Automotive Technician – Ever notice how "family-owned shop" has become code for "we can't afford to pay you what you're worth"?
You've seen it before:
- Shops that promise work-life balance… then guilt-trip you for not staying late
- "Great culture" that's really just the owner's nephew getting special treatment while you grind
- Benefits that look good on paper but cost you half your paycheck to actually use
- Owners who claim they care… until the car count dips and suddenly everyone's expendable
Maybe you're making decent money right now. The work's steady. But deep down, you know you're stuck. No real profit sharing. Weekends are still getting eaten up. And that nagging feeling that if you ever needed support - really needed it - you'd be on your own.
But here's the thing: Jay's Kirkland Autocare isn't another shop that talks big and delivers small.
We've been serving Kirkland since 1988, and four years ago, our owner Kyle took over with one mission: build a shop where techs actually want to stay. Not because they're trapped, but because the pay's real, the culture's real, and the support's real.
Our techs even tell us it takes them 6 months to believe we're for real - because they've been burned by too many shops that promised the world and delivered nothing.
Better yet, now we're looking for an experienced diagnostic tech who's tired of the BS and ready for something better. Someone who takes pride in quality work, knows their way around all systems, and wants to work somewhere that actually backs up what they say.
So, if that sounds like you, keep reading.
✅ HERE'S WHAT WE OFFER OUR TECHS:
- $83,300–$147,691/year – based on experience and productivity
- Profit sharing – you win when the shop wins (not just talk)
- 95% employer-paid medical & dental – one of the best plans around
- Safe Harbor 401(k) – automatic 3% contribution after 6 months (whether you chip in or not)
- 2 weeks PTO – starts accruing immediately
- 7 paid holidays – all major holidays + day after Christmas
- Employee discount – parts at cost + 10%
✓ 5-DAY WORK WEEK (NO WEEKENDS!) – We want your life to work inside and outside of the shop. Monday through Friday, 8AM–4:30PM. Your Saturdays and Sundays are yours to recharge by doing the things you love and spending time with your family and friends.
✓ WE WILL KEEP YOU BUSY – We're a well-established, thriving business (since 1988!) with year-round active marketing campaigns in place to keep the work flowing in. We offer job security and plenty of work so you can stay busy and kick butt!
✓ YOU WILL BE APPRECIATED (OPEN-DOOR POLICY) – We are a family-owned & operated shop. Everyone is part of the family here and if you have a problem, you'll get support from the whole team. Your opinion is respected and you can really make a difference.
✓ YOU WILL NOT BE MICROMANAGED – We have confidence in our team. If you need something, ask. If not, we will stay out of your way and let you work.
✓ WE'VE GOT YOUR BACK (NO DRAMA) – We go out of our way to make sure that our employees are taken care of. We listen, we care, and we want your life to work inside and outside of the shop. Life's too short to work with wrench throwers and prima donnas - we don't tolerate them, so you won't have to either.
✓ YOU WILL ALWAYS KNOW WHERE YOU STAND – We value open communication. No surprises, no playing favorites. Everything is accessible, transparent, and above board.
✓ YOU WILL LEARN SOMETHING NEW EVERY DAY – There's lots of variety in the types of work we run into (domestic, Asian, European, light-duty trucks), and you get to share ideas with professional co-workers who are motivated team players. Enjoy new opportunities to build and test your diagnostic and troubleshooting skills.
✓ YOU WILL BE A PART OF SOMETHING SPECIAL – We've been a pillar in the Kirkland community since 1988 and we love our customers (740+ five-star reviews don't lie). We sponsor team outings like Top Golf, go-karts, and fishing trips. When you win, the shop wins and our customers win. It's Win, Win, Win.
✓ WE PROVIDE A SAFE AND PRODUCTIVE WORKING ENVIRONMENT – We provide uniforms, a clean, organized workplace and up-to-date tools and diagnostic equipment to make sure that you always have everything you need to do your best work. If something breaks, Kyle doesn't freak out - we just order another one.
✓ LONG-TERM EMPLOYMENT – New techs tell us it takes about 6 months to relax and believe we're for real. Once they see the culture is legit and everyone actually helps each other out, they don't want to leave. This is a shop you can retire from.
HERE'S WHAT WE STAND FOR AND HOW WE TREAT OUR CUSTOMERS…
✅ 798+ REVIEWS and a 4.9-STAR RATING! – We've been serving the Kirkland community since 1988, and our customers don't just trust us with their cars—they stick with us for years. We've won 4 community awards this year alone because people genuinely love working with us. But don't take our word for it…
See what our happy customers have to say: https://share.google/xGmmiNTmbUJ7AOXBV
ABOUT JAY'S KIRKLAND AUTOCARE
We've been a trusted part of the Kirkland community since 1988 - long before "customer experience" became a buzzword. Four years ago, Kyle purchased the shop with one goal in mind: take care of the customers AND the employees who serve them.
Since then, we've grown like crazy - not by cutting corners or grinding people into the ground, but by building a culture where people actually want to work.
We're not chasing some pie-in-the-sky growth target. We're focused on sustaining what we've built: a high-volume, well-run shop where employees stick around for the long haul, and customers trust us with their cars for decades.
Kyle's philosophy is simple: "If your life doesn't work at home, it won't work at work - and vice versa." That's why we close on weekends and why he sits down with employees who are struggling.
This isn't just another shop that says they're "different." We can actually back it up.
SKILLS AND EXPERIENCE THAT WILL HELP YOU SHINE IN THIS ROLE:
- 5+ years of diagnostic experience – You know your way around all systems: brakes, suspension, steering, A/C, engine, electrical.
- You're efficient at routine maintenance AND complex diagnostics – From oil changes to tracking down electrical gremlins, you take pride in doing it right the first time.
- Valid driver's license and your own tools – You're a professional who comes ready to work.
- You're a team player, not a lone wolf – You help when someone's slammed and you're comfortable asking for help when you need it.
- You want a shop where you can stay – You're tired of hopping from place to place. You want stability, respect, and a culture that's actually real.
READY TO JOIN A SHOP WHERE THE WORK IS STEADY, THE PAY IS REAL, AND THE CULTURE ISN'T JUST TALK?
Reach out however you're most comfortable:
Jay's Kirkland Autocare
817 7th Avenue
Kirkland, WA 98033
Not sure if you want to commit, don't have a resume, or just have a quick question? Send Kyle a text at 2 06-6 01-2039 (and let him know you saw the ad.)
Talk soon,
Kyle
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Job Type: Full-time
Pay: $83,300.00 - $147,691.00 per year
Benefits:
- 401(k)
- Employee discount
- Health insurance
Application Question(s):
- Do you have your own tools?
Experience:
- professional automotive repair: 5 years (Preferred)
- automotive diagnostics: 5 years (Preferred)
License/Certification:
- ASE Certification (Preferred)
- Driver license (Preferred)
Ability to Commute:
- Kirkland, WA 98033 (Preferred)
Work Location: In person
