Transit Mechanic

King County   Seattle, WA   Full-time     Mechanics & Technicians
Posted on November 19, 2024
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Salary

$80,745.60 - $115,356.80 Annually

Location

Multiple locations in King County, WA

Job Type

Multiple job types-career service and/or temp

Job Number

2024RSJ23140

Department

MTD - Metro Transit

Division

Vehicle Maintenance

Opening Date

11/18/2024

Closing Date

12/5/2024 2:00 PM Pacific

FLSA

Non-Exempt

Bargaining Unit

J2 : ATU L587-Transit

Full- or Part-Time

Full Time

Summary



$3,000.00 SIGN ON BONUS!

Hear what our employees have to say: https://youtu.be/Ry-hLcLwm7M

It takes a lot of buses to move King County - It takes a lot of mechanics to keep those buses moving - Where do you want to go? King County Metro is hiring Journey Level mechanics seeking a rewarding and meaningful career - Come join us and let's move King County together.

Apply now to be included in our one-day hiring events on either Wednesday, December 11th, or Thursday, December 12th; refer to the Supplemental Information section near the back of this advertisement for additional application , testing , interviewing , and hiring details .
Military veterans and spouses encouraged to apply. (Relevant MOSs may include Airforce/ 2T3XI, Army/ 915A, Coast Guard/ ENG, Marine Corps/ 1341, and Navy/ AS)

OPEN HOUSE: Thursday, November 21st, Tukwila area, 6:30PM start time. Email Robin.StJames@kingcounty.gov using the subject line, " Open House " for additional details.

Learn how Metro connects you with what matters!
About the Transit Mechanic
In King County Metro's (KCM) Vehicle Maintenance (VM) Division, there is no such thing as a normal day. Technicians at KCM have been on the leading edge of technological changes for decades; from being the first to install bike racks on buses, to purchasing hybrid buses on a large scale, and now actively working to move towards a fully electric fleet. At Metro, you will be part of a collaborative team that continues to advance technology and improve products for the entire transit industry; we led the way in battery-electric bus testing - as well as safety innovations!

Transit buses are highly sophisticated vehicles which require strong technical skills to diagnose and repair. We are near having 1,400 coaches- a combination of diesel, trolley, hybrid, and all-electric buses. We have a bit under 300 mechanics that keep them in service and on the road. While we were at mechanic staffing capacity for a bit, we've seen recent promotions of some mechanics, and others have let us know they're ready to retire. We're also investing further in our all-electric coach numbers and need more staff to get the new buses ready for service. And we're getting ready to open another bus base in 2025! All this means that we're searching for skilled mechanics again. Interested or know someone who may be? Keep reading. And spread the word; it's fun to work with people we know and respect!

Our Journey Level mechanics either have a combination of formal schooling with two or more years of professional experience, or at least four years of professional experience. Heavy diesel, hybrid, and battery vehicle repair experience is highly valued.

At Metro, we attract technicians from many industries: automotive, diesel, off-road equipment, aircraft, recreational vehicles, and more! Bring your deep foundational vehicle mechanic knowledge and experience and we will train you on our specialized, cutting-edge hybrid and battery-electric drive systems! As you learn more about "The Metro Way" of improving reliability and streamlining repairs, you will take pride in knowing you've contributed to our mission of providing safe, dependable transportation to our region. Come be part of the team, c ome be part of Metro - come make a difference!

KCM has an amazing full-range benefit package. We also offer some of the best pay in the region, and shift differential is paid to those working second and third shifts. Shift pay is 5% for second shift and 7.5% for third shift, on top of hourly pay. New King County employees to this position are eligible for a $3,000 new hire bonus! Our current Journey Level hourly starting rates are:
  • $44.37 - $49.91 / first shift
  • $46.59 - $52.41 / second shift
  • $47.70 - $53.65 / third shift
About Metro Transit Vehicle Maintenance - #TradesJobs
The Mission of Vehicle Maintenance is to provide customers safe, dependable, clean transportation in a timely, cost effective, environmentally sensitive manner, with a workforce that values teamwork, communication, and diversity. At Metro, you'll perform your best work as part of a collaborative team working towards the absolute best solution.

The Vehicle Maintenance section operates a twenty-four-hour shop with three shifts (day, swing, and graveyard) seven days a week at various locations throughout King County. Openings may occur on all shifts.

See the Supplemental Information section for information on how to apply - as a public employer, King County has strict guidelines and criteria when reviewing applications. Review this section so that you understand how to help us see just how amazing you are! If you need help you can call the recruiting team at 206.477.0270.

