Transit Lead Mechanic
King County, WA
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Benefits offered by this job
Job summary
King County Metro Transit is seeking a Transit Lead Mechanic who will balance lead responsibilities with ongoing journey-level maintenance. You will guide a team, coordinate repairs, and provide technical support to colleagues across gasoline, diesel, hybrid, and electric fleets.
The position emphasizes leadership, safety, and collaboration within the Vehicle Maintenance division, with a pathway toward further leadership opportunities within King County Metro.
Qualifications
- Current King County Metro Transit Mechanics with a minimum of two years of service in the classification as of the posting closing date.
- Required journey-level knowledge and experience in maintenance and repair of gasoline, diesel, hybrid and electric vehicles.
- Ability to direct, train and assist employees and provide clear feedback.
Responsibilities
- Carry out the daily work plan set by the Chief and help keep work moving efficiently.
- Serve as a working lead, performing journey-level maintenance while leading others.
- Coordinate repairs and provide technical assistance to mechanics in inspection, diagnosis, and repair of buses, trolleys, cars, and trucks.
Skills
Tools
Job description
***This position is only open to current King County Metro Transit Mechanics that have been in their Metro mechanic position for at least two years as of the closing date for applications. ***
***This position is only open to current King County Metro Transit Mechanics that have been in their Metro mechanic position for at least two years as of the closing date for applications. ***
The Vehicle Maintenance mechanic team has multiple promotional opportunities for the Transit Mechanic – Lead role.
This position requires the incumbent be introspective regarding how they are perceived by their peers and colleagues. Are you someone your teammates seek out when they need to troubleshoot? Are you someone with the work ethic and position knowledge that your teammates respect? Are you interested in making a difference in King County Metro’s path forward? If so, keep reading.
A lead position is the final step in the mechanic classification and the person working in this role serves as a working lead—the lead continues to perform the duties of the classification in addition to the specific lead duties. The lead role is seen as an entry position to leadership roles at King County Metro (KCM). The person accepting a lead position should be interested in the opportunity to learn and grow into the skill set required for KCM leadership staff. We are seeking new lead mechanics that understand, support, and exemplify the values of KCM; staff that will call out areas where improvement is needed while presenting thoughtful solutions for consideration.
The lead position requires that the incumbent can recognize strengths within their team while also being transparent regarding areas of growth that are necessary. The lead should have the ability to clearly communicate expectations while maintaining a positive environment where all employees know they are respected, they are valued, and they work in an environment they want to show up to. This position requires the skill to present areas of weakness to a team member with empathy and a teaching mindset. The lead role can be challenging in that the lead is responsible for coordinating the work of staff in the classification while providing guidance without disciplinary responsibilities; this requires the ability to nurture an environment of mutual respect.
Does the thought of leading a team to become excellent in reputation and quality of their work excite you? Do you have a passion to see Metro be the absolute best public transportation system in the nation? If after thoughtful consideration you find yourself answering, “Yes!” to the questions put forth, you are strongly encouraged to apply for this 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.
This recruitment will be used to fill multiple Career Service and Special Duty Assignment vacancies in the ‘Transit Mechanic- Lead' classification,
In addition, this selection process may be used to generate an eligibility list for future Career Service and Special Duty Assignment vacancies that may occur in this classification within this workgroup. The eligibility pool will be retained for 12 months from the date of posting and may be used at the discretion of the hiring authority.
Applying our ACTIVATE values: being Accountable, Collaborative, Timely, and Impactful; how we Value Employees; staying Accessible; building what’s Trusted; and acting Equitably, is a daily responsibility and a foundational expectation for all King County employees. In addition to performing the full range of responsibilities of the Transit Mechanic classification, as the Transit Lead Mechanic you will:
- Carry out the daily work plan set by the Chief and help keep work moving efficiently.
- Serve as a working lead, balancing lead responsibilities with the expectation to continue performing journey-level maintenance and repair work alongside the mechanics in the workgroup.
- Coordinate repairs and provide technical assistance to mechanics in the inspection, diagnosis, and repair of gasoline, electric, hybrid, and diesel-powered buses, trolleys, cars, trucks, and other equipment. Make sure defects are properly identified, documented, and repaired in a timely manner.
- Assign and prioritize maintenance and repair work based on work orders, preventive maintenance schedules, fleet needs, and the daily plan set by the Chief. Monitor work in progress and help keep jobs moving safely and efficiently.
- Respond to questions and provide technical advice on coach-related problems and repairs. Provide lead direction on assigned work and projects.
- Stay current on service bulletins, policies, procedures, and equipment modifications and provide guidance to mechanics as needed.
- Provide feedback to the Chief on work performance, teamwork, work quality, and behavioral or attendance concerns when needed.
- Inspect completed work to make sure repairs are done correctly and equipment is safe and ready for service.
