Mech Vehicle S11 – Senior Grounds Vehicle Mechanic

Cornell University • Ithaca, MI

10d • Onsite

About The Position

The Senior Grounds Vehicle Mechanic serves as the lead mechanic for Grounds vehicle and equipment maintenance, reporting directly to the Construction Manager of Grounds. Consistent with management direction, this position assists with oversight and coordination of mechanics and temporary staff, including scheduling, assigning routine work, training staff in equipment maintenance procedures and safety protocols, providing guidance on vehicle maintenance matters, and inspecting work for compliance with standards. This position performs and helps oversee skilled diagnostics, servicing, repairs, inspections, fabrication, preventive maintenance, and recordkeeping for a wide variety of Grounds fleet vehicles and equipment, including turf, landscape maintenance, construction, snow removal, