Transit Lead Mechanic

Salary : $126,900.80 Annually

Location : Multiple locations in King County, WA

Job Type : Multiple job types-career service and / or temp

Job Number : 2025RSJ23490

Department : MTD - Metro Transit

Division : Vehicle Maintenance

Opening Date : 02 / 05 / 2025

Closing Date : 2 / 24 / 2025 11 : 59 PM Pacific

FLSA : Non-Exempt

Bargaining Unit : J2 : ATU L587-Transit

Full- or Part-Time : Full Time

Summary

• This position is open to current King County Metro Transit Mechanics that have been in their Metro mechanic position for at least two years at the time this recruitment closes. All other applicants will be screened out of the recruitment process.

Testing for this recruitment will take place on March 4, 2025 at East Base. See the testing section in this posting for further details.

The Vehicle Maintenance mechanic team has multiple promotional opportunities for the Transit Mechanic - Lead role.

This position requires the incumbent be introspective regarding how they are perceived by their peers and colleagues. Are you someone your teammates seek out when they need to troubleshoot? Are you someone with the work ethic and position knowledge that your teammates respect? Are you interested in making a difference in King County Metro's path forward? If so, keep reading.

A lead position is the final step in the mechanic classification and the person working in this role serves as a working lead- the lead continues to perform the duties of the classification in addition to the specific lead duties. The lead role is seen as an entry position to leadership roles at King County Metro (KCM). The person accepting a lead position should be interested in the opportunity to learn and grow into the skill set required for KCM leadership staff. We are seeking new lead mechanics that understand, support, and exemplify the values of KCM; staff that will call out areas where improvement is needed while presenting thoughtful solutions for consideration.

The lead position requires that the incumbent can recognize strengths within their team while also being transparent regarding areas of growth that are necessary. The lead should have the ability to clearly communicate expectations while maintaining a positive environment where all employees know they are respected, they are valued, and they work in an environment they want to show up to. This position requires the skill to present areas of weakness to a team member with empathy and a teaching mindset. The lead role can be challenging in that the lead is responsible for coordinating the work of staff in the classification while providing guidance without disciplinary responsibilities; this requires the ability to nurture an environment of mutual respect.

Does the thought of leading a team to become excellent in reputation and quality of their work excite you? Do you have a passion to see Metro be the absolute best public transportation system in the nation? If after thoughtful consideration you find yourself answering, "Yes!" to the questions put forth, you are strongly encouraged to apply for this position!

An application for this position requires completion of the personal demographic information within the application and answering of the supplemental questions. (No employment history information is required.)

Safety Sensitive Position

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.

Job Duties

Applying equity and social justice principles is a daily responsibility and a foundational expectation for all King County employees. You will apply equity and social justice principles that exemplify shared values, behaviors, and practices to all aspects of the work. In addition to performing the full range of responsibilities of the Transit Mechanic classification, as the Transit Lead Mechanic you will :

Experience, Qualifications, Knowledge, Skills

Minimum Qualifications

Per the ATU 587 and KC labor agreement : Qualified candidates must be current Metro Transit Mechanics with a minimum of two years of service experience in the classification as of the closing date of this posting.

In addition, successful candidates will also have :

Required competencies - successful Lead Mechanics are skilled in the following competencies :

Necessary Special Requirements :

Supplemental Information

Who May Apply This position is open to King County Transit Mechanic employees who have completed at least two years of current, full-time service in the position.

Application and Selection Process

An online employment application and completion of the supplemental questionnaire is required.

The selection process for this recruitment will have three (3) parts :

Part I : Written Exam - A written exam will be given to all applicants who meet the minimum qualifications for this recruitment. This exam has been developed with the assistance of current Vehicle Maintenance Transit Superintendents, Chiefs, Lead Mechanics, Fleet Maintenance Analysts, and the Union. It will include, but not be limited to a multiple-choice exam covering some or all of the following :

This will be a 60-minute closed book exam. Valuable resources for test preparation studying are listed and linked below. Please check with your Chief or Lead, as needed, to assist you in gaining access to these materials.

Lead Mechanic Reference Guide

Part II : Panel Interview - The candidates with the top 14 test scores will be invited to participate in a panel interview; union seniority will be used as the tie breaker if needed. A final round interview with the section manager may also be conducted at Transit management's discretion.

Part III : Candidates will be offered positions and / or placed on an eligibility list based on their recruitment scoring; again, union seniority will be used as the tie breaker if needed. Not all candidates who interview will be offered placements. Final placement numbers will be available at interview.

Final offers of employment are contingent upon satisfactory record review and an acceptable driving record.

