Sr. Reconditioning Technician

Job Title: Sr. Reconditioning Technician
Team: Business Operations
Location: Onsite - Norwalk, CA
Employment Type: Full-time, Hourly, Non-Exempt
Reports To: General Manager

About Plug
Plug is the marketplace for used electric vehicles. Consumers get an instant cash offer backed by battery-health data, and dealers across the US bid in real time on that inventory. Former Tesla executives founded Plug in 2023. We’ve facilitated over $150M in EV sales and raised a $20M Series A led by Lightspeed Venture Partners.

Why Plug

• You’ll own a piece of the biggest infrastructure opportunity in automotive.

• You’ll work on a platform built exclusively for EVs, with nothing adapted from legacy automotive.

• You’ll be part of an AI-native company. We’re rethinking how work gets done at a fundamental level.

• You’ll work directly with operators who have scaled multi-billion dollar businesses in automotive, EV, and marketplaces.

• You’ll have real ownership, high autonomy, and a direct line to company outcomes.

The Opportunity
As Plug’s first Reconditioning Technician, you’ll help develop and scale a brand-new function that challenges how reconditioning is done in the automotive industry today. You’ll own the entire reconditioning process from start to finish: inspecting, repairing, and ensuring all cars meet Plug’s “Retail Ready” standard. On day one, you will also manage vendor relationships, create SOPs, and provide input on relevant system development efforts. Soon after, you will start building a team of junior technician(s) and/or operations specialist(s).

You’ll report directly to Plug’s General Manager and have direct influence over how this function is built from the ground up and how it rolls out to other locations across the country.

What You’ll Do

Inspect and Recondition Vehicles

• Conduct thorough inspections (diagnostics, exterior, interior, mechanical, and road test) on all incoming vehicles.

• Perform light reconditioning (e.g., tires, brake pads, cabin air filters, wiper blades, etc.) and non-powertrain repairs (e.g., exterior trim, door handles, suspension, etc.).

• Diagnose, identify, and resolve complex issues across all major vehicle systems using various diagnostic software and tools.

• As the team expands: mentor and develop junior technicians, provide day-to-day guidance, and sign off on repairs.

Build a Scalable Operation

• Track inventory and order replacement parts from OEMs and third-party distributors. Develop a sourcing strategy to keep parts needed for common repairs in stock.

• Direct end-to-end vehicle movement from intake to repair to prep and pickup.

• Monitor battery state-of-charge levels and keep them above the defined threshold for all vehicles on-site.

• Coordinate repairs with on-site (mobile) and off-site service vendors.

• Create Plug’s in-house reconditioning SOPs from the ground up and continuously update them with improvements discovered as the operation scales.

• Maintain a clean, safe, and organized workspace.

Serve as Plug’s Reconditioning Subject Matter Expert

• Support implementing remote diagnostics in the cash offer process.

• Serve as Plug’s in-house subject matter expert on reconditioning and technical vehicle issues to support products and programs across the company.

What You’ll Bring

• 3+ years of automotive technician experience, with hands-on diagnostic work required.

• Previous EV OEM experience (e.g., Tesla, Rivian, Lucid) strongly preferred. Powertrain (HV battery and drive unit) experience is a plus.

• Strong diagnostic instincts and experience with OEM and aftermarket software and scan tools.

• Ability to read wiring diagrams, service manuals, and technical knowledge bases.

• Experience owning a wide scope of work across various skill sets, from hands-on diagnostics, inspections, and repair to on-site operations and SOP development, until we expand the team.

• Comfortable working independently in an environment where you define your team’s processes from the ground up.

• Naturally curious, with a willingness to experiment with different ways to continuously improve and meet our aggressive turnaround-time goals.

• ASE certifications strongly preferred: A-series (A4-A8) plus L1 and/or L3 advanced, and L4 (ADAS).

• Valid driver’s license with a clean record.

Physical Requirements

• Stand and walk for extended periods.

• Lift up to 50 pounds.

• Bend, kneel, squat, and work underneath vehicles.

• Operate lifts, power tools, and diagnostic equipment.

• Comfortable working indoors and outdoors around moving vehicles and shop equipment.

• Safely drive and road-test vehicles.

Not sure you should apply? Do it.
Research consistently shows that people from under-represented groups are more likely to talk themselves out of applying if they don’t meet 100% of the listed requirements. You don’t need to check every box. If this role excites you and you bring most of what’s listed under “What You’ll Bring,” we want to hear from you.

Compensation and Benefits
Hourly Wage: $45 to $60

Wage ranges come from independent, third-party benchmarking against national compensation data. Where an offer falls within the range depends on relevant experience, specialized skills, training and qualifications, current business needs, and market conditions. We review ranges periodically and may adjust them as the market changes.

Benefits & Perks

• Health, Vision, and Dental insurance

• 401(k) plan

• Daily lunch stipend

• Equity (based on role and performance)

• PTO

• Ongoing opportunities for growth and development

This full-time position is in-person, based in Norwalk, CA. We will not provide relocation assistance to successful candidates. We do not offer sponsorship at this time.

Acknowledgments
Plug is an equal opportunity employer. We don’t discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, creed, national origin, ancestry, sex, gender, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, pregnancy, age, marital status, military or veteran status, physical or mental disability, medical condition, genetic information, or any other characteristic protected by law. Plug will consider qualified applicants with arrest and conviction records in accordance with the Los Angeles Fair Chance Initiative for Hiring and the California Fair Chance Act.