Bus Assembly Inspector

Learn how Metro connects you with what matters.

Are you knowledgeable about what it takes to make “the rubber meet the road” for newly purchased buses? Does the idea of traveling, networking with other industry leaders, and fast-tracking your career development within Fleet Procurement excite you?

King County Metro Transit's Fleet Procurement team is immediately hiring for four (4) open positions of Bus Assembly Inspector to help ensure new buses are assembled, tested, and received to the agreed-upon specifications and safety standards. The Hiring Team will be offering two different training programs (1-year track and 2-year track) to provide individuals that successfully pass the recruitment process with the hands-on training and skills needed to attain full Bus Assembly Inspector Competence. Note: This position requires a significant amount of extended out-of-state travel, with some assignments lasting a year or more.

Bus Assembly Inspectors are representatives of King County Metro Transit at the bus manufacturing and assembly plants located across North America. They are responsible for overseeing the assembly and quality assurance program on site during the builds. This role has a direct impact on Metro Transit’s sustainability goals, our ability to meet and expand our services to the community, the safety of our drivers and riders, and the security of our capital investments. Our ideal candidates will have broad mechanical knowledge, knowledge of the procurement process, excellent interpersonal skills, the ability to always maintain positive and professional working relationships with our contractors, independent problem-solving skills, and the flexibility to adapt to non-traditional work schedules and frequent assignment changes on short notice.

TRAVEL-RELATED PAY AND EXPENSES

You may be assigned to work at production plants located in various locations, such as: Minnesota, California, Alabama, New York, and Canada. King County Metro will pay employees a 5% “out-of-state” premium for all time spent working during out-of-state assignments (this premium does not apply to work performed in Washington State.) The County will also pay for eligible travel expenses such as flights, lodging, rental cars, and per diem meals. While in travel status, the inspectors will be responsible for paying state income tax for the state in which the project is taking place.

SAFETY SENSITIVE POSITION

This position is considered safety sensitive. Applicants for positions defined as safety sensitive are required to undergo drug testing prior to employment and, subsequent to commencement of employment, will be subject to random, post-accident, reasonable suspicion, return to duty and follow-up drug and alcohol testing in compliance with Federal DOT alcohol and controlled substances testing program protocols.

AN EMPLOYER TO BE PROUD OF

King County Metro Transit is a regional leader in helping people move quickly throughout the region, reducing commuter stress, greening the environment and radically improving urban air quality, by providing comfortable, effective transit services for the thousands of commuters and other residents of King County, Washington. Working for Metro means working for a leader in this nation's public transportation industry.

This recruitment will be used to fill 4 Career Service positions. In addition, this selection process may be used to generate an eligibility pool for future Career Service vacancies that may occur in this classification within this workgroup. The eligibility pool will be retained for 12 months from the date of posting and may be used at the discretion of the hiring authority.

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS 2-year Track:

• 21 years of age by start of program
• Completion in one of the following or similar college course
• Mechatronics program, automotive or diesel program.
• Mechanical background or experience not required for 2-year training program
• Ability to act independently and proactively to meet the needs of the Department, to make independent decisions and to provide quality customer service.
• Excellent interpersonal skills that allow you to effectively engage in and sustain relationships with people from diverse cultures and socio-economic backgrounds.
• Excellent oral and written communication skills. Ability to effectively communicate with members of a diverse community and work effectively with the public and other agencies, and problem-solving processes.
• Skill in comprehending, analyzing and interpreting technical information
• Skill in organizing work assignments, setting priorities, and accomplishing objectives without direct supervision
• Skill in working under pressure and meeting deadlines
• Skill in reading, interpreting and effectively utilizing management informational reports
• Skill in developing, analyzing and implementing procedures
• Basic skill in the use of a computer and appropriate applications

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS 1 year Track:

• Must meet all minimum qualifications of the 2-year track
• Thorough knowledge of transit vehicle maintenance, preferably in variety of areas including mechanical, electrical, electronic and body/chassis
• Knowledge of quality control, vehicle production, and assembly
• Skill in operating transit buses of various lengths to conduct road testing of new buses is required.
• Ability to be innovative and creative and contribute to the development and implementation of new procedures, practices and policies.
• Ability to manage complex processes, meeting deadlines and achieving goals.
• Demonstrated ability to read, comprehend and interpret vehicle procurement contracts, technical specifications, and engineering drawings
• Knowledge of vehicle production and assembly techniques and methods
• Knowledge of in-plant inspection in a bus manufacturing plant environment
• Knowledge of Federal, State and local regulations and standards regarding vehicle production
• Knowledge of quality assurance and quality control principles and techniques in a manufacturing environment
• Ability to effectively present complex technical information to a wide variety of audiences
• Demonstrated skill in successfully advocating a position and achieving a desired result through negotiation and facilitation.
• The ability to foster positive, proactive work relations in a diverse, collaborative work environment.
• Proficiency with Microsoft Office suite tools including Word, Excel, Outlook and PowerPoint.
• Skill in taking the initiative to identify improved and/or more-effective design strategies

