Fleet Technician I, II, III

Nature of Work

Join a team that keeps the City of Bellingham moving forward every day! As a Fleet Technician, you'll handle diagnostics, maintenance, and repairs on a variety of fleet vehicles, including emergency response vehicles, heavy equipment, and electric vehicles. This your opportunity to make an impact, grow your skills, and be part of a crew that takes pride in keeping the city in motion.

The Fleet Technician I, II, III series performs progressively responsible, multi-discipline, diagnostic, maintenance and repair of City of Bellingham Fleet vehicles and equipment. Responsible for administrative reporting and customer service activities. Participates in quality assurance activities and vehicle make ready installations. May be called out for emergency work. Attention to safety, protection of personnel and equipment is essential to work.

WHY JOIN OUR TEAM?

Joining the City of Bellingham means becoming a part of a team that believes our greatest impact comes from working together with purpose, humility and a shared commitment to our community. Every employee contributes to delivering meaningful results for the people who live, work and visit here. We value people who approach challenges with curiosity, respect and collaboration. If you are motivated by building a career in public service, we encourage you to apply.

Salary And Benefits

Placement into the Fleet Technician Series is based on the required experience and training requirements.

Hourly Rates

The 2026 starting hourly rate is at Step 1. The full salary ranges for each position are:

• Hourly Rates:
• Fleet Technician I: Starting hourly rate is at Step 1 ($33.59/hour) for full time positions. The full salary range for this position is $33.59/hour- $43.83/hour.
• Fleet Technician II: Starting hourly rate is at Step 1 ($35.61/hour) for full time positions. The full salary range for this position is $35.61/hour- $46.46/hour.
• Fleet Technician III: Starting hourly rate is at Step 1 ($37.75/hour) for full time positions. The full salary range for this position is $37.75/hour- $49.24/hour.
  

An individual in this position will move through the series in non-competitive promotions upon completion of the requirements and certifications at each level.

Employees receive step increases annually in accordance with the Guild of Pacific Northwest Employees, Local 1937 Collective Bargaining Agreement and City policy. For internal candidates, placement within the range is based on City Pay Placement Procedures.

At the City of Bellingham, we offer a comprehensive benefits package that helps you thrive in both your career and personal life. Join our team and enjoy the peace of mind knowing that you and your loved ones are well cared for. Here’s a closer look at the outstanding benefits that come with being part of our team. You can find more details on our employment benefits page and labor agreements page.

• 10 hours of vacation leave per month, with increased accrual over time
• 12 paid holidays + 1 floating holiday per year
• 8 hours sick leave accrued monthly
• Medical, dental, and vision insurance for employees and their families
• Life insurance and long-term disability coverage.
• Flexible spending accounts and medical insurance opt-out program
• Access to an Employee Assistance Program (EAP)
• Washington State Retirement plan (DRS) for retirement security
• Optional 457 deferred compensation (Retirement Savings Plan) with employer match

Leave accruals are based on 1.0 FTE, accruals are pro-rated if part-time and require employees to be in paid status at least 120 hours/month.

Closing Date/Time: Fri., August 7, 2026 at 4:30 PM Pacific Time

Essential Functions Of The Job

• Performs progressively responsible preventative, corrective, rebuild, inspection, diagnostic, fabrication and special project maintenance for City of Bellingham Fleet vehicles and equipment including police, fire, emergency service vehicles, automobiles, trucks, utility equipment, park equipment, small motors and transit vehicles.
• Troubleshoots, diagnoses, adjusts, repairs, rebuilds, or installs components on a variety of vehicles and equipment requiring skilled maintenance and safe work methods.
• Performs skilled automotive or heavy-duty or specialized equipment diagnostics, electrical, and repair functions for electronic systems or engine, transmission, differential, air systems, and hydraulic systems.
• Performs customer service tasks such as ongoing communications with customer staff, operators, and vendors; promptly responds to telephone calls and completes notification forms. Participates in planning and contributes to team quality assurance problem solving efforts.
• Performs general maintenance related functions such as: lubricating vehicle/equipment, installing batteries, detailing vehicles, doing cleanup, or assisting the Fleet Services Specialist in identifying and performing make ready/make sale functions.
• Operates mechanical tools, shop computers, and other equipment such as: hoists, jacks, tire changers, power & hand tools, diagnostic instruments, and other specialized automotive tools while observing safe working practices and procedures.
• Receives training in a variety of maintenance and repair tasks, parts procurement, safety practices, customer service, administration, and trade skills applied in the Fleet Maintenance Facility to improve knowledge and skills. Shares work experience and formal training with co-workers.
• Enters and updates work orders and other maintenance records related to daily activities within the City’s asset management system. Performs other administrative tasks as needed.
• Assists in training lower classified staff as assigned.

