Equipment Technician I

City of San Diego • San Diego, CA

1d

About The Position

Equipment Technician I positions repair, maintain, and/or install a wide variety of mechanical equipment, including valves, sewer and water pumps, air compressors, chemical feed equipment, fire hydrants, water meters, parking meters, irrigation systems, small gas and diesel engines, and small turf equipment. They assist with overhauling, repairing, and maintaining more complex equipment such as boilers, hydraulic systems and pumps, cooling towers, gear reduction units, and piping support systems, and perform other duties as assigned.

Employees may be required to work overtime, nights, weekends, holidays, rotating shifts, and/or stand-by shifts, potentially receiving 5% additional pay. Public Utilities Department positions may involve confined spaces and exposure to raw sewage, noxious chemicals, and other hazardous substances. Employees may need to lift and carry up to 50 pounds and spend long periods standing and kneeling. Some positions require a Self-Contained Breathing Apparatus Certification and/or Confined Space Certificate within three months of hire. Employees must remain clean-shaven and pass a respirator fit test for entry into confined spaces and chlorine environments. Employees who operate commercial vehicles must submit to drug and alcohol testing as a condition of employment, with pre-hire checks of the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration Drug and Alcohol Clearinghouse and former employers’ testing records.

The position requires one year of full-time experience repairing and servicing a variety of mechanical equipment and a valid California Class C Driver’s License at hire. Some positions may require a California Class B Driver’s License at hire or within six months after hire. The recruitment screening process may include application review, pre-employment medical review and examination, drug and alcohol testing, reference checks, fingerprinting, and other screening as applicable. Successful candidates may be placed on an eligibility list used to fill vacancies for six months.

Requirements

• One year of full-time experience repairing and servicing a variety of mechanical equipment, such as pumps, valves, air compressors, power tools, meters, small gasoline or diesel engines, irrigation equipment, mowers, shop equipment, safety equipment, emergency mobile equipment, or firefighting equipment.
• Preventive maintenance alone, such as changing oil, lubricating, or removing and replacing parts, does not qualify as mechanical repair experience. Experience repairing only power tools or sprinkler heads does not qualify.
• A valid California Class C Driver’s License is required at the time of hire.
• Some positions may require a valid California Class B Driver’s License at hire or within six months after hire.
• City of San Diego employees relying on Out-of-Class Assignment experience must submit documentation signed by their appointing authority or payroll specialist detailing work performed, dates, and total qualifying hours.
• Some positions may require a Self-Contained Breathing Apparatus Certification and/or a Confined Space Certificate within three months of hire.
• Employees entering confined spaces and chlorine environments must remain clean-shaven and pass a respirator fit test.
• Employees operating commercial vehicles must submit to drug and alcohol testing and undergo applicable pre-hire clearinghouse and former-employer testing-history checks.
• Employment is conditional on successfully completing applicable screening processes, which may include confirmation of legal authorization to work, a medical review and examination, drug and alcohol testing, reference checks, fingerprinting, and additional screening.

Nice To Haves

• For Public Utilities Department positions: experience at a wastewater or water treatment facility, major pumping station, or industrial processing facility using similar technology, repairing, maintaining, overhauling, and troubleshooting mechanical equipment such as pumps, valves, piping, chemical feeders, dewatering centrifuges, gear driver units or speed reducers, air compressors, conveyors, blowers, fans, screens, clarifiers, and tanks.
• For Parks and Recreation Department/Golf Division positions: experience with irrigation repair, maintenance, and troubleshooting wire faults, irrigation controllers, and valve-in-head sprinklers.
• For Parks and Recreation Department/Golf Division positions: experience repairing and maintaining turf equipment such as reels, utility vehicles, walk-behind mowers, rollers, and top dressers.
• Experience and training with computer programs or software.
• A valid California Water Environment Association Plant Maintenance Mechanical Technology certification.
• General knowledge of machinery alignment protocol.

Responsibilities

• Repair, maintain, and install a variety of mechanical equipment, including valves, pumps, air compressors, chemical feed equipment, meters, irrigation systems, small engines, and small turf equipment.
• Assist with overhauling, repairing, and maintaining more complex equipment, including boilers, hydraulic systems and pumps, cooling towers, gear reduction units, and piping support systems.
• Perform other duties as assigned.

Benefits

• Employees represented by AFSCME Local 127 are scheduled to receive general wage increases of 3.5% effective July 1, 2027; 2% effective July 1, 2028; and 2% effective January 1, 2029.
• Equipment Technician I employees are scheduled to receive a 5% equity adjustment effective January 1, 2029.
• Employees may receive 5% additional pay for qualifying overtime, night, weekend, holiday, rotating, and/or stand-by shifts.
• Eligible benefited employees originally hired on or after July 10, 2021, are automatically enrolled in the San Diego City Employees Retirement System (SDCERS).

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Entry Level
• Education Level: No Education Listed