Lead Bicycle Mechanic

Big Sky Bikes; Missoula (MT); On-site; USD 28,000 - 48,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Relocation Assistance

Job summary

Big Sky Bikes, a full-service Specialized dealer in Missoula, seeks a Lead Mechanic to run the service department with focus on throughput, quality, and profitability. You will own estimates, set standards for service-writing, and lead a team of mechanics to deliver consistent, high-quality repairs.

Responsibilities include managing quotes, overseeing warranty estimates, coaching staff, and ensuring safe, organized shop operations while maintaining strong customer value and shop profitability.

Qualifications

• Senior mechanic with broad service category expertise
• Several years of shop service experience
• Able to run a queue and close-out daily without reminders
• Familiar with Lightspeed work orders and basic service reports
• Able to teach, give direct feedback, and uphold standards
• Experience leading a service team

Responsibilities

• Own all service quotes and estimates with thorough, accurate dates
• Set the service-writing standard and approval process
• Review estimates over $500 and all warranty estimates
• Write estimates for complex jobs
• Follow up on unanswered estimates and track conversions
• Set the daily stand queue and assign jobs by skill and development goals
• Review open work orders daily and ensure items are billed
• Ensure every work order is fully itemized before checkout
• Post realistic turnaround times and keep front counter updated
• Lead the mechanics and balance workloads
• Train mechanics and coach for efficiency
• Manage productivity metrics and address comebacks
• Build rapport with the team and advocate for staff
• Stay current on standards and technology

Skills

Senior mechanic

Shop experience

Organized

Coaching/mentoring

Team leadership

Customer communication

Education

Bicycle mechanic certification

Tools

Lightspeed

Torque wrenches

Shop tools

Job description

Big Sky Bikes is a full-service Specialized dealer in Missoula. We're hiring a Lead Mechanic to run our service department: throughput, quality, and every finished job billed.

The job comes down to four things:

• Customers are happy with the work we do, how we do it, and the value they get
• Mechanics find the work rewarding and have room to learn and advance
• The quality of every repair holds up
• Service makes a strong contribution to the shop's profitability

THE BASICS

• Year-round, hourly
• Reports to: the owners
• Leads: the shop's mechanics
• Relocation Assistance

WHAT YOU'LL DO

Running the queue and estimates

• Own all service quotes and estimates, and make sure they're thorough, accurate, and have realistic promise dates
• Set the shop's service-writing standard: what every estimate includes, how approvals are recorded, and how long estimates are good for
• Review estimates over $500 and all warranty estimates before they go to customers
• Write estimates for the most complex jobs yourself
• Follow up weekly on unanswered estimates and track how many turn into approved work
• Set the daily stand queue and assign jobs based on skill, speed, and development goals
• Review open work orders daily: close and bill finished jobs, chase anything stuck on parts or approval
• Make sure every work order is fully itemized before checkout
• Post realistic turnaround times and keep the front counter updated

Repairs and builds

• Complete repairs, tune-ups, and builds to shop standard, in the order the Lead Mechanic sets
• Diagnose problems accurately and recommend the right fix, not just the fastest one
• Assemble new bikes to manufacturer specs, including torque values
• Diagnose and service e-bikes using dealer diagnostic tools, following battery safety rules
• Service drivetrains, hydraulic and mechanical brakes (including bleeds), wheels (truing and building), suspension, and electronic shifting
• Test ride or safety-check every bike before it's marked done

Leading the mechanics

• Build the service schedule to cover the shop while respecting people's personal needs, with at least 6 hours of scheduled work per mechanic per day
• Recruit and interview mechanics, and recommend hires to the owners
• Train mechanics, check their work, and coach them to work efficiently and professionally
• Track each mechanic's productivity (billed hours vs. hours worked) and coach to it
• Handle comebacks personally, use them as training, and report them to the owners
• Run pre-season check-ins and fall reviews with the owners
• Build rapport with the team and advocate for them with ownership

Quality and safety

• Handle the hardest repairs, e-bike diagnostics, and suspension work
• Manage warranty claims with Specialized and other brands
• Keep the service area clean, organized, and safe, including e-bike battery charging and storage
• Train and sign off mechanics on power tools and bench equipment
• Maintain, replace, and recommend shop tools

The business of service

• Own service pricing: keep the labor menu current and apply the e-bike surcharge consistently
• Order service parts and shop supplies, and record shop-use inventory in Lightspeed
• Plan seasonal capacity with the owners, including winter promotions to fill slow months
• Stay current on new standards and tech, and share it with the team and sales floor
• Anticipate the department's future needs (people, tools, space, training) and bring plans to the owners
• Meet monthly with the owners on service revenue, open work orders, and backlog

Requirements

Required

• Senior mechanic skills across every service category, including suspension, hydraulic brakes, wheel building, electronic shifting, and e-bike systems
• Several years of shop service experience
• Organized enough to run a queue and a daily close-out without reminders
• Comfortable with Lightspeed work orders and basic service reports
• Able to teach, give direct feedback, and hold a standard
• Previous experience leading a service team

Nice to have

• Bicycle mechanic certification (UBI, Barnett, or similar)
• Specialized Turbo and Specialized University service certifications