- Train and assist new and current employees on maintenance and repair procedures, equipment, and base safety practices.
- Report defective equipment, unsafe conditions, and other safety concerns.
- Advise mechanics when work does not meet established standards, regulations, or procedures. Bring ongoing or serious concerns to the Chief or other appropriate management staff.
- Make sure regulated materials are handled, used, stored, and disposed of properly.
- Maintain shop records, including work orders, warranty and rebuilt-parts information, and completed work. Enter and retrieve information in vehicle maintenance systems.
- Perform other related duties as assigned.
We are looking for candidates who meet the following minimum qualifications
Per the ATU 587 and KC labor agreement: Qualified candidates must be current Metro Transit Mechanics with a minimum of two years of service experience in the classification as of the closing date of this posting.
- Journey-level knowledge and experience in the maintenance and repair of a variety of complex gasoline and diesel engines, hybrid, electric vehicles, and light-and heavy-duty transmissions and related components.
- Proficiency in using Vehicle Maintenance's computer software work order system, to include data entry, extraction, and equipment dispatch.
- Ability to direct, train and assist employees in their assigned tasks; ability and willingness to provide clear, corrective feedback to them.
- Knowledge of the North American Standard Out-of-Service Criteria
- Ability to inspect equipment and determine servicing needs.
- Ability to perform basic operations in MS Outlook, Word, and Excel.
- Commitment to applying King County's core values of inclusion, equity, and social justice.
Required competencies - successful Lead Mechanics are skilled in the following competencies:
- Approachability – is easy to approach and talk to, builds rapport well.
- Conflict Management – steps up to conflict, sees it as opportunity, can find common ground and get cooperation with minimum effort; able to deescalate.
- Effective communication – ability to motivate a team effectively, communicate expectations clearly, and provide constructive feedback.
- Timely Decision Making – makes decisions in a timely manner, under tight deadlines and pressure.
- Decision Quality – makes good decisions, sought by others for advice and solutions.
- Ethics and Values – adheres to an appropriate and effective set of core values.
- Fairness to Direct Reports – treats direct reports equitably, acts fairly, doesn't give preferential treatment.
- Innovation Management – has good judgment about which ideas and suggestions work.
- Integrity and Trust – is widely trusted, admits mistakes.
- Interpersonal Savvy – relates well to all kinds of people, builds constructive and effective relationships.
- Listening – has the patience to hear people out, can accurately restate the opinions of others, even when disagreeing.
- Managerial Courage – provides current, direct, complete, and actionable positive and corrective feedback to others.
- Motivating Others – creates a climate in which people want to do their best, makes everyone feel their work is important, is someone people like working for and with.
- Priority Setting – spends time and the time of others on what's important, eliminates roadblocks, creates focus.
- Possession of a valid CDL and an acceptable five-year driving record.
This position is open to King County Transit Mechanic employees who have completed at least two years of current, full-time service in their position, as of the last day applications are accepted.
This position works on site every day at various Metro Transit Vehicle Maintenance bases throughout King County. Employees in this hourly (FLSA non-exempt) classification 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 pick system, which is scheduled to occur once a year.
The Vehicle Maintenance section operates 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, and offers three shifts (day, swing, and graveyard) at various locations throughout King County. Openings may occur on all shifts, although Graveyard and/or Swing shift vacancies will be the most likely openings.
This position will be represented by Local 587, Amalgamated Transit Union.
8442200 Transit Mechanic-Lead
- Responsible for understanding the Metro Transit Safety Policy and their role in safety.
- Report all safety concerns.
- Follow safety practices and procedures as necessary to maintain a safe work environment and in conformance with applicable regulations, policies, and training.
- Report safety and security concerns and ideas to supervisors or anonymously through data collection system.
King County serves residents with a relentless sense of urgency, delivering on commitments with transparency and accountability. We are action-oriented, creative problem solvers who collaborate across roles, engage directly with communities, and challenge the status quo to achieve meaningful impact. As a unified team, we uphold high ethical and stewardship standards, embrace change, stay curious, and continuously improve. Across all interactions, we listen first, act quickly, and stay aligned as a team to earn and sustain public trust. Learn more about our Vision, Mission, and ACTIVATE Values here and visit our Why work at King County page here.
No person is unlawfully excluded from employment opportunities based on sex, race, color, national origin, ethnicity, religious affiliation, disability, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, age except by minimum age and retirement provisions, pregnancy, status as a family caregiver, parental status, marital status, military status or status as a veteran who was honorably discharged or who was discharged solely as a result of the person's sexual orientation or gender identity or expression, citizenship or immigration status, genetic information, or other protected class. However, to the extent that distinction or differential treatment on the basis of citizenship or immigration status is authorized by either federal or state law, regulation, or government contract, it is not an unfair practice.
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.
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
- 12 paid holidays each year plus two personal 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.
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