​Charlotte, N.C. (August 19, 2022) - The City of Charlotte is seeking qualified candidates for the position of heavy diesel technician. Pay starts between $54,000 and $57,000 per year, commensurate with experience. Benefits include a $2,000 sign-on bonus, a 1% retention bonus in September 2022, a 2.5% premium pay for heavy technicians who possess a commercial drivers license (CDL), and in January 2023, a 2.5% shift differential and 4% salary increase.

​Additional benefits include health, dental, vision, wellness, pension, employee assistance program (EAP), an employee referral bonus opportunity, career growth opportunities that include prepaid tuition at CPCC for an associate's degree (coming soon), annual tool reimbursement and National Institute for Automotive Service Excellence (ASE) training incentives.

​The diesel technician is a key member of the city's award-winning, dedicated team of ASE medium and heavy certified technicians who support the City of Charlotte and Mecklenburg County. This is a second shift position.

​Interested applicants can view the job posting and apply at the city's online employment center.

​Evaluate, inspect, diagnose and repair the heavy truck fleet, medium- and light-duty fleet, construction equipment and fire equipment/apparatus

​Diagnosing and repairing complex electronically controlled diesel engines, modern electrical systems, on- and off-road equipment drivetrains, air braking systems, steering and suspension and complex hydraulic systems

​Perform inspections, preventative maintenance and the diagnosis and repair of failed components on vehicle's body, chassis and auxiliary systems

​Assess and recommend actions for replacement and/or life cycle use of equipment

​Utilize fleet maintenance software to accurately document work performed

​Communicate with all levels of fleet operations and customers ensuring repairs are completed

Interpret manuals, electrical diagrams and diagnostic software

Understand and follow safety procedures

Knowledge of methods, tools and materials used in maintaining and repairing automotive and related equipment

Understanding of electrical and hydraulic schematics

Commitment to life-long learning keeping pace with new technology

Ability to effectively be part of a team

Works in organized, clean and safe manner

Understands occupational hazards and safety precautions of trade

Skilled in use and care of tools, equipment and materials used in all types of automotive repair work

Ability to diagnose defects in a range of equipment from light vehicles to heavy trucks and construction equipment and perform complex mechanical repairs independently

Analyze, evaluate and effectively write diagnosis and recommendation of work being performed to complete work orders

Follow oral and written instructions

Ability to troubleshoot mobile communications equipment malfunctions

Ability to operate technical and computer test equipment

Ability to lift up 75 lbs. of equipment and/or tools

Must have or obtain the following licensures within ninety (90) days of hire:

AC recover and recycling license

Must have within one year of hire:

Class B Commercial Driver's License (CDL)

Must possess valid driver’s license, good driving record and ability to obtain and maintain City driving permit

Must have basic hand tools and tool storage upon hire

Considerable experience in performing journeyman-level diesel service technician work on all types of heavy equipment

Experience in diagnosing and repairing medium to heavy fleet and equipment

Degree or certification from an accredited technical school, college or manufacturer training certification recognized by ASE

ASE certification(s) applicable to position

Five years of relevant work experience, a high school diploma/GED with three years of relevant work experience or an equivalent combination of education and relevant experience that provides the necessary knowledge, skills and abilities to successfully perform the essential job duties

Travis Johnson and Rodney Lee are part of our award-winning team of ASE-certified medium and heavy technicians who support the City of Charlotte and Mecklenburg County. Great benefits, growth opportunities and lots of incentives await. Keep Charlotte Moving!

Transcript City of Charlotte Fleet Services is Hiring Diesel Technicians

​Join the City of Charlotte’s Fleet Management Team. Heavy Diesel Technician positions offer $2,000 signing bonus, competitive pay, pension, 401(k) and health insurance, paid tuition for associates degrees, 2.5% CDL premium, career growth opportunities. Learn more and apply today. Live. Grow. Thrive. With the City of Charlotte. City of Charlotte logo.

Rodney keeps Charlotte's fleet of fire trucks maintained and on the move. He's an unsung hero whose job even inspired his daughter to become a City of Charlotte firefighter. Learn more about Rodney and his job.

Transcript Rodney Lee, Heavy Diesel Technician Behind the Crown

There’s no room for “We can’t fix the fire truck.” It can’t happen. You have to fix it. There’s no backing down from it or “Oh, we’ll get to it later.” No. You have to be there. You have to get this done now. No matter what, this truck’s gotta go.

My name is Rodney Lee. My title is heavy duty technician, uh, for the City of Charlotte here, maintaining fire trucks for the City of Charlotte.

We have to go out and do panic stops to make sure nothing’s, uh, when you hit the brakes like that the steering wheel ain’t trying to jerk out of you hand or it’s actually coming to a smooth stop. I’m doin’ a panic stop right now. So we’re doing good.

A typical day of work is trucks constantly breaking. The city is growing, and it’s growing fast. These fire trucks are breaking. They’re breaking fast because they have to respond and there’s a lot of behind-the-scenes a lot of people don’t know about. It takes a lot to run one of these fire trucks.

There’s probably 120 fire trucks. Equipment-wise, there’s probably up to, uh, 7, 800 pieces of equipment that we have to maintain yearly, and each truck has to come in at least twice a year.

My family loves what I do. My grandkids, my wife. They all think it’s special, what I do. And it is special. I’ve always seen fire trucks as every little kid does. A lot of kids, they love fire trucks. They love ‘em and it makes me excited that sometimes we leave out of here and we have to test drive them and my youngest girl I used to do that to her and, uh, she’d sit in the back of the truck and we rolled around the parking lot and she was just laughing like to no end. So now she’s actually a Charlotte firefighter ‘cause of me. She just became a Charlotte firefighter.

I look at each one of the firefighters as my kid. If one of them gets hurt and it’s due to something I’ve done I feel just as responsible as anyone else. Every life is very important to me that gets in that truck, and that’s the way all the guys that I work with feel.

Again, it takes a special person to be a firefighter technician. You can ask any of them anything you want and they’re going to give you the same answer. We’re, we’re sort of weird but we love our job and we do our job well. The firemen that drive these trucks are just as important, but it takes us for them to be them who they are so that’s the bottom line.