Safety Sensitive Position
This position is considered safety sensitive. Applicants for positions defined as safety sensitive are required to undergo drug testing prior to employment, and subsequent to commencement of employment, will be subject to random, post-accident, reasonable suspicion, return to duty and follow-up drug and alcohol testing in compliance with Federal DOT alcohol and controlled substances testing program protocols.

Job Duties



Applying equity and social justice principles is a daily responsibility and a foundational expectation for all King County employees. In this role you will apply equity and social justice principles that exemplify shared values, behaviors, and practices to all aspects of the work. As the Transit Mechanic, you will:
  • Inspect, diagnose, and repair mechanical defects in gasoline, electric, hybrid and diesel-powered buses, trolleys, trucks, cars, and other heavy motorized mechanical equipment.
  • Operate and maintain electronic diagnostic and related equipment.
  • Diagnose, dismantle, repair, and overhaul all types of gasoline and diesel internal combustion engines, automatic transmissions, differentials, hydraulic, pneumatic, and electrical systems.
  • Install, maintain and repair electrical and mechanical units and accessories of electrically powered trolley coaches using electrical diagrams and schematics.
  • Perform wheel alignments, adjust/replace brakes and repair pumps, starters, injectors, lights, steering gears, generators, and air conditioning systems.
  • Install, maintain, and repair a variety of auxiliary systems, equipment, and electronics, including fare collection, communication, surveillance, and related components.
  • Operate overhead cranes, hydraulic lifts, hoists, jacks, drill presses, and brake turning lathes, as appropriately certified.
  • Perform field repair work and emergency road repairs, drive wrecker truck to tow in disabled coaches.
  • Maintain records of completed repairs, time worked, and materials used.
  • Enter and extract data in automated vehicle maintenance system.
  • Perform other duties as assigned.

Experience, Qualifications, Knowledge, Skills



This position requires Journey Level knowledge and skills in the principles, practices, techniques, tools, and equipment of the automotive and diesel repair trade. Regular attendance and performance of duties, as assigned, are required of this position.

At a minimum, to qualify for this position you will need to meet one of the following qualifications:
  • Four years of experience in heavy-duty diesel, automotive equipment, aviation or marine repair and maintenance, as a Journey Level mechanic.
  • Two years of experience in heavy-duty diesel or automotive equipment repair and maintenance as a Journey Level mechanic and completion of a two-year vocational or community college diesel automotive mechanics program, or a recognized apprenticeship program.
  • Any equivalent combination of education and experience that provides the applicant with the knowledge and skills to perform the work of the position.
In addition, successful candidates will also have:
  • Knowledge of mechanical principles of gasoline, diesel, and all-electric powered engines; fluid, pneumatic and hydraulic systems; power train, suspension, and chassis components and assemblies; electrical, ignition, braking, heating, and air conditioning systems.
  • Knowledge of installation, maintenance and repair of auxiliary systems, equipment and electronics including fare collection, communication, surveillance, and related components.
  • Knowledge of current diagnostic techniques and equipment used in fleet repair operations.
  • Knowledge of industrial safety rules, shop safety rules, and applicable regulations and procedures that apply to a vehicle repair facility.
  • Basic computer skills required to enter and extract information from automated vehicle maintenance systems and related software applications.
  • Skill in the operation of electronic diagnostic equipment, as well as power and hand tools used in mechanical maintenance and equipment repair.
  • Skill in the operation of overhead cranes, hydraulic lifts, hoists, jacks, drill presses, lathes, and related equipment.
  • Skill in the operation of wreckers and associated auxiliary equipment and winches.
  • Skill in basic mathematics.
  • Customer service skills; skill in working with a variety of individuals from diverse backgrounds.
  • Communication and interpersonal skills; skill in establishing and maintaining effective working relations.
Desirable qualifications include: (This experience is not required; applicants without this experience are not meant to be dissuaded from applying however, applicants with this experience should highlight it. If you don't already have this experience and you are hired for this position, you can look forward to expanding your skillset as a Metro employee!)
  • Heavy-duty diesel, bus, or truck fleet maintenance experience.
  • Experience working with hybrid technology.
  • Experience working with all-electric propulsion systems.
Necessary Special Requirements:
  • Must pass drug and alcohol testing provision for safety-sensitive positions as required by the U.S. Department of Transportation, 49 CFR Parts 40 and 655.
  • Must pass a post-offer, pre-employment physical examination.
  • All candidates must have a valid driver license with an acceptable five-year driving record.
  • Within 90 days of hire, a candidate must be able to obtain a Class A Commercial Driver License (CDL) with a passenger endorsement, and with the air brake restriction removed. All candidates without a current CDL must have a Class B Commercial Learner's Permit (CLP), with correct endorsement and restriction removed, prior to receiving a formal offer. After hire, King County Metro Transit will provide you with paid training, on our equipment, so that you can obtain a Class A CDL, which is required for this position.
    • Please Note: to obtain a CLP in Washington State, you must be able to provide your current license, Social Security number and proof of U.S. Citizenship or Lawful Permanent Residency. For more information visit the official Washington State Department of Licensing official website at: https://www.dol.wa.gov/driver-licenses-and-permits/commercial-driver-licenses-cdl .

