HEAVY VEHICLE MASTER TECHNICIAN

Salary: $53,449.00 - $68,147.50 Annually
Location : Columbia, SC
Job Type: Full-Time
Job Number: 202500284
Department: GENERAL SERVICES
Division: FLEET SERVICES
Opening Date: 05/27/2026
Closing Date: 6/27/2026 11:59 PM Eastern
Pay Grade: 112


Description
This position performs highly skilled mechanical repair work on City-owned diesel- and gasoline-powered, trucks and other specialized medium-to-heavy equipment, ensuring that repaired vehicles run properly and safely; performs preventive maintenance on such equipment as scheduled, and performs related work as required. The incumbent works within a general outline of work to be performed, and develops work methods and sequences under general supervision.

The work is considered medium-to-heavy in nature and involves walking, standing, stooping, lifting, digging, pushing or raising objects and also involves exerting between 20 and 50 pounds of force on a recurring basis and 50 to 100 pounds of force on an occasional basis. The work requires the following physical abilities to perform the essential job functions: crouching, hearing, lifting, repetitive motion, standing, stooping, talking, and visual acuity.

Work environment may involve exposure to bright/dim light, dusts and pollen, extreme heat and/or cold, wet or humid conditions, extreme noise levels, vibration, fumes and/or noxious odors, traffic, moving machinery, electrical shock, toxic/caustic chemicals, heights; and works with heavy equipment and machinery that could result in bodily harm to co-workers or others.

Essential Job Functions

• Opens and prepares the shop for operation daily;
• Collects work requests from the vehicles left overnight and creates work orders on Fleet Focus;
• Assists anyone who waits on their vehicles and/or equipment on an expedite manner;
• Prepares the new vehicles prior to delivery to the divisions; makes sure the turned-in vehicles get ready for surplus;
• Gets estimates on vehicles involved in accidents, and delivers them to the lowest bidder and picks them up when repaired;
• Diagnoses and performs mechanical repair work on diesel and gasoline-powered vehicles, trucks and heavy equipment, including repairing or replacing engines, fuel injection systems, electronic engine controls, electrical systems, brake systems, hydraulic systems, HVAC systems, computer systems, drivetrains, differentials, etc.;
• Supervises and assigns work load to employees, ensures work is completed in a timely manner and of quality; and completes performance evaluations on employees;
• Repairs emergency services and law enforcement vehicles; installs and maintains specialized equipment on emergency vehicles as necessary;
• Performs welding and fabrication work as needed;
• Performs a variety of preventive maintenance duties as scheduled, including changing oil, lubricating, replacing hoses and belts, replacing brakes, checking lights, and tuning engines;
• Installs and repairs emergency lights and equipment (computers, GPS, radios, etc.) on Police, Fire and other division's vehicles;
• Changes and repairs tires on vehicles;
• Conducts road tests after repair work is completed to ensure that all vehicles are mechanically safe and function properly;
• Provides emergency field assistance to disabled vehicles; tows vehicles to the Fleet maintenance shop when necessary and/or when they are involved in an accident;
• Picks up parts from vendors as necessary; assists in maintaining inventory of necessary parts and supplies;
• Reviews work orders to ensure repairs are completed correctly and in a timely manner;
• Maintains records of work completed and parts used;
• Maintains assigned tools and equipment; responsible for decaling City vehicles and removals; troubleshoots electrical issues in all light vehicles and removal of lighting and IT equipment when necessary;
• Assists in maintaining a clean and orderly shop;
• Provides training, instruction and leadership of lower-level mechanics and technicians as assigned; performs the duties of other mechanics when they are absent;
• Coordinates special division operations, such as daily tire shop activities;
• Attends training, workshops, meetings, etc., as appropriate to maintain or enhance job knowledge and skills; and
• Performs other related duties as assigned.

Qualifications

Minimum Qualifications to Perform Work:

• High school diploma or GED;
• Seven (7) years of relevant prior experience;
• Valid South Carolina Class "A" Driver's License;
• Preference may be given to ASE Certified Master Medium-Heavy Truck Technicians;
• Possess a mechanic's tool set.

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities

• Knowledge of basic addition and subtraction, such as making change or measuring;

• Ability to coordinate or determine time, place or sequence of operations or activities based on analysis of data or information and may implement and report on operations and activities;
• Ability to provide information, guidance or assistance to people to directly facilitate task accomplishment; may give directions or assignments to helpers or assistants;
• Ability to speak or signal to people to convey or exchange information of a general nature;
• Ability to lead, operate or repair complex machinery or equipment that requires extended training and experience, such as vehicles, trucks, emergency vehicles and other mechanical equipment; may involve installation and testing. Involves operations of limited scope;
• Ability to perform skilled work involving rules/systems with almost constant problem-solving;
• Ability to read technical instructions, procedures, manuals and charts to solve practical problems; composing routine reports and specialized reports, forms and business letters with proper format; speaking compound sentences using normal grammar and word form;
• Ability to perform clerical, manual or technical tasks requiring a wide range of procedures and requiring intensive understanding of a restricted field or complete familiarity with the functions of a unit or small division of an operating agency; requires normal attention with short periods of concentration for accurate results or occasional exposure to unusual pressure; and
• Ability to guide others, requiring frequent decisions affecting co-workers, customers and others who depend on the service or product; works in a somewhat fluid environment with rules and procedures but with many variations from the routine.

The City of Columbia is proud to offer a complete benefits package to full-time employees. This package includes health care, dental, vision, retirement, deferred compensation plans, flexible spending accounts, life insurance, long-term disability, holidays, vacation, and sick leave.

Part-time or temporary employees, including interns, are not eligible for City benefits.
To learn more details, visit our benefits page at:
01


Do you have a High School diploma or GED?

• Yes
• No

02


Do you have at least seven (7) years of relevant experience?

• Yes
• No

03


Do you currently have a Class A Commercial Driver's License (CDL)?

• Yes
• No

04


Do you have a ASE Master Medium-Heavy Truck Technician Certification?

• Yes
• No

05


Do you possess a mechanic's tool set?

• Yes
• No

Required Question