Lead Mechanic

County of Santa Barbar; Santa Barbara (CA); Hybrid; USD 82,000 - 99,000; Full time

Job summary

County of Santa Barbara is seeking a Lead Mechanic in Santa Barbara to oversee a fleet maintenance shop under the General Services Department. The role involves supervising mechanics, planning workload, and ensuring repairs meet standards.

The position may require time between North and South County, with scheduling depending on departmental needs. The ideal candidate will have strong engine repair knowledge, experience with gas, diesel and alternative-fuel vehicles, and the ability to provide

Qualifications

• Knowledge of: theory and operation of gas, diesel, and alternative-fuel engines used in vehicles and equipment.
• Ability to: diagnose mechanical defects, read wiring schematics and flow charts, estimate labor and materials.

Responsibilities

• Leads mechanics in a fleet maintenance shop and assists with day-to-day shop operations.
• Trains and evaluates mechanics, delegates tasks, and monitors workload.
• Provides technical assistance and quality control of repairs and safety inspections.

Job description

Salary: $82,249 - $98,712 Annually

We are accepting applications to fill a full-time Lead Mechanic vacancy in Santa Barbara for the General Services Department.

This position is located in Santa Barbara however, may need to split time between both North and South County.

The work schedule and location for this position will depend upon the needs of the Department.

TO BE CONSIDERED FOR THIS POSITION as well as for future Full-Time and 1414* vacancies, regular employees that apply must check "All Locations" in the location section of the application.

1414* vacancies may occur as a result of a leave of absence (Civil Service Rule 1414) and the duration of the appointment shall be subject to the return of the individual who is on leave. A person who is appointed to a position under Civil Service Rule 1414 may be able to transition into a regular position in the classification without re-application or re-testing, depending on the performance of the appointee and the needs of the department.

The Position:

Under general direction of a fleet supervisor, the selected candidate leads the work of mechanics in a fleet maintenance shop and assists with the day-to-day operations of the shop; and performs other duties as assigned.

The Lead Mechanic will help ensure adequate, training, work oversight and accountability within the Vehicle Operations Shop maintenance staff. They will assist the Division's Assistant Managers with the delegation of work tasks, planningschedule of workload and work quality control. They will also create additional growth opportunities and ensure succession planning within Vehicle Operations.

• Performs repairs, modifications, fabrications, maintenance, inspection, diagnosis, major repair and overhaul of gas, diesel, and alternative-fuel vehicles and equipment, engines, transmissions, differentials, fuel systems, hydraulic systems and electrical systems;
• Installs and repairs auxiliary equipment on police vehicles, automobiles and light trucks;
• Reads and interprets blueprints, specifications and manufacturers' catalogues;
• Drives fleet and other vehicles for road tests and diagnostic purposes.
• Trains, monitors and assists in evaluating performance of mechanics;
• Acts as lead worker in day-to-day operations of the shop;
• Assesses workload and recommends changes in staffing assignments as necessary to meet the shop's workload demands and ability of each mechanic;
• Provides technical assistance to mechanics when they are performing vehicle repair diagnoses and complex vehicleequipment repairs;
• Provides quality control review and safety inspections of work performed by subordinate employees and ensures work performed meets service standards.
• Serves as the primary contact for County employees who deliver vehiclesequipment to the shop for service or repair;
• Confers with customers in order to understand vehicle repair problems;
• Estimates time and materials required for repairs;
• Communicates technical information in layman's terms to fleet customers.
• Creates and maintains records of repairs made, work orders and time worked;
• Prepares servicing schedules, enters fleet billing data into and prepares reports from fleet maintenance software;
• Assists with interviewing job applicants and makes recommendations for hire;
• Assists with assessing staff training needs and makes training recommendations to the assistant fleet supervisor;
• Provides input on employee performance for staff evaluations to fleet supervisor.
• Assists with developing, implementing and enforcing shop safety laws, standards, policies, practices, and procedures; develops implementation plans for shop safety programs; conducts safety meetings.
• Prepares workers compensation paperwork;
• Provides assistance to the fleet supervisor and acts as the supervisor in his/her absence.

Additional Qualifications:

• Possession of a valid California Class C Driver's License is required at the time of appointment.
• Appointees may be required to obtain additional special licenses (i.e. smog, Class B Driver's License) If required, will need to complete by probationary period (12 months) and as a condition of continued employment.

Desirable Qualifications:

Master ASE Automobile, Medium - Heavy Truck, and Truck Equipment.

