Automotive Mechanic
The Gates Chili Central School District is dedicated to fostering curiosity, growth, and diversity within our school community. The District celebrates and embraces differences and strives to dismantle exclusion, bias, racism, and prejudice of all forms.
Position: Automotive Mechanic
Purpose: This is a skilled mechanic position responsible for completing basic repairs to motor vehicles and equipment such as passenger vehicles, trucks (including vans, school buses, pickups, and environmental services equipment), grounds maintenance equipment (including tractors, lawn mowers, snow removal equipment) and tools and equipment for a town, village, school district, or county agency or department. As distinct from the higher-level position, Senior Automotive Mechanic, employees are initially restricted to minor overhauls not involving complete disassembly and assembly of the unit, with immediate exposure as an assistant to basic diesel engine concepts, vacuum and air brake concepts, and major hydraulic repair concepts. Employees may work under unpleasant working conditions, including extremes of heat, cold, fumes and odors, wet, damp and cramped working areas. Work is performed independently or with a repair team under limited supervision. The employee reports directly to, and works under the general supervision of, a Senior Automotive Mechanic or other higher level staff member for non-routine, difficult, or costly repair work. Lead supervision may be exercised over Laborers or other staff assigned to assist with workload. Does related work as required.
Essential Functions:
- Performs standard heavy equipment and automotive repairs to gasoline and/or diesel engines and hydraulic systems;
- Rewires electrical systems;
- Repairs electric motors, tools and equipment;
- Repairs and/or rebuilds subassemblies for all automotive systems, such as cooling, electrical, exhaust, steering and suspension, fuel systems, brakes and drive train;
- Performs preventive maintenance functions including lubrication, fluid checks, major and minor tune-ups and safety inspections of trucks, buses, automobiles, and other heavy equipment;
- Repairs mechanical parts on sweepers, loaders, salt spreaders, backhoes, and other public works equipment;
- Diagnoses automotive problems caused by mal-adjustments, worn, damaged, or defective parts, or improper lubrication;
- Checks for automotive problems using visual observation, tactile contact, road test, and manual or computerized shop testing equipment;
- Grinds valves and fits new bearings, pistons and rings;
- Determines correct parts needed in the repair of specific equipment;
- Performs New York State authorized inspections of road vehicles;
- Road tests equipment and motor vehicles;
- Operates machine shop equipment to make or repair parts for automotive equipment;
- Performs minor collision repair work and straightens and welds frames and fenders;
- Operates snow removal and road construction equipment.
Additional Duties:
Performs other related tasks as assigned by the Transportation Director and other Administrators as designated by the Superintendent.
Note: The above description is illustrative of tasks and responsibilities. It is not meant to be all inclusive of every task or responsibility.
Knowledge, Skills and Abilities:
- Good knowledge of the principles of heavy equipment mechanics including systems and parts operations, systems and parts interrelationships, systems and parts functions;
- good knowledge of the methods and practices involved in repairs to heavy equipment; good knowledge of shop equipment, tools, parts, and their potential use;
- working knowledge of the mechanical operation and terminology of trucks and other heavy equipment;
- working knowledge of New York State Department of Transportation rules and regulations governing the repair and maintenance of school buses;
- working knowledge of computerized and manual machine shop equipment and its use;
- ability to read automotive manuals, schematics and work orders;
- ability to follow oral and written instructions;
- ability to repair diesel gasoline engines and rebuild subassemblies;
- ability to select and properly use shop tools and equipment in a safe and efficient manner;
- ability to diagnose minor problems of all systems;
- ability to inspect a road vehicle in accordance with mandated safety standards;
- ability to operate and road test a motor vehicle;
- ability to establish and maintain professional working relationships;
- ability to provide lead supervision when required;
- manual dexterity;
- mechanical aptitude;
- willingness to work in cramped, cold quarters with fumes;
- physical condition commensurate with the demands of the position.
Civil Service Requirements:
Graduation from high school or possession of an equivalency diploma, plus EITHER:
(A) Graduation from a regionally accredited or New York State registered college or university with an Associate's or Bachelor's degree in Automotive Mechanics, Automotive Technology, Apprentice Training-Automotive, Automotive and Diesel Technology, Automotive/Diesel and Industrial Technology, or a closely related field; OR,
(B) Possession of a Certificate from a technical institute, or regionally accredited or New York State registered college or university in one of the fields mentioned in (A) above; OR,
(C) Two (2) years paid full-time or its part-time equivalent experience as a journeyman-level* automotive mechanic; OR,
(D) Five (5) years paid full-time or its part-time equivalent experience as an automotive mechanic or heavy equipment mechanic under the supervision of a journeyman-level mechanic; OR,
(E) An equivalent combination of education and experience as defined by the limits of (A), (B), (C) and (D) above.
*Journeyman-level experience refers to skilled mechanical work which involves maintenance, repair, and rebuilding of all systems: brakes, suspension, cooling, exhaust, electrical, transmission, and engine of vehicle equipment.
Where education is below the minimum specified, additional experience may be substituted on a year-for-year basis.
Special Requirements:
Depending on assignment, possession of a valid New York State Class D driver’s license or Class B Commercial Driver’s License (CDL) may be required.
Depending on assignment, possession of a valid New York State Inspector's license may be required
Qualifications Profile:
Experience: Experience working with a diverse population of students desired.
Demands, Hazards: Works in standard office and school building environments.
Equipment: Uses standard office equipment such as personal computers, laptops, printers, copy and fax machines, and telephone.
Travel: Travels to school distric