Buffer at Folience Inc – Sumner, Iowa

Join the Team That Builds Life-Saving Vehicles

Why Life Line?

At Life Line, you won’t just build parts — you’ll help build ambulances that save lives every day. When you join our team, you become part of something bigger. We foster a supportive, team-oriented environment where your skills grow, your hard work is valued, and your contributions truly make a difference.

Position Summary

The Buffer is responsible for the preparation, finishing, and surface treatment of ambulance components and assemblies, ensuring smooth and defect-free surfaces prior to painting and final assembly. This role is essential to maintaining high-quality standards and supporting the production team in delivering durable, visually appealing, and compliant emergency vehicles. Additionally, the Buffer polishes finished ambulances to achieve a high-quality exterior appearance.

Key Responsibilities

• Inspect and prepare surfaces of ambulance components for painting, including sanding, filling, and smoothing imperfections.
• Operate hand and power tools safely and efficiently for surface preparation tasks.
• Apply primers, sealers, or other preparatory coatings as required by specifications.
• Identify surface defects, inconsistencies, or damage and report or correct them per standard procedures.
• Collaborate with Painters, Assemblers, and Quality Control to ensure parts meet visual and structural standards.
• Polish finished ambulances to achieve a high-quality exterior appearance.
• Maintain a clean and organized work area, ensuring adherence to safety protocols.
• Assist with moving, staging, and organizing parts and assemblies for production workflow.
• Document and communicate progress, issues, and completed work to supervisors and team leads.
• Support continuous improvement initiatives in surface preparation processes, tools, and materials.

Required Qualifications

• High school diploma or equivalent.
• Previous experience in manufacturing, automotive, or related industries preferred.
• Familiarity with hand and power sanding tools, buffers, and surface preparation techniques.
• Strong attention to detail and commitment to quality.
• Ability to work in a team environment and follow instructions precisely.
• Physical ability to stand for extended periods, lift components, and perform repetitive tasks.

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience in emergency vehicle or custom vehicle manufacturing.
• Knowledge of body filler, primers, and automotive finishing materials.
• Basic understanding of production workflow and lean manufacturing principles.

Core Competencies

• Attention to detail
• Manual dexterity and hand-eye coordination
• Team collaboration
• Safety awareness
• Time management and efficiency

Work Environment & Physical Requirements

• Manufacturing floor environment.
• Exposure to dust, fumes, and chemicals; use of PPE required.
• Ability to perform physically demanding tasks, including lifting, bending, and standing for long periods.

Equal Opportunity Employer

Life Line is an equal opportunity employer. We are committed to creating an inclusive environment for all employees and do not discriminate based on race, color, religion, sex, age, national origin, disability, veteran status, or any other protected status.