Knowledge of:

Knowledge of: theory and operation of the gas, diesel, and alternative-fuel internal combustion engines used in automobiles, trucks, tractors, and other powered equipment; standard practices and techniques of servicing, maintaining, and repairing gas, diesel, and alternative-fuel vehicles and equipment; materials, parts, supplies, equipment, and tools used in the maintenance and repair of gas, diesel, and alternative-fuel vehicles and equipment; the use and operation of electronic diagnostic equipment in the maintenance and repair of vehicles and equipment; safe work practices; state and federal guidelines, regulations, rules, and laws regarding smog control devices and inspection procedures, fleet operations, and safety (OSHA, EPA, etc.); fleet repair data used to determine whether to make repairs; methods, materials, equipment and tools used in welding and fabrication work; principles of lead work, including organization, scheduling, training, and evaluation; basic recordkeeping and office procedures and equipment necessary to prepare, maintain, and retrieve routine reports and records.

Ability to:

Ability to: diagnose mechanical defects in automobiles, trucks, tractors, and other powered equipment; read and understand diagnostic flow charts, specifications, mechanical information and wiring schematics; read, interpret, and apply technical, administrative and operational regulations, policies, procedures, and standards; determine and estimate labor and material requirements; use available information to make sound decisions; perform basic math computations; plan, coordinate, assign, organize, prioritize, delegate, and evaluate work; communicate effectively, both verbally and in writing, with mechanics and customers in order to provide instruction and customer service; establish and maintain effective and cooperative working relationships with customers, colleagues, subordinates, vendors, and other agencies; use standard office equipment and computerized fleet management systems.

Supplemental Information:

Supplemental Information:Incumbents in this classification may be exposed to adverse conditions such as inclement weather, dust, loud noise, heat, and wind. Work in this classification may involve exposure to: chemicals; moving machinery, vehicles, and equipment; fumes; gases; petroleum products; fire and electrical hazards; and confined spaces. The use of appropriate safety clothing and equipment is required.

APPLICATION & SELECTION PROCESS:

1. Review applications and supplemental questionnaire to determine those applicants who meet the employment standards.
2. Supplemental Questionnaire Ranking: Applications that meet the employment standards will be evaluated and scored. Candidates' final score and rank on the eligibility list will be determined by the information provided on their supplemental questionnaire. This process may be eliminated if there are fewer than 11 qualified candidates.

Candidates must receive a percentage score of at least 70 on the Supplemental Questionnaire Ranking examination to be placed on an employment list. An adjustment may be made to raw scores based on factors listed in Civil Service Rule VI. Those candidates who are successful in the selection process will have their names placed on an employment list for a minimum of three months. At the time the employment list is established, all qualified candidates will receive an email notice of their score on the exam(s), rank on the employment list, and exact duration of the employment list.

Conditional Job Offer:

Conditional Job Offer: Once a conditional offer of employment has been made, candidates will be required to successfully complete a background check and Live Scan, which includes a conviction history check, and satisfactory reference checks. A Live Scan is electronic fingerprint scanning that is certified by the State Department of Justice. Further instructions about when and how to complete the Live Scan will be included in the offer letter.

The appointee may be subject to a post-offer medical evaluation or examination. The appointee must satisfactorily complete a one-year probationary period.

Disaster Service Worker:

Disaster Service Worker: Pursuant to Governmental code section 3100, all employees with the County of Santa Barbara are declared to be disaster service workers subject to such disaster service. Activities as may be assigned to them by their superiors or by law.

REASONABLE ACCOMMODATIONS:

The County of Santa Barbara is committed to providing reasonable accommodation to applicants. Qualified individuals with disabilities who need reasonable accommodation during the application or selection process should contact the recruiter listed on the job posting. We require verification of needed accommodation from a professional source, such a Medical Provider or a learning institution.

Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) Statement:

The County of Santa Barbara provides equal employment opportunities to all employees and applicants and prohibits discrimination, harassment, and retaliation of any type with regard to any characteristic or status protected by any federal law, state law, or Santa Barbara County ordinance. The County continues to be committed to a merit-based selection process and to eliminating barriers to attracting and retaining top qualified candidates. The County has a long-standing practice of providing a work environment that respects the dignity of individual employees and values their contributions to our organization.

APPLICATION AND SUPPLEMENTAL QUESTIONNAIRE DEADLINE:

APPLICATION AND SUPPLEMENTAL QUESTIONNAIRE DEADLINE: Friday, October 30, 2026 at 4:59 PM PST; postmarks not accepted. You can view job postings and apply online 24 hours a day at www.governmentjobs.com/careers/sbcounty

Collin Graham: [e-mail]