Mechanic

Upcoming Salary Increases:

3% effective July 2024

3% effective July 2025

DEFINITION

Under general supervision, performs semi-skilled to skilled mechanical maintenance and repair work related to City vehicles and equipment, including police, utility, and street maintenance equipment; performs welding and fabrication work as necessary; and performs related work as required.

SUPERVISION RECEIVED AND EXERCISED

Receives general supervision from the Garage Superintendent. Exercises no direct supervision over staff.

CLASS CHARACTERISTICS

This is a journey-level class that performs the full range of preventive maintenance, troubleshooting, service, and repair activities on a wide range of light to heavy City vehicles, police vehicles and equipment, and construction and maintenance equipment required to ensure that all vehicles and equipment are maintained in a safe and effective working condition and provide the highest level of safety for City use. Responsibilities include inspecting and attending to assigned areas in a timely manner, and performing a wide variety of tasks in the maintenance and repair of assigned vehicles and equipment. Incumbents are expected to work independently and exercise judgment and initiative. Positions at this level receive only occasional instruction or assistance as new or unusual situations arise and are fully aware of the operating procedures and policies of the work unit. This class is distinguished from other public works maintenance class series in that it performs more highly skilled technical and mechanical maintenance activities. This class is further distinguished from the Garage Superintendent in that the latter has management responsibility for the department and may also perform the more complex and difficult maintenance and/or repair work.

EXAMPLES OF TYPICAL JOB FUNCTIONS (Illustrative Only)

Management reserves the right to add, modify, change, or rescind the work assignments of different positions and to make reasonable accommodations so that qualified employees can perform the essential functions of the job.

• Inspects, diagnoses, and locates mechanical difficulties on City automobiles, trucks, motorcycles, and a variety of diesel, gasoline, electric, 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.

• Responds to hazardous material incidents and other spills involving city roadways; assesses clean-up needed. Personally performs clean-up when appropriate or calls outside providers as necessary.

• May assist the police department by inspecting vehicles involved in accidents or crimes to determine whether vehicle was in unsafe operating condition.

• Ensures that all vehicles and equipment are in safe and operational condition; makes road emergency vehicle and equipment repairs to all City owned rolling stock.

• 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.

• Develops and directs a regular inspection schedule of equipment and machinery; troubleshoots electrical and mechanical problems in vehicles and equipment.

• Performs electric and oxy-acetylene welding in the fabrication 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 performance of complex or emergency duties as necessary.

• Reads and interprets technical manuals and blueprints to facilitate installation, servicing, repair, and replacement services and activities.

• Observes safe work methods and makes appropriate use of related safety equipment as required.

• Maintains public facilities, shop and garage areas, fuel island, 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.

• Performs other duties as assigned.

QUALIFICATIONS

Knowledge of:

• Principles, practices, methods, equipment, materials, and tools used in maintenance and repair of automobiles, and heavy-duty on and off-road machinery.

• Applicable Federal, State, and local laws, regulatory codes, ordinances, and procedures relevant to assigned area of responsibility.

• Methods, materials, equipment, and tools used in routine welding and fabrication work.

• Occupational hazards and safety equipment and practices related to the work.

• Operating and repair characteristics of a wide variety of City-owned equipment.

• Methods and procedures of various welding methods:  electric-arc, oxy-acetylene, MIG and TIG.

• Principles and practices of fuel delivery systems including gas, diesel, and CNG.

• 12 and 24-volt electrical systems.

• Principles and procedures of record-keeping and reporting.

• Safe driving rules and practices.

• Basic computer software related to work.

• English usage, spelling, vocabulary, grammar, and punctuation.

• Techniques for providing a high level of customer service by effectively dealing with the public, vendors, contractors, and City staff.

Ability to:

• 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.

• Maintain accurate logs, records, and basic written records of work performed.

• Perform skilled electrical, welding, and mechanical maintenance, repair, and installation work.

• Independently perform the most difficult equipment mechanical repair work.

• Operate a variety of automotive, truck, and heavy equipment and testing equipment in a safe and effective manner.

• 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.

• Accurately determine project material needs and recommend purchases.

• Read, interpret, and apply a wide variety of technical information from manuals, drawings, specifications, layouts, and hydraulic and electrical schematics and fabrication blueprints.

• Understand and follow oral and written instructions.

• Make accurate arithmetic calculations.

• Organize own work, set priorities, and meet critical time deadlines.

• Use English effectively to communicate in person, over the telephone, and in writing.

• Use tact, initiative, prudence, and independent judgment within general policy, procedural, and legal guidelines.

• Establish, maintain, and foster positive and effective working relationships with those contacted in the course of work.

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:

Equivalent to the completion of the twelfth (12th) grade supplemented by specialized training in the maintenance and repair of gasoline and diesel-powered equipment and two (2) years of increasingly responsible experience in automotive and power equipment repair.

Licenses and Certifications:

• Possession of, or ability to obtain, a valid California Driver's License by time of appointment.

PHYSICAL DEMANDS

Must possess mobility to work in and around a standard shop setting, to operate a motor vehicle and drive on surface streets; strength, stamina, and mobility to perform light to medium physical work, to work in confined spaces and around machines, to climb and descend ladders, and to operate varied hand and power tools, equipment, and machinery; vision to read printed materials and a computer screen; and hearing and speech to communicate in person and over the telephone or radio.  The job involves fieldwork requiring frequent walking in operational areas to identify problems or hazards and clean up hazards.  Finger dexterity is needed to access, enter, and retrieve data using a computer keyboard or calculator and to operate above-mentioned tools and equipment.  Positions in this classification bend, stoop, kneel, reach, and climb to perform work and inspect work sites.  Employees must possess the ability to lift, carry, push, and pull materials and objects weighing up to 100 pounds, or heavier weights with the use of proper equipment.

ENVIRONMENTAL ELEMENTS

Employees primarily work in the centralized maintenance shop and occasionally in the field and are exposed to loud noise levels, vibration, confining workspace, 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 when trying to diagnose and/or resolve an equipment related problem.

WORKING CONDITIONS

May be required to be on-call and to work various shifts or emergencies on evenings, weekends, and holidays.