Fleet Tech in Charge – Senior Diesel Technician/Working Shop Lead

Location: Middle Island, NY
Pay: $39.70 per hour
Position Type: Full-Time

This Is a Hands-On Senior Technician Position

First Student is hiring an experienced Fleet Tech in Charge to serve as the working lead for our Middle Island maintenance shop.

This is not a desk-only management position, and it is not an entry-level technician role. The Fleet Tech in Charge works alongside the maintenance team, performs advanced diagnostics and repairs, handles the shop’s most difficult mechanical issues, and provides day-to-day direction to other technicians.

Candidates must have at least three years of professional or military automotive, diesel, commercial-fleet, or heavy-equipment repair experience. Candidates must also have previous experience serving as a lead technician, shop lead, foreperson, supervisor, or in a comparable role directing the work of other technicians.

Your application or résumé should clearly identify:

• Your total years of hands-on repair experience

• The types of vehicles and equipment you have maintained

• The mechanical and electrical systems you have diagnosed and repaired

• Any lead technician or supervisory responsibilities you have held

• Your current CDL and ASE certification status

What We Offer

• $39.70 per hour

• Comprehensive medical, dental, vision, prescription, and hospitalization coverage

• 401(k) enrollment

• Company-provided life insurance

• Paid sick time, vacation, and holidays

• Stable, full-time employment

• Ongoing technical training and professional development

• Opportunities to earn and maintain ASE certifications

What You Will Do

As the Fleet Tech in Charge, you will divide your time between advanced hands-on repair work and coordinating the daily activities of the maintenance shop.

Your responsibilities will include:

• Performing advanced diagnostics, maintenance, and repairs on school buses and other fleet vehicles

• Diagnosing complex engine, emissions, transmission, brake, hydraulic, HVAC, electrical, and vehicle-control system problems

• Working directly on vehicles in the shop and responding to roadside or emergency repair needs

• Road-testing vehicles when necessary to diagnose concerns or verify completed repairs

• Assigning repair work based on technician experience, shop priorities, and fleet-service needs

• Reviewing technicians’ progress, repair quality, productivity, and completed work orders

• Providing technical guidance and hands-on assistance when technicians encounter difficult repairs

• Conducting quality-control inspections and vehicle audits

• Ensuring repairs meet company standards and applicable federal and state safety requirements

• Conducting daily shop huddles and fleet-readiness walks

• Coaching, training, and developing technicians at multiple experience levels

• Helping address technician performance or corrective-action concerns in coordination with management and Human Resources

• Scheduling preventive maintenance and coordinating vehicle availability with dispatch and operations

• Reviewing repair orders, parts usage, labor hours, and maintenance records

• Monitoring inventory and helping ensure necessary parts, tools, and equipment are available

• Identifying repeat equipment failures, repair trends, and opportunities to improve fleet reliability

• Communicating shop status, vehicle availability, major repairs, and budget needs to location and maintenance leadership

• Assisting with hiring, employee evaluations, training recommendations, and other shop-lead responsibilities

• Performing other hands-on maintenance or shop duties as operational needs require

Minimum Qualifications

Candidates must have:

• At least three years of professional or military hands-on automotive, diesel, commercial-fleet, bus, truck, or heavy-equipment maintenance and repair experience

• Advanced experience diagnosing and repairing multiple vehicle systems, including engines, brakes, transmissions, emissions, electrical systems, hydraulics, HVAC, and related components

• At least one year of experience as a lead technician, shop lead, foreperson, maintenance supervisor, or in another role responsible for directing or reviewing technicians’ work

• A demonstrated ability to perform advanced repairs personally—not only assign or oversee work

• Experience planning and scheduling daily, weekly, and monthly fleet-maintenance activities

• A valid driver’s license and an acceptable driving record

• A current Class B CDL with passenger endorsement, or the ability and willingness to obtain the required CDL and endorsement within three months of hire

• The ability to meet New York State eligibility requirements to operate a school bus, including being at least 21 years of age

• Knowledge of safe shop practices and applicable DOT, OSHA, federal, state, and company requirements

• Experience using computerized diagnostic equipment, web-based maintenance systems, and standard computer applications

• The ability to document repairs, review work orders, and communicate shop priorities clearly

• The ability to provide technical direction, coaching, and constructive feedback to other technicians

• The ability to supply and maintain the personal mechanic tools required for the position

• The ability to lift at least 50 pounds

• The ability to work beneath vehicles and in crouched, kneeling, standing, or prone positions

• The ability to work in a maintenance-shop environment and under varying weather conditions

Preferred Qualifications

Preference may be given to candidates with:

• School bus, transit bus, truck, commercial-fleet, or heavy-equipment repair experience

• Experience working in a unionized maintenance environment

• Vocational or technical training in automotive or diesel technology

• Current ASE certifications

• ASE Master Technician status

• New York State vehicle-inspection certification

• Experience conducting DOT or quality-control inspections

• Experience managing shop inventory, repair expenses, outside vendors, or subcontracted repairs

• Relevant military vehicle-maintenance and leadership experience

CDL and Certification Requirements

The selected candidate must either possess the required Class B CDL with passenger endorsement at the time of hire or successfully obtain it within three months of hire.

The selected candidate must also participate in First Student’s applicable ASE testing and certification program and meet the certification expectations established for the position.

Work Environment

This position requires regular work around buses, mechanical equipment, tools, grease, dirt, fumes, noise, and changing weather conditions. The Fleet Tech in Charge is expected to remain physically involved in vehicle diagnostics and repairs while also providing daily leadership to the maintenance team.

Join First Student and bring your technical expertise and leadership experience to a role where you will remain close to the work, develop other technicians, and directly support the safety and reliability of our fleet.

First for a reason:

At First Student, we are a family of 60,000+ employees who take pride in safely transporting more than 5 million students and passengers to and from their destinations each day! Our family of brands include Transco, Total Transportation, Maggies Paratransit, and GVC II. Our employees are at the forefront of safety and innovation; they create and implement the most advanced training and technology the transportation industry has to offer.

In the state of Washington, all technician and driving positions, including but not limited to van drivers and any other position requiring employees to drive a company-owned vehicle, are considered safety-sensitive and are therefore subject to drug and alcohol testing, including cannabis.

All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability or veteran status. First is also committed to providing a drug-free workplace. First will consider for employment qualified applicants with criminal histories consistent with the requirements of the San Francisco Fair Chance Ordinance, Los Angeles Fair Chance Ordinance, and any other fair chance law. Philadelphia’s Fair Criminal Record Screening Standards Ordinance Poster is at this link or upon request https://www.phila.gov/media/20210423160847/Fair-Chance-Hiring-law-poster.pdf.