Supplemental Information



Who May Apply
This position is open to the general public and current King County employees. For Tips on Applying, please visit http://www.kingcounty.gov/jobs/applying.aspx .

Application and Selection Process

A King County application, completed at www.kingcounty.gov/jobs, with employment history going back at least ten years if you have ten years of employment (or more to include all relevant experience,) including answers to the supplemental questions is required.

Please note: The "duties" section in the Work Experience area of the application is free text and should be used to detail how you specifically meet the experience we are seeking. This area should NOT be a list of your job duties. It should be a description of what you have done or do day-to-day that includes what you work on, what tools you regularly use, and is representative of your knowledge. Do you have a particular area of interest? Share that! If you have areas of specialty that your colleagues seek your advice about when they're working on an issue or task, share that! For the greatest success, phrase your details as if you are speaking with a colleague in the trade. I'm looking to hire people who love doing what they do and care about doing it in an excellent way. So don't get caught up on writing perfectly. Yes, you will have to be able to communicate with your team, but through this application process I'm more interested in understanding what you know than if you can spell or write perfectly. Let your passion for the position come through!

You should list all professional and personal information you feel is important for the team reviewing your application to take into consideration. We ask for ten years of work history if you have it, but you may leave nontransferable skills off your previous duties. For example, if you worked as a chef nine years ago you would list that employment, but you don't need to list job duties that aren't applicable, such as, "cooked food to order." You should, however, list any transferrable skills that the job taught you, such as specific teamwork skills.

Finally, you should always list detailed information. As an example, rather than listing, "performed work to customer request," you should list, in detail, the actual work. Details should always be specific to you, but good examples give details such as, "repair and replace head gaskets, cylinder heads, and engine removal," or "operate machine shop equipment, including lathe, drill press, grinder milling machine, band saw, fans, air and vacuum compressors and motors."

Applications will be screened to determine whether candidates meet minimum qualifications, and for completeness, and responsiveness to application instructions. The most competitive candidates presenting evidence that they meet or exceed the qualifications noted above may be invited to participate in a testing process. Those passing the test will be invited to participate in one or more panel interviews. This will be a highly competitive recruitment, so you are encouraged to clearly detail your experience.

Testing Information
Testing will be part of a one-day event. Two event dates are planned for this recruitment- Wednesday, December 11th and/or Thursday, December 12th- dates subject to change. Due to the nature of the tests, all testing MUST be conducted in person. All invited candidates must participate on one of the available dates.

Candidates will have up to three hours to complete a written and practical/hands-on test. In the written section, a candidate will have 60 minutes to complete an ASE style 50-question, multiple-choice, general mechanical knowledge test in the following systems: Engine, Drivetrain, Air Brakes, Foundation Brakes, Suspension & Steering, Tooling, and Electrical. Once the written portion is completed, you will participate in a series of observed and timed hands-on exercises intended to gauge your ability to follow directions and showcase your Journey Level mechanical aptitude. The following systems may be covered: Relay Valve, Head Torque, Electrical Faults, Valve Adjust, Drill & Tap, and Wheel End Inspection. All necessary tools and safety equipment will be provided, and you will have the ability to ask clarifying questions prior to beginning each exercise.

You must take the test onsite in one of our Tukwila, WA area facilities. Interviews will be offered to candidates with satisfactory test scores.

Interview and Hire Information
After a brief break, a 30-minute interview will directly follow testing.

A member of the human resources team will be onsite and immediately extend preliminary offers to all passing candidates. We anticipate that the top fifteen (15) overall performance scoring candidates will be offered initial placement with a target hire date of February 3, 2025. All candidates not selected for initial placement will remain on the hiring list with the intention of future placement in order of performance score, as positions become available.