Additional Work Performed

• Assists the Fleet Technician IV and Fleet Technician V in special projects as assigned.
• Performs related duties of similar nature or level within the scope of the classification.
• May work weekend, holiday or emergency shifts independently with and without supervision.
• Responds to after-hours callouts when required.

Working Environment

The Fleet Technician I, II, III work is primarily performed at the Fleet Maintenance Service Facility with occasional emergency repairs taking place outdoors or at a customer's work site. Field conditions involve exposure to heavy traffic, sustained elevated noise, and extreme weather conditions with risk of exposure to hazardous chemicals. The Fleet Technician I, II, III perform a variety of work in confined spaces and awkward positions. May be required to work weekends, holidays, or emergency shifts as needed by the organization.

Physical abilities to perform the essential functions of the job, including:

• Manual dexterity sufficient to operate hand and power equipment safely;
• Correctable vision to read instructions and work safely around equipment;
• Physical ability to stoop, bend, climb and work in confined spaces;
• Adequate hearing to effectively hear voice radio, crew communications and roadway traffic in a noisy environment;
• Independently lift and handle moderately heavy components and equipment safely weighing up to approximately sixty-five (65) lbs.

Experience and Training

Fleet Technician I

• High School Diploma or GED.
• Two years’ experience in automotive, heavy duty, or specialized equipment maintenance, OR
• Completion of a two-year Automotive Technology or Diesel Technology technical program or equivalent certificate program from an accredited institution
• Proficient in MS Office Suite.
• Must have or obtain the following Automotive Service Excellence (ASE) certification within one year of hire:
• A5-Brakes (required)
• T4 – Brakes or T8-Preventative Maintenance Inspections (one required, employee may choose)
  

Fleet Technician II

• High School Diploma or GED.
• Two years’ experience in the Fleet Technician I classification at the City of Bellingham, OR
• Four years’ equivalent experience in automotive, fleet heavy duty, or specialized equipment maintenance, OR
• Completion of a two-year Automotive Technology or Diesel Technology technical program or equivalent certificate program from an accredited institution and two years’ experience in automotive and/or heavy duty, or specialized equipment maintenance.
• Proficient in MS Office Suite.
• If hired at the Fleet Technician II level, must have current or obtain Automotive Service Excellence certifications required at the Fleet Technician I level within one year of hire.
• Must have or obtain the following Automotive Service Excellence (ASE) certifications within two years of hire or promotion to Fleet Technician II:
• A1-Engine Repair (required)
• T2-Diesel Engines (required)
• A4-Suspension and Steering or T5 Suspension & Steering (one required, employee may choose)
  

Fleet Technician III

• High School Diploma or GED.
• Two years’ experience in the Fleet Technician II classification at the City of Bellingham, OR
• Six years’ equivalent experience in automotive, fleet heavy duty, and specialized equipment maintenance, OR
• Completion of a two-year Automotive Technology or Diesel Technology technical program or equivalent certificate program from an accredited institution and four years’ experience in automotive and/or heavy duty, or specialized equipment maintenance.
• Proficient in MS Office Suite.
• If hired at the Fleet Technician III level, must have current or obtain Automotive Service Excellence certifications required at the Technician I and II levels within one year of hire.
• Must have or obtain the following Automotive Service Excellence (ASE) certifications within two years of hire or promotion to Fleet Technician III:
• A6 – Electrical/Electronic Systems (required)
• T6 – Electrical/Electronic Systems (required)
• One additional certification required from the T2-T8 series or A1-A8 series, employee may choose
  

Preferred

Demonstrated experience in:

• Advanced electronic systems;
• Complex hydraulic, air, and electronic diagnostics.
• Comprehensive use of computers, various diagnostic equipment to include digital scopes, and scan tools.

Necessary Special Requirements

• Verification of ability to work in the United States by date of hire.
• Employment contingent upon passing a criminal background check (see Fair Hiring Practices below).
• Valid Washington State Driver’s License and good driving record. Candidates must submit a three (3) year driving abstract prior to hire.
• Ability to secure a Commercial Driver’s License (CDL) within one year of hire and maintain for duration of employment.
• Must pass a pre-employment drug test prior to hire. This position is also subject to drug testing requirements of the Federal Department of Transportation.
• Must be able to report for emergency call-out and serve on standby in accordance with bargaining unit agreement.

Failure to obtain appropriate certifications within established time limits will result in demotion to the lower classification for which qualified until such time as the required certification is achieved or dismissal, should a lower classification not exist.

