marine painter
Marine painters work in the shipbuilding industry and are responsible for completing the blasting, painting, hull washing and cleaning, scraping and protection jobs of all varieties as assigned by supervisors. They follow set guidelines, processes and procedures to ensure successful completion of work.
marine painter marine painters work in the shipbuilding industry and are responsible for completing the blasting, painting, hull washing and cleaning, scraping and protection jobs of all varieties as assigned by supervisors. The role shows moderate AI exposure (0.50 on a 0-1 scale) — some tasks are being automated but the role adapts. The most in-demand skills for the role include types of paint, industrial paint, quality standards, paint spraying techniques, lacquer paint applications.
Pay in the UK
UK: median £32,763 a year for Painters and decorators (ONS ASHE 2025, full-time)
Middle half of full-time jobs: £28,462 to £39,007 a year
UK jobs are grouped differently; this is the closest UK occupation group (ONS SOC 2020 5323). ONS rates this estimate reasonably precise. 2025 provisional figures; ONS revises them a year later. Source: ONS Annual Survey of Hours and Earnings (Open Government Licence)
Pay in India (occupation group)
No official India pay figure is available for this career.
Top skills
Knowledge you'll build
- Customer and Personal Service
- Building and Construction
- Administration and Management
- Public Safety and Security
- Chemistry
- Transportation
- Education and Training
- Production and Processing
What you'd actually do
- Cover surfaces with dropcloths or masking tape and paper to protect surfaces during painting.
- Read work orders or receive instructions from supervisors or homeowners to determine work requirements.
- Apply paint, stain, varnish, enamel, or other finishes to equipment, buildings, bridges, or other structures, using brushes, spray guns, or rollers.
- Fill cracks, holes, or joints with caulk, putty, plaster, or other fillers, using caulking guns or putty knives.
- Smooth surfaces, using sandpaper, scrapers, brushes, steel wool, or sanding machines.
- Erect scaffolding or swing gates, or set up ladders, to work above ground level.
Tools & technology you'd use
Frequently asked questions
What does marine painter do?
Marine painters work in the shipbuilding industry and are responsible for completing the blasting, painting, hull washing and cleaning, scraping and protection jobs of all varieties as assigned by supervisors. They follow set guidelines, processes and procedures to ensure successful completion of work.
What skills does marine painter need?
The most in-demand skills for this role include types of paint, industrial paint, quality standards, paint spraying techniques, lacquer paint applications, inspect paint quality. These are the skills O*NET identifies as most important for competent performance.
Will AI replace marine painter?
Our AI-durability model gives marine painter a score of 0.50 on a 0-1 scale (higher = more exposure). That places it at moderate AI exposure — some tasks are being automated but the role adapts. Learning to work with AI tools rather than against them is the path forward.