Lead Diesel Mechanic

Down Under Tours Australia; Cairns Regional; On-site; AUD 90,000 - 110,000; Full time

Job summary

Down Under Tours in Cairns is seeking a Leading Hand for workshop operations to lead a small team, oversee preventative maintenance, and ensure road-ready fleet performance. You will manage workload, procurement, and inspections to minimise downtime and maintain safety standards.

The role requires heavy vehicle trade qualification, leadership experience, and proficiency with Microsoft Office. A HR licence and refrigeration licence are desirable or obtainable.

Qualifications

• Trade qualification in heavy vehicle mechanics (Australian standards).
• HR driver's licence or willingness to obtain.
• Australian refrigeration licence or willingness to obtain.
• Experience leading or supervising a workshop team.
• Competent with Microsoft Office.

Responsibilities

• Oversee preventative and corrective maintenance for our coach fleet and operational vehicles.
• Lead and mentor a small team – 1x Mechanic, 1x Apprentice, 1x Workshop Administrator.
• Allocate daily workshop workload and prioritise repairs to minimise vehicle downtime.
• Keep the workshop safe and compliant with WHS, environmental and transport regulations.
• Maintain accurate maintenance records, inspections and compliance documentation in Ampere.
• Manage parts inventory, procurement and stock control to avoid delays on critical repairs.
• Physically inspect completed repairs before vehicles return to service.
• Share technical updates and repair solutions with other Company workshops via Microsoft Teams.
• Maintain the fleet's presentation to Company standards.

Skills

Heavy vehicle mechanic

Leadership

Microsoft Office

Diagnostics

Fleet planning

Multi-site maintenance

Education

Heavy vehicle trade qualification

Tools

Ampere CMMS

Job description

Leading Hand - Workshop

Down Under Tours | Cairns | Workshop-based

Down Under Tours has been showing travellers the best of Far North Queensland for decades, and our coach fleet is what keeps every tour running safely and on time. We're looking for a Leading Hand to take the wheel on workshop operations — leading a small team, keeping our vehicles compliant and road-ready, and making sure breakdowns never get in the way of a great guest experience.

What you'll do

• Oversee preventative and corrective maintenance for our coach fleet and operational vehicles
• Lead and mentor a small team – 1x Mechanic, 1x Apprentice, 1x Workshop Administrator
• Allocate daily workshop workload and prioritise repairs to minimise vehicle downtime
• Keep the workshop safe and compliant with WHS, environmental and transport regulations
• Work with the Workshop Administrator to keep maintenance records, inspections and compliance documentation accurate and up to date in Ampere
• Manage parts inventory, procurement and stock control to avoid delays on critical repairs
• Physically inspect completed repairs, particularly safety-critical work, before vehicles return to service
• Share technical updates and repair solutions with other Company workshops via Microsoft Teams
• Maintain the fleet's presentation to Company standards

What you'll bring

• Heavy vehicle mechanical trade qualification (Diesel Fitter / Heavy Vehicle Mechanic) to Australian Standards
• Heavy Vehicle (HR) driver's licence, or willingness to obtain
• Australian refrigeration licence, or willingness to obtain
• Significant experience maintaining and repairing heavy vehicles, coaches, buses or commercial transport fleets
• Demonstrated experience leading or supervising a workshop team
• Confident with Microsoft Office
• Experience with multi-site maintenance or fleet planning and diagnostics is a bonus, not essential

Why join us

• Wellbeing Support – employee assistance and wellbeing programs for you and your family
• Travel Discounts – domestic and international, for you, family and friends
• Learning & Development – ongoing career development and personal growth opportunities
• Volunteer Leave – two paid days per year
• Parental Leave – 12 weeks paid, for eligible employees