Once a preliminary/conditional offer of employment has been made, being hired will be contingent on passing all requirements outlined for King County safety-sensitive positions. Those requirements include items such as: successfully passing a drug screen and two-year FTA background verification, passing a pre-employment physical, satisfactory reference checks, and an acceptable five-year driving record review. While most requirements can be completed online, additional time away from any current employment will be required for the drug screen appointment (approximately 30 minutes in the SODO area of Seattle) and the job-specific physical (completed at any of our partner provider clinic locations, Concentra clinics.)

Vacancy Information
This recruitment will be used to fill multiple career service, special duty assignment (SDA,) or fully benefitted term limited temporary (TLT) positions. Any candidate hired to an SDA or TLT position will be converted to career service once a position is available, and in seniority order.

In addition, this recruitment may also be used to create a list of qualified candidates to fill future positions in this classification, as they become available. Any list created may remain active until fully depleted, or at the discretion of the hiring authority.

Work Schedule
Employees work a 40 hour per week schedule with two consecutive days off, but not necessarily Saturday and Sunday. Work schedules and locations are based on a seniority system and schedules are bid on twice yearly.

Swing shift and/or graveyard shift vacancies will be the most likely openings. Employees must be able and willing to work any shift, including any combination of days off, at any location. These positions are FLSA non-exempt and therefore eligible for overtime pay.

Union Representation
This position is represented by Amalgamated Transit Union, Local 587.

Classification Code
8442100

For more information regarding this recruitment, please contact:
Robin St. James (she/her)
Human Resources Talent Advisor
Robin.StJames@kingcounty.gov

Forbes recently named King County a one of Washington State's best employers.

Together, with leadership and our employees, we're changing the way government delivers service and winning national recognition as a model of excellence. Are you ready to make a difference? Come join the team dedicated to serving one of the nation's best places to live, work and play.

Guided by our " True North " , we are making King County a welcoming community where every person can thrive. We value diversity, inclusion and belonging in our workplace and workforce. To reach this goal we are committed to workforce equity. Equitable recruiting, support and retention is how we will obtain the highest quality workforce in our region; a workforce that shares and will help advance our guiding principles- we are one team; we lead the way; and we are responsible stewards. We encourage people of all backgrounds and identities to apply, including Native American and people of color, immigrants, refugees, women, LGBTQ+, people living with disabilities, and veterans.

King County is an Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) Employer. No person is unlawfully excluded from employment opportunities based on race, color, religion, national origin, sex (including gender identity, sexual orientation, and pregnancy), age, genetic information, disability, veteran status, or other protected class. Our EEO policy applies to all employment actions, including but not limited to recruitment, hiring, selection for training, promotion, transfer, demotion, layoff, termination, rates of pay or other forms of compensation.

To Apply
If you are interested in pursuing this position, please follow the application instructions carefully. If you need this announcement in an alternate language or format, would like to request accommodation or assistance in the application process, or if you have questions, please contact Robin St. James via email at Robin.StJames@kingcounty.gov .



King County offers a highly-competitive compensation and benefits package designed to meet the diverse needs of our employees and support our employees' health and well-being. Eligible positions receive the following benefits and have access to the following programs:
  • Excellent medical, dental, and vision coverage options: King County provides eligible employees with options, so they can decide what's best for themselves and their eligible dependents
  • Life and disability insurance: employees are provided basic coverage and given the opportunity to purchase additional insurance for both the employee and eligible dependents
  • Retirement: eligible King County employees may participate in a pension plan through the Washington State Department of Retirement Systems and a 457(b) deferred-compensation plan
  • Transportation program and ORCA transit pass
  • 12paid holidays each year plus twopersonal holidays
  • Generous vacation and paid sick leave
  • Paid parental,family and medical, and volunteer leaves
  • Flexible Spending Account
  • Wellness programs
  • Onsite activity centers
  • Employee Giving Program
  • Employee assistance programs
  • Flexible schedules and telecommuting options, depending on position
  • Training and career development programs
For additional information about employee benefits, visit our Benefits, Payroll, and Retirement Page .

This is a general description of the benefits offered to eligible King County employees, and every effort has been made to ensure its accuracy. If any information on this document conflicts with the provisions of a collective bargaining agreement (CBA), the CBA prevails.

NOTE: Benefits for Term Limited Temporary (TLT) or Short Term Temporary (STT) positions, including leave eligibility and/or participation in the pension plan through the Washington State Department of Retirement Systems, will vary based upon the terms and details of the position.Short Term Temporary positions are not eligible for an ORCA transit pass.

For inquiries about the specifics of this position, please contact the recruiter identified on this job posting.