Heavy Equipment Mechanic

Job Title

Under general supervision, performs semi-skilled to skilled mechanical maintenance and repair work related to City light and heavy vehicles and equipment; uses diagnostic equipment to inspect and locate mechanical difficulties; ensures that all vehicles and equipment are in safe and operational condition and performs related work as required.

Essential Functions / Knowledge, Skills, & Abilities

Examples of typical job functions (illustrative only):

• Performs skilled journey level mechanical maintenance and repair of light and heavy gasoline-powered automotive equipment, diesel-powered automotive equipment, and other mechanical equipment.
• Inspects, diagnoses, and locates mechanical difficulties on City automobiles, trucks, and a variety of diesel, gasoline, electric, and natural gas-powered maintenance and construction equipment.
• Overhauls, repairs, and adjusts engines, transmissions, differentials, and clutches; tunes up engines; diagnoses fuel injection problems; replaces ignition parts; cleans and adjusts carburetors.
• Replaces or repairs faulty parts including wheel bearings, clutches, oil seals, shock absorbers, exhaust systems, steering mechanisms, and related parts and equipment on City vehicles and off-road equipment.
• Inspects, diagnoses, and locates mechanical difficulties on dump trucks and construction equipment.
• Ensures that all vehicles and equipment are in safe and operational condition; makes road emergency vehicle and equipment repairs to all City owned vehicles and equipment.
• Provides technical information for equipment and vehicle bid specifications; provides bid specifications for tools and equipment.
• Diagnoses mechanical, electronic, gas, diesel, or compressed natural gas (CNG) fuel systems.
• Tests and repairs starters, alternators, and generators; recharges or replaces batteries; diagnoses and makes minor repairs on air conditioning systems and equipment.
• Performs light welding in the fabricating and repair of equipment, structures, tools, and other related parts; designs, lays out, and fabricates equipment parts; rebuilds broken equipment and parts as necessary.
• Performs safety and preventive maintenance tasks on vehicles, equipment, and machinery.
• Assists other maintenance and mechanical personnel in the field on emergency repairs or breakdowns.
• Reads and interprets technical manuals and blueprints to facilitate installation, servicing, repair, and replacement services and activities.
• Maintains public facilities, shop and garage areas, storage sites, and other work areas in a clean and orderly condition, including securing equipment and tools at the close of the workday.
• Maintains accurate manual and computerized logs and records of work performed and materials and equipment used; prepares reports as required.
• Observes and complies with City and mandated safety rules, regulations and protocols.
• Performs other duties as assigned.

Knowledge of:

• Principles, practices, methods, equipment, materials, and tools used in overhaul repairs including a wide variety of light and heavy automotive and power equipment.
• Operating principles of gasoline, diesel and natural gas engines and mechanical repair of light and heavy-duty trucks and construction equipment.
• Operational characteristics of electrical and electronic components used in modern vehicles and equipment.
• Methods and techniques of using diagnostic equipment to evaluate maintenance needs in a diverse range of vehicles and equipment.
• Methods, materials, equipment, and tools used in routine welding and fabrication work.
• Occupational hazards and safety equipment and practices related to the work.
• Principles and procedures of record-keeping and reporting.
• Techniques for providing a high level of customer service by effectively dealing with the public, vendors, contractors, and City staff.
• The structure and content of the English language, including the meaning and spelling of words, rules of composition, and grammar.
• Modern equipment and communication tools used for business functions and program, project, and task coordination, including computers and software programs relevant to work performed.

Ability to:

• Inspect, locate, correct or adjust malfunctions or defects in complex repairs needed for all systems in diverse range of vehicles and equipment.
• Troubleshoot and determine appropriate action in the maintenance and repair of automobiles, trucks, and a variety of diesel gasoline, electric, and natural gas-powered maintenance and construction equipment.
• Use a diverse range of diagnostic tools to identify maintenance needs.
• Operate a variety of automotive, truck, and heavy equipment and testing equipment in a safe and effective manner.
• Maintain accurate logs, records, and basic written records of work performed.
• Understand and follow oral and written instructions.
• Make accurate arithmetic calculations.
• Read, interpret, and apply a wide variety of technical information from manuals, drawings, specifications, layouts, blueprints, and schematics.
• Safely and effectively use and operate hand tools, mechanical equipment, power tools and lighting.
• Maintain tools and equipment in a clean working condition providing for proper security.
• Effectively use computer systems, software applications relevant to work performed, and modern business equipment to perform a variety of work tasks.
• Communicate clearly and concisely, both orally and in writing, using appropriate English grammar and syntax.
• Establish, maintain, and foster positive and effective working relationships with those contacted in the course of work.

Minimum Qualifications

Education and Experience: Any combination of training and experience that would provide the required knowledge, skills and abilities is qualifying. A typical way to obtain the required qualifications would be: Education: Equivalent to completion of the twelfth (12th) grade supplemented by vocational training in vehicle maintenance and repair. Experience: Three (3) years of experience in automotive and power equipment repair and maintenance. Licenses and Certifications: Possession of valid Class A California Driver's License with tanker endorsement, to be maintained throughout employment.

Additional Information

Physical demands: Must possess mobility to work in a maintenance shop; strength, stamina, and mobility to perform medium to heavy physical work; to sit, stand, and walk on level, uneven, or slippery surfaces; frequently reach, twist, turn, kneel, bend, stoop, squat, crouch, grasp and make repetitive hand movement in the performance of daily duties; to operate varied hand and power tools and construction equipment, and to operate a motor vehicle and visit various City sites; and vision to inspect and operate equipment. The job involves maintenance shop and some fieldwork requiring frequent walking in operational areas to identify problems or hazards. Finger dexterity is needed to operate and repair tools and equipment. Employees must possess the ability to lift, carry, push, and pull materials and objects averaging a weight of 50 pounds or heavier weights, in all cases with the use of proper equipment and/or assistance from other staff. Employees must wear and use the proper Personal Protective Equipment (PPE). Environmental conditions: Employees primarily work in a maintenance shop and occasionally in the field and are exposed to loud noise levels, vibration, chemicals, dust, paint fumes, mechanical and electrical hazards, grease, oils, solvents, machinery with extremely hot surfaces and moving parts, moving objects or other vehicles, as well as cold and hot temperatures, inclement weather conditions, and road hazards. Employees may interact with upset staff and/or public and private representatives in interpreting and enforcing departmental policies and procedures. E-Verify: The City of El Monte is an E-Verify employer. E-Verify is an Internet based system operated by the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) in partnership with the Social Security Administration (SSA) that allows participating employers to electronically verify the employment eligibility of newly hired employees in the United States.