Selection Process

• You are encouraged to print a copy of this job announcement for your reference as the process moves along**

Please ensure your application is complete and all required information has been provided. Standard completeness means all application fields (contact information, personal information, education, work experience, references, and supplemental questions). Application materials should comprehensively document your experience and skills related to the position responsibilities and experience/training requirements. As part of the City’s commitment to reducing bias in the hiring process, Human Resources redacts personally identifiable information for reviewers. Only the documents listed as required will be reviewed.

Application Review Process

• Minimum Qualifications: Applicants must provide specific, detailed information so an initial determination can be made regarding your level of qualifications for this position. Applicant status will be updated on or around August 10, 2026.
• Experience and Training Rating: Applicants that meet minimum qualifications will go through an Experience and Training Rating Applicant status will be updated on or around August 19, 2026.
• Oral Board Interview: The top 20 applicants who achieve the passing score from the Experience and Training Rating will be invited to participate in an Oral Board Interview, tentatively scheduled for the week of September 1, 2026. Applicants must have a passing score of 60% or higher to be placed on the eligibility register.
• Applicants will be notified via email of Final Scores & Ranks. The final ranking of the register will be based on total scores for the following: Experience and Training Rating (40%) and Oral Board Interview (60%).

Final candidates will be referred to the department for additional examination, assessment, or test.

This recruitment process will create a Civil Service eligibility register that will be used to fill current and future vacancies as they become available. There is currently 1 full-time vacancy in the Public Works Department. This position is represented by a union.

If you wish to claim Veterans’ Preference Points, please complete the Veterans Scoring Criteria Declaration Form and upload it to your application with your DD214.

Please Note: Candidates will receive updates regarding application status via email. Please be sure to check your email frequently, including your spam folders for messages filtered by your email providers.

Equal Opportunity

The City of Bellingham is an Equal Opportunity Employer. We do not make decisions on the basis of an individual's race, religion, creed, color, national origin, sex, marital status, age (40+), disability, retaliation, sexual orientation or gender identity, honorably discharged veteran or military status, status as a victim of domestic violence, sexual assault, and stalking, use of a trained dog guide or service animal by a person with a disability, or any other basis prohibited by local, state, or federal law. All are encouraged to apply for employment.

Fair Hiring Practices

• The City provides individuals who have been arrested or convicted of a criminal offense an equal and fair opportunity to obtain employment.
• The City will not inquire about an applicant's criminal history until after a conditional job offer has been made.
• The City will disregard the prior arrest and conviction record of an otherwise qualified individual unless the offense is directly related to the job position for which the individual has applied.
• The City will notify an otherwise qualified applicant about a potentially disqualifying conviction and give the applicant an opportunity to submit information regarding the accuracy of the criminal records as well as evidence of mitigation or rehabilitation, as appropriate.

There are many good reasons for working at the City of Bellingham. The work is rewarding and you have an opportunity to serve your community. Another good reason is the great benefits that the City offers its employees. See our benefits section for additional information.

This position is represented by The Guild of Pacific Northwest Employees, Local 1937 bargaining unit. Specific benefit information including Holidays, Vacation Accruals, Health, Dental and Vision Plans with cost sharing and Deferred Compensation Match can be found in the Local 1937 labor agreement.

This position is covered by the State of Washington Department of Retirement Systems PERS plan. PERS requires mandatory employee and City contributions. Please visit the DRS website for more information on PERS.

Civil Service Information

This position is subject to the Bellingham Civil Service Commission. When a vacancy occurs, the top fifteen candidates or the top 25% of the register will be forwarded to the department for further consideration. All new Civil Service employees are subject to a one-year probationary period. A candidate may challenge the scope, content, or method of an examination or test, and a protest may be filed in writing with the Examiner within five (5) days following the date of the challenged examination. A candidate may also challenge the scoring of an examination or test, failure of the candidate on any part of an examination, or clerical error in examination results of any examination or test, and a protest may be filed in writing with the Examiner within five (5) days of notification of the challenged result. The Examiner shall consider all timely filed protests and make appropriate corrections if an error is demonstrated.

Veteran's Scoring Criteria

Applicants who have been honorably discharged from active military duty may be eligible to receive veteran's scoring criteria points as provided by Washington State Law (RCW 41.04.010). If you wish to claim Veterans’ Preference Points, please complete the Veterans Scoring Criteria Declaration Form and upload it to your application with your DD214.

01

Thank you for your interest in this position at the City of Bellingham! To ensure a consistent review, only the City of Bellingham job application and required supplemental documents will be reviewed. Cover letters and resumes are not reviewed unless they are required as part of the process. When applying for this position, you must thoroughly complete each section of your application, and provide a thorough response to each of the supplemental questions. Please do not indicate "see resume" or copy content that is unrelated to the position being applied for from your resume when answering these questions.

Have you read and understood the information listed above?

• Yes
• No

02

Work is primarily performed at the Fleet Maintenance Service Facility with occasional emergency repairs taking place outdoors or at a customer's work site. Field conditions involve exposure to heavy traffic, sustained elevated noise, and extreme weather conditions with risk of exposure to hazardous chemicals. Are you able to accept these working conditions?

• Yes
• No

03

Are you able to report for emergency call-out and serve on standby in accordance with the bargaining unit agreement?

• Yes
• No

04

Are you willing to take and pass a pre-employment drug test? This position is also subject to drug testing requirements of the Federal Department of Transportation.

• Yes
• No

05

This classification is part of a series, have you reviewed the required certifications and agree to complete the requirements as outlined in the announcement? Training is provided by the City.

• Yes, I reviewed the required certifications on the job announcement. I understand that failure to obtain appropriate certifications within established time limits will result in demotion to the lower classification for which qualified until such time as the required certification is achieved or dismissal, should a lower classification not exist.
• No, I do not agree to obtain and maintain the required certifications as listed on the job announcement and understand I do not meet the requirements.

06

Do you have any of the following Automotive Service Excellence (ASE) certifications or licenses? Check all that apply. (Note: certifications and CDL are not required at the time of hire but are used to determine placement within the series.)

• A5-Brakes
• T4- Brakes
• T8-Preventative Maintenance Inspections
• A1-Engine Repair
• T2- Diesel Engines
• A4 or T5-Suspension and Steering
• A6 – Electrical/Electronic Systems
• T6 – Heating and Air Conditioning
• T2-T8 Series
• A1-A8 Series
• Valid Commercial Driver's License (CDL)
• Valid Washington State Driver's License or the ability to obtain one by time of hire, and good driving record

07

Do you have demonstrated experience with any of the following preferred requirements? Check all that apply. Note: this is a preferred qualification.

• Advanced electronic systems
• Complex hydraulic, air, and electronic diagnostics
• Comprehensive use of computers, various diagnostic equipment to include digital scopes, and scan tools.
• I do not have any of experience with the following preferred qualifications.

08

If you selected any of the preferred requirements above, describe your experience, including dates & positions.

09

Please select the appropriate qualification that you believe is demonstrated through your application materials:

NOTE: A person with the requisite experience and training may be hired in at the Fleet Technician II or III level.

How We Count Work Experience: Your experience must be equal to full-time paid work. If you worked part-time, we’ll calculate your experience based on the total number of hours you worked in a year. For example, if you worked 10 hours per week for 12 months, that equals 3 months of full-time experience (10 hrs x 52 weeks= 520 hrs/173.33 full time hrs per month = 3 months).

• Fleet Technician I: High School Diploma, or equivalent AND Two years’ experience in automotive, heavy duty, or specialized equipment maintenance, OR Completion of a two-year Automotive Technology or Diesel Technology technical program or equivalent certificate program from an accredited institution.
• Fleet Technician II: High School Diploma, or equivalent AND Four years’ equivalent experience in automotive, fleet heavy duty, or specialized equipment maintenance, OR Completion of a two-year Automotive Technology or Diesel Technology technical program or equivalent certificate program from an accredited institution and two years’ experience in automotive and/or heavy duty, or specialized equipment maintenance, OR Two years’ experience in the Fleet Technician I classification at the City of Bellingham.
• Fleet Technician III: High School Diploma, or equivalent AND Six years’ equivalent experience in automotive, fleet heavy duty, and specialized equipment maintenance, OR Completion of a two-year Automotive Technology or Diesel Technology technical program or equivalent certificate program from an accredited institution and four years’ experience in automotive and/or heavy duty, or specialized equipment maintenance, OR Two years’ experience in the Fleet Technician II classification at the City of Bellingham.
• I do not meet any of the listed requirements.

10

Depending on your selection in question above, describe in detail what specific experience or training was obtained that you feel qualifies you for the indicated level. Employers and dates required.

11

Describe your proficiency with the Microsoft Office Suite? Specifically, which applications do you use most often, and how have you applied them in your previous roles to improve productivity or achieve results?

12

If you are requesting Veteran's Preference points, a completed Veterans Scoring Criteria Status Declaration is required along with a copy of your DD214. The required form is in the Selections Process section of the Job Posting. Check "YES" here if you are attaching a Veteran's Declaration form and DD214.

• Yes
• No
• Required Question