Refuse Fleet Technician

About the role

The Refuse Fleet Technician (Maintenance Mechanic) is responsible for diagnosing, repairing, and maintaining a specialized fleet of heavy-duty trucks and equipment, including rear-loaders, side-loaders, roll-off trucks, and transfer station equipment. This role requires expertise in diesel engines, hydraulic systems, and vehicle electronics, with a strong focus on safety and compliance.

Responsibilities

• Diagnose and Repair: Perform diagnostic tests and repairs on mechanical, hydraulic, pneumatic, and electrical systems in solid waste vehicles and heavy equipment.
• Preventive Maintenance: Conduct routine inspections, oil and filter changes, brake adjustments, and other services to ensure vehicles operate safely and reliably.
• Troubleshoot Complex Systems: Use diagnostic tools and software to identify and fix issues with engines, transmissions, lift mechanisms, packer bodies, and compaction systems.
• Conduct Inspections and Road Calls: Perform Department of Transportation (DOT) inspections and respond to emergency service calls for breakdowns in the field.
• Maintain and Repair Components: Work on specific vehicle parts, including axles, suspensions, steering, brakes, and air conditioning systems.
• Fabricate and Weld: Use welding equipment for repairs and to fabricate or modify parts as needed.
• Document: Lynchburg City utilizes a software program called FASTER to maintain detailed records of all repair and maintenance activities, parts used, and hours spent. This is a workorder system that tracks your working hours on a vehicle, and this is where you will do parts requests and work orders on the work that you are doing.
• Adhere to Safety Standards: Follow all safety protocols and procedures related to the job and the use of personal protective equipment (PPE).

Requirements

• Experience: Proven experience as a diesel or heavy truck mechanic, preferably with prior experience in the waste management industry.
• Technical Knowledge: Strong understanding of the methods, materials, tools, and techniques used in repairing heavy-duty diesel and gasoline equipment.
• Diagnostic Proficiency: The ability to use computerized diagnostic equipment and interpret electrical and hydraulic schematics.
• Certifications: While not always required, ASE certifications (especially T1-T8 for trucks) are often preferred.
• Licenses: A high school diploma or vocational school equivalent is required, along with a valid driver's license. "B" Commercial Driver's License (CDL) is required within the first 12 months of your employment (paid for by the City).

Qualifications

• Physical Ability: The capacity to lift heavy objects (up to 100 - pounds), stand for extended periods, and work in confined or awkward spaces.
• Work Environment: The work is typically performed in a maintenance shop or garage, but field repairs and road calls are also common. Mechanics are often exposed to a variety of environmental factors and hazards, including engine fumes, trash odors, chemicals, weather extremes, noise, and moving mechanical parts.

Skills

• Strong communication skills to interact with internal customers, including operators of the equipment you are working on, in-house and outside vendors for parts.
• Experience with parts request and work order software systems.

Benefits

The City offers an array of benefits combined with direct salary/wages in order to establish a total compensation package that supports the City's goals of attracting, rewarding, and retaining employees who are both representatives of the community and are also able to deliver exceptional services. Employees in full-time positions are eligible for the following benefits:

• Medical, dental, and vision coverage
• Retirement through the Virginia Retirement System (VRS); the City’s contribution is based on a rate determined bi-annually by the VRS Board and employees pay 5% of base pay (pre-tax) towards their VRS benefit
• Life insurance at no cost to the employee
• Optional benefits such as 457 deferred compensation, Roth IRA, flexible spending accounts, etc.
• Eligibility for parental leave and tuition assistance
• Paid Time Off

Pay

The pay listed is the minimum starting rate; your rate may be higher based on qualifications.

Schedule

The working hours for this position are Monday through Friday 8:00 am to 5:00 pm. At times, this position will require mandatory overtime.

Additional Information

This position requires you to interact with internal customers for example your operators of the equipment you are working on, inhouse and outside vendors for parts. Please describe your experience with interacting with customers and vendors.

This position requires you to work with a parts request and work order software. Please describe your experience with any work order/parts software system.

The working hours for this position are Monday through Friday 8:00 am to 5:00 pm. At times, this position will require mandatory overtime.

Are you willing to work this schedule?