LICENSING, CERTIFICATION, AND OTHER REQUIREMENTS

• Residency : Candidates must be residents of Washington State
• Within 2 weeks of receiving a conditional offer for hire, we require proof of:
• Application for a US Passport
• An acceptable five-year driving record
• A valid Washington State driver's license
• Obtain CDL permit within 30 days of hire
• Ability to obtain a CDL with the following CDL endorsements as outlined in the training program:
  • Passenger Endorsement
  • No air brake restriction
  • Current and valid CDL health card
  • Interstate CDL license (and maintenance of this license)
• King County Metro will perform testing and training of the individual to obtain their CDL during work hours.
• Within 90 days of hire, we require proof of:
• Possession of a valid US Passport

Required Application Materials:

• An online employment application with updated contact information, and relevant work history going back at least 10 years. All duties, dates of employment, and reasons for leaving explained must be explained clearly. Do not state “see resume”—detailed information about each position, termination reasons, and full job duties are a requirement for consideration.
• Resume
• Cover letter/Letter of Interest addressing the following prompt:
  • Explain how you are qualified for the training program track you are applying for.
• Answers to all supplemental questions

Selection Process:

Applications will be screened for qualifications, clarity and completeness. The most competitive applicants may be invited to one or more interviews and a hands-on practical test. Formal offers will be finalized after candidates have successfully completed any pre-employment processes such as:

• Pre-employment physical examination (if required)
• Driving abstract review
• Drug and alcohol testing provisions (for safety sensitive positions as required by the U.S. Department of Transportation, 49 CFR Parts 40 and 655)
• Reference checks
• Work Record Reviews for internal candidates (see below)

Work Environment:

Work is generally performed in a bus manufacturing/assembly plant environment. Road tests involve operating transit buses on city streets, urban and rural highways and the Bus Assembly Inspector will encounter the typical hazards associated with driving a bus in those environments. The transit buses may vary in length, handling characteristics, and powertrains. Incoming post-delivery inspections may be performed at Metro or the bus manufacturer’s local contracted facilities. This position is based in Seattle, WA, but requires the ability to travel up to 100% of the time, for extended periods in sometimes extremely cold/hot climates.

Work Schedule and Location:

Work is normally performed Monday through Friday, although the demands of the position may require shift work, or weekend hours. Inspectors often need to flex their hours to mirror the working hours of the production plant. This position is exempt from the provisions of the FLSA and is not eligible for overtime hours.

Bus Assembly Inspectors may be required to execute a Telecommuting Agreement given the duties of their role are performed predominantly out of state in a production plant work environment.

Union Representation / Classification / Job Code / Pay Grade:

PROTEC17: Professional and Technical Employees, Local 17 / Bus Assembly Inspector / Job code: 240104 / Pay Grade: 61

To Apply:
If you are interested in pursuing this position, please follow the application instructions carefully. If you need this announcement in an alternate language or format, would like to request accommodation or assistance in the application or assessment process or if you have questions please contact: Kam Kaur, kakaur @ kingcounty.gov .

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Guided by our True North , we are making King County a welcoming community where every person can thrive. We value diversity, inclusion and belonging in our workplace and workforce. To reach this goal we are committed to workforce equity. Equitable recruiting, support, and retention is how we will obtain the highest quality workforce in our region; a workforce that shares and will help advance our guiding principles--we are one team; we solve problems; we focus on the customer; we drive for results; we are racially just; we respect all people; we lead the way; and we are responsible stewards. We encourage people of all backgrounds and identities to apply, including Native American and people of color, immigrants, refugees, women, LGBTQ+, people living with disabilities, and veterans.

The Executive Branch includes employees in the Executive branch, the Assessor’s Office, Elections, the King County Sheriff’s Office, and the Executive Office. King County is an Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) Employer. No person is unlawfully excluded from employment opportunities based on race, color, religion, national origin, sex (including gender identity, sexual orientation and pregnancy), age, genetic information, disability, veteran status, or other protected class. Our EEO policy applies to all employment actions, including but not limited to recruitment, hiring, selection for training, promotion, transfer, demotion, layoff, termination, rates of pay or other forms of compensation.