release.
- Develop and refine painting techniques, process controls, and quality checkpoints that consistently produce mirror-like, presentation-ready finishes.
Color Development & Design Intent
- Partner with designers and studio leadership to interpret color, material, gloss, and finish direction for each property.
- Lead custom color development, spray-out evaluation, color matching, tinting, and refinement of solid, metallic, pearl, translucent, multi-stage, and special-effect finishes.
- Assess color and surface appearance under studio, outdoor, photography, and show-lighting conditions to confirm hue, flop, depth, gloss, and visual balance.
- Document approved formulas, spray-out standards, application methods, and process notes to support repeatability and future development.
Team Leadership & Project Execution
- Lead, supervise, mentor, and train Design Painters, setting clear expectations for craftsmanship, safety, organization, and accountability.
- Plan work, assign priorities, coordinate schedules, and balance multiple concurrent studio programs while protecting finish quality and critical deadlines.
- Serve as the primary technical resource for complex paint, surfacing, color, and finish challenges.
- Communicate status, risks, material needs, and recovery plans clearly with cross-functional project partners.
- Lead by example through meticulous craftsmanship, attention to detail, calm problem-solving, and ownership from preparation through final presentation.
Equipment, Materials & Studio Support
- Manage paint materials, consumables, tools, and equipment to maintain appropriate stock levels and reliable studio readiness.
- Monitor spray equipment, booths, ventilation, lighting, sanding, polishing, and color-development tools; coordinate maintenance and corrective action as needed.
- Maintain a safe, clean, contamination-controlled, and highly organized work environment.
- Stay current with advanced paint systems, pigments, application technologies, finishing methods, and relevant design-studio practices.
Minimum Qualifications
- 10+ years of automotive painting experience at concours, show-car, concept-vehicle, or equivalent ultra-high-end quality, including 3+ years in a leadership role.
- Advanced expertise in surface preparation, substrate correction, primer systems, paint application, clear coating, wet sanding, polishing, and final finish inspection.
- Extensive surfacing experience creating and maintaining body lines, highlights, transitions, and reflection quality.
- Demonstrated expertise in custom color development, color matching, tinting, spray-out evaluation, and multi-stage or special-effect finishes.
- Exceptional visual judgment, color sensitivity, attention to detail, and commitment to uncompromised quality.
- Strong leadership, planning, communication, and team-development skills.
- Ability to manage multiple high-priority projects and deliver under tight Design Studio deadlines.
Preferred Qualifications
- Experience in an automotive Design Studio, concept and show-car shop, coachbuilding environment, or other low-volume prototype setting.
- Experience collaborating directly with automotive designers, digital and physical modelers, engineering teams, fabrication teams, and studio leadership.
- Experience preparing vehicles and properties for executive reviews, photography, auto shows, design reviews, and other high-visibility presentations.
- Knowledge of specialty pigments, bespoke finishes, pinstriping, airbrushing, graphics, and other advanced customization techniques.
Success Measures
- Consistent delivery of flawless, concours-level paint and surfacing quality on show cars and Design Studio properties.
- Accurate translation of design intent through color, gloss, depth, reflection quality, body-line definition, and finish execution.
- Predictable project delivery with quality protected across multiple concurrent studio programs.
- Effective development and technical support of the Design Painter team.
- Clear, repeatable color standards, paint processes, and quality-control practices.
- Safe, clean, organized, and reliable operation of the paint and finishing area.
Base Pay Range (Annual)
$44 - $61 USD
Compensation & Benefits: Lucid offers a comprehensive and competitive benefits package including medical, dental, and vision insurance; life and disability coverage; paid time off; paid holidays, paid sick leave; and a 401(k) retirement plan. Hourly/non-exempt employees accrue up to 120 hours paid time off, and salaried/exempt employee accrue up to 160 hours paid time off. Eligible employees may also participate in Lucid’s equity program and/or a discretionary annual cash incentive program. Incentive and equity awards, if applicable, are determined based on individual performance, role scope, market considerations, and overall company results, in accordance with the terms of the applicable plans.
Equal Opportunity: At Lucid, we believe diversity strengthens everything we build. Lucid Motors is proud to be an equal opportunity employer and is committed to providing an inclusive workplace for all. We consider all qualified applicants without regard to race, color, national or ethnic origin, age, religion, disability, sexual orientation, gender, gender identity or expression, marital status, or any other characteristic protected by applicable state or federal laws and regulations.
Accessibility: Lucid Motors is committed to providing reasonable accommodations for qualified individuals with disabilities. If you need any accommodation to participate in the application process, please contact us at TA-Operations <@> lucidmotors.com. This email address is designated solely for accommodation requests and is not monitored for job applications or resume submissions. To be considered for employment, all applications must be submitted through the Lucid Motors Careers website.
Candidate Data Privacy: By submitting your application, you understand and agree that your personal data will be processed in accordance with our Candidate Privacy Notice.
To all recruitment agencies: Lucid Motors does not accept agency resumes. Please do not forward resumes to Lucid Motors. Lucid Motors is not responsible for any fees related to unsolicited resumes.
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