Transit VM Mechanic Apprentice, 4-Year - CS

Transit Mechanic Apprentice

This recruitment is open to all King County Metro employees to apply except current Metro employees in the Journey Level Transit Mechanic job classification.

We've got an outstanding team of Transit Mechanics - come help us be even better! Bring your safe work practice, your collaborative work style, your desire to work in a diverse work environment, and your excitement to make a difference to Metro!

Come be part of an award-winning and forward-thinking organization. Expand your skills while you work in a large mass transit environment.

As an Apprentice Mechanic, you will assist in the maintenance of all coaches and associated equipment. As they gain more knowledge and experience, employees perform increasingly more responsible coach and component repair duties under the close supervision of experienced mechanics. Successful candidates will be expected to participate in training classes related to this trade and will be considered in training status until they attain Journey Level status as a mechanic.

As a mobility agency, we move hundreds of thousands of people in our region every day, helping them get to their destination. We know that mobility connects people to opportunity — and that destination is sometimes more than an actual place. It may be a new job, a better education, a critical medical appointment, or a chance to start over.

The Mission of Vehicle Maintenance is to provide customers safe, dependable, clean transportation in a timely, cost effective, environmentally sensitive manner, with a workforce that values teamwork, communication, and diversity. By providing safe, reliable, and equitable public transportation services, we can—and will—improve regional mobility and quality of life in King County.

The Vehicle Maintenance section operates a twenty-four-hour shop with three shifts (day, swing, and graveyard) seven days a week at various locations throughout King County. Openings may occur on all shifts. Staff pick their work two times annually, and new hires must be able to accept any shift at any location.

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.

Applying equity and social justice principles is a daily responsibility and a foundational expectation for all King County employees. In this role you will apply equity and social justice principles that exemplify shared values, behaviors, and practices to all aspects of the work.

Under the general supervision of qualified mechanics, lead mechanics and higher-level vehicle maintenance supervisors, as the Apprentice Mechanic, you will:

• Gain experience as a Transit Mechanic and be assigned increasingly responsible work while working more independently in areas where you have demonstrated skill, as you learn all aspects of coach maintenance and repair.
• Learn and perform maintenance, repair and overhaul of engine, transmission, suspension, electrical, pneumatic, hydraulic, and related components, and assemblies.
• Assist mechanics in diagnosis, disassembly, repair, and reassembling of engines, transmissions, differentials, brakes, heads, injectors, and other mechanical equipment.
• Work in specialty areas at the Component Supply Center (CSC) to learn to rebuild components in each of the bus systems and other skills.
• Operate a variety of power and hand tools.
• Operate gas, diesel, and electric-powered vehicles.
• Input and extract diagnostic data using a computer terminal.
• Work requires incumbents to learn and transfer new and expanded mechanical, electrical, and electronic knowledge and skills as diagnostic systems and mechanical/electronic components are modified and updated.
• Timely completion of, and passing, all related supplementary training classes, seminars, courses, and examinations, deemed necessary for the apprenticeship program.
• Work requires compliance with all applicable federally mandated safety-sensitive requirements.
• Perform other related duties as required.

At a minimum, to qualify for this position you will need:

• Basic knowledge of automotive mechanics and components of gasoline and diesel-powered engines.
• Basic knowledge of the diagnostic tools, methods, and equipment use, in automotive and equipment repairs.
• Communication skills*Customer service skills.
• Interpersonal skills.
• Basic computer skills required to enter and extract information from automated vehicle maintenance systems and related software applications.
• Skill in the use of hand and power tools used in automotive mechanics.
• Skill in basic mathematics.
• Skill in working with a variety of individuals from diverse backgrounds.
• Skill in establishing and maintaining effective working relationships.

Necessary Special Requirements:

• Must have a valid Washington State Driver License and acceptable five-year driving record at time of hire.
• Must pass drug and alcohol testing provision for safety-sensitive positions as required by the U.S. Department of Transportation, 49 CFR Parts 40 and 655.
• Must pass post-offer, pre-employment physical examination.
• Willingness and availability to work on weekdays, nights, weekends, and holidays during the term of the apprenticeship and upon completion of the program.
• Within six months of hire, a candidate must be able to obtain a Class B Commercial Driver License (CDL) with a passenger endorsement, and with the air brake restriction removed. All candidates without a current CDL must have a Class B Commercial Learner's Permit (CLP), with correct endorsement and restriction removed, prior to receiving a formal offer. After hire, King County Metro Transit will provide you with paid training, on our equipment, so that you can obtain the required Class B CDL.