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:
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Hourly Rates:
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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.
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10 hours of vacation leave per month, with increased accrual over time
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12 paid holidays + 1 floating holiday per year
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8 hours sick leave accrued monthly
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Medical, dental, and vision insurance for employees and their families
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Life insurance and long-term disability coverage.
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Flexible spending accounts and medical insurance opt-out program
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Access to an Employee Assistance Program (EAP)
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Washington State Retirement plan (DRS) for retirement security
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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:
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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.
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Troubleshoots, diagnoses, adjusts, repairs, rebuilds, or installs components on a variety of vehicles and equipment requiring skilled maintenance and safe work methods.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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Assists in training lower classified staff as assigned.
ADDITIONAL WORK PERFORMED:
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Assists the Fleet Technician IV and Fleet Technician V in special projects as assigned.
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Performs related duties of similar nature or level within the scope of the classification.
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May work weekend, holiday or emergency shifts independently with and without supervision.
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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:
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Manual dexterity sufficient to operate hand and power equipment safely;
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Correctable vision to read instructions and work safely around equipment;
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Physical ability to stoop, bend, climb and work in confined spaces;
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Adequate hearing to effectively hear voice radio, crew communications and roadway traffic in a noisy environment;
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Independently lift and handle moderately heavy components and equipment safely weighing up to approximately sixty-five (65) lbs.
**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:
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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
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The City provides individuals who have been arrested or convicted of a criminal offense an equal and fair opportunity to obtain employment.
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The City will not inquire about an applicant's criminal history until after a conditional job offer has been made.
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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.
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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.