Vacancy Information

This recruitment will be used to fill multiple immediate career service positions available at completion of interviews. The recruitment may be used to establish a list of eligible candidates to fill future vacancies in the same classification. Any list developed may be used until exhausted or at the discretion of the hiring authority.

Work Schedule

Employees in this non-exempt classification work a 40 hour per week schedule with two consecutive days off, but not necessarily Saturday and Sunday. Work schedules and locations are based on a seniority system, which is scheduled to occur once a year.

The Vehicle Maintenance section operates three shifts (day, swing, and graveyard) seven days a week at various locations throughout King County. Openings may occur on all shifts. Graveyard and / or swing shift vacancies will be the most likely openings.

Union Representation

This position will be represented by Local 587, Amalgamated Transit Union.

Classification Code : 8442200

For more information regarding this recruitment, please contact :

Calvin Chon (he / him)

Vehicle Maintenance HR Team

Forbes recently named King County one of Washington State's best employers.

Together, with leadership and our employees, we're changing the way government delivers service and winning national recognition as a model of excellence. Are you ready to make a difference? Come join the team dedicated to serving one of the nation's best places to live, work and play.

Guided by our "True North" , we are making King County a welcoming community where every person can thrive. We value diversity, inclusion and belonging in our workplace and workforce. To reach this goal we are committed to workforce equity. Equitable recruiting, support and retention is how we will obtain the highest quality workforce in our region; a workforce that shares and will help advance our guiding principles- we are one team; we lead the way; and we are responsible stewards. We encourage people of all backgrounds and identities to apply, including Native American and people of color, immigrants, refugees, women, LGBTQ , people living with disabilities, and veterans.

King County is an Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) Employer

No person is unlawfully excluded from employment opportunities based on race, color, religion, national origin, sex (including gender identity, sexual orientation, and pregnancy), age, genetic information, disability, veteran status, or other protected class. Our EEO policy applies to all employment actions, including but not limited to recruitment, hiring, selection for training, promotion, transfer, demotion, layoff, termination, rates of pay or other forms of compensation.

To Apply

If you are interested in pursuing this position, please follow the application instructions carefully. If you need this announcement in an alternate language or format, would like to request accommodation or assistance in the application process, or if you have questions, please contact Calvin Chon via email at

King County offers a highly-competitive compensation and benefits package designed to meet the diverse needs of our employees and support our employees' health and well-being. Eligible positions receive the following benefits and have access to the following programs :

For additional information about employee benefits, visit our

This is a general description of the benefits offered to eligible King County employees, and every effort has been made to ensure its accuracy. If any information on this document conflicts with the provisions of a collective bargaining agreement (CBA), the CBA prevails.

NOTE : Benefits for Term Limited Temporary (TLT) or Short Term Temporary (STT) positions, including leave eligibility and / or participation in the pension plan through the Washington State Department of Retirement Systems, will vary based upon the terms and details of the position. Short Term Temporary positions are not eligible for an ORCA transit pass.

For inquiries about the specifics of this position, please contact the recruiter identified on this job posting.

This position is open only to current Metro / King County Vehicle Maintenance Transit Mechanic employees who have completed at least two years of current, full time Transit Mechanic employment. Do you meet this requirement?

Enter your PeopleSoft ID number or enter "N / A".

Please list your current King County Metro Vehicle Maintenance supervisor. If not a current VM employee, list "N / A"

Have you had a license in another state besides Washington in the last five years?

If you indicated above that you have had a license in a state other than Washington in the last five years, list the state(s) and the years you had the license(s). If none, write "N / A"

Has your license been revoked or suspended in the last five years?

If your license has been suspended in the last five years, please indicate how many times it has been suspended, regardless of reason.

If your license has been suspended in the last five years, please indicate the reason(s) below. Check all that apply.

Do you have any of the following violations on your driving record in the last five years? Select all that apply. (Your full five-year driving abstract will be evaluated as part of this recruitment process.)

Do you have any of the following violations, considered serious traffic violations by the Washington Administrative Code, on your driving record in the last TWELVE months? Select all that apply.

How many at-fault accidents have you had in the last five years?

Have you tested positive, or refused to test, on any pre-employment drug or alcohol test administered by an employer to which you applied, but did not get hired, for safety-sensitive transportation work covered by the Department of Transportation drug and alcohol testing rules during the past two years?

If you answered "Yes" to the previous question, for which employer and when? If not, please answer "N / A".

If you have a disability as defined by the Americans with Disabilities Act, will you need accommodation in the testing process? If you check the "YES" box, the human resources staff person coordinating this recruitment will send you a request asking for additional information. (This confidential information is solicited for the purposes of providing reasonable accommodation only.)

Required Question

Salary : $126,901