Small Tools Mechanic - Manager

Childs Landscape Contractors, Inc.; Arnold (MD); On-site; USD 42,000 - 60,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Company vehicle

Health insurance

401(k) retirement plan

Paid time off

Job summary

Childs Landscape Contractors, Inc. is seeking a skilled small engine mechanic to diagnose, service, and repair landscape equipment, including trimmers, mowers, and blowers.

You will perform preventative maintenance and troubleshoot 2-stroke and 4-stroke engines, with accountability for sign-off on equipment and management of loaners. The role requires 3–5 years hands-on repair experience, inventory control, and strong organizational skills; a valid driver's license is required.

Qualifications

• Minimum 3–5 years of hands-on experience repairing small engines/outdoor power equipment.
• Experience in a shop, fleet, or equipment management role.
• Experience managing an inventory or asset-tracking system.
• Leadership experience and accountability within a team.
• Proficiency with Microsoft Excel/Office and learning tracking systems.

Responsibilities

• Diagnose, service, and repair the department's landscape equipment.
• Perform routine maintenance including oil changes, filter and blade sharpening.
• Judge engine, fuel, ignition, and electrical issues and test-run equipment.
• Manage equipment sign-off, loaners, and storage access controls.
• Maintain and audit the inventory, parts, and tools across the shop.

Skills

Small engine repair

Shop leadership

Inventory management

Microsoft Excel

Tool diagnosis

Education

Formal training in small engine repair

Tools

Stihl/ Toro/ Exmark tools

Job description

WHAT YOU'LL DO:

• Diagnose, service, and repair the department's small landscape equipment — string trimmers, handheld and backpack blowers, hedge trimmers, chainsaws, edgers, ride on and push/walk-behind mowers etc.
• Perform routine preventative maintenance and repairs, including oil changes, spark plug and air filter replacement, fuel system service, carburetor cleaning/adjustment, blade sharpening and balancing, and belt, cable, and chain replacement.
• Diagnose engine, ignition, fuel, and electrical issues on 2-stroke and 4-stroke small engines, and test-run equipment yourself to confirm it's ready before it goes back to a crew.
• Serve as the final authority on releasing equipment and loaners from the shop and locked storage — nothing leaves without your sign-off or a documented exception.
• Develop and maintain a friendly, working relationship with our vendors and outside suppliers. If a repair needs to be done outside of our building, you will manage and track outside repairs.
• Own the Childs ID engraving and crew-color tagging standard for every piece of small equipment in the fleet, making sure anything found unmarked is identified and tagged the same day.
• Partner with Division Managers each year on assigning equipment to crews, then enter every signed assignment into the Master Equipment Assignment Log so paper and digital records stay in sync.
• Run the shop's loaner program end to end — logging equipment turned in for service, issuing loaners the same day, tracking repairs, and reclaiming or permanently reassigning equipment once work is complete.
• Control access to the locked storage room and ensure no equipment is ever tracked outside the official system.
• Monitor the Lost, Damaged & Stolen Log, identify repeat-offender crews or foremen, and report patterns to ownership and the responsible Division Manager.
• Lead year-end turn-in and reconciliation — confirming each foreman's equipment against company records, marking units present or missing, and preparing accurate numbers to support leadership's decisions.
• Celebrating 50 Years of Service | 1976 – 2026 491 College Parkway, Arnold, MD 21012 (410-974-0528).
• Keep the shop's parts inventory, tools, and equipment organized and audit-ready, and flag reorder needs to Purchasing.
• Bring open loss, damage, or theft issues — and any equipment stored outside the tracking system — to Division Managers' attention during their periodic inspections.
• Maintain clear, current, defensible records so that every piece of equipment can be traced to a crew, a condition, and a date at any time. All of the record keeping and administrative tasks can be done in our existing company workbook.

WHAT WE'RE LOOKING FOR:

Required:

• Minimum 3–5 years of hands-on experience repairing small engines/outdoor power equipment, with working knowledge of 2-stroke and 4-stroke engines, fuel, ignition, and electrical systems.
• Prior experience in a shop, fleet, tool room, or equipment/inventory management role, ideally in landscaping, construction, or a related trade.
• Proven experience managing an inventory or asset-tracking system, with strong attention to detail and follow-through.
• Demonstrated leadership experience, with the ability to hold crews and foremen accountable to a process, even while doing the repair work yourself.
• Strong organizational and recordkeeping skills; proficiency with Microsoft Excel/Office and the ability to learn company tracking systems quickly.
• Own a basic hand tool set (specialty and diagnostic tools provided by the shop).
• Valid driver's license.
• Trustworthy with high-value company property and comfortable being the final word on who has access to it.

Preferred:

• Formal training or certification in small engine repair (technical school, vocational program, or manufacturer certification — e.g., Stihl, Toro, Exmark, Honda Power Equipment).
• Prior experience as a shop manager, tool room manager, fleet coordinator, or small engine service manager.
• Experience with commercial landscape equipment brands such as Stihl, Echo, Toro, Exmark, Scag, or Honda.
• Spanish Speaking.

PHYSICAL DEMANDS & WORK ENVIRONMENT:

• Ability to lift 50+ lbs. and work in a shop environment with regular exposure to noise, fuel, and oil.
• Frequent standing, bending, and use of hand tools for extended periods.
• Occasional travel between the shop and job sites to support inspections, equipment audits, in-season field repairs or parts pickups.

WHAT WE OFFER:

• Competitive salary commensurate with experience.
• Company vehicle or vehicle allowance.
• Medical, dental & vision insurance.
• 401(k) retirement plan.
• Paid time off and holidays.
• Ongoing training and professional development.
• A stable, family- and employee-oriented culture — 50 years strong — with real advancement opportunity; many of our current executives and leaders started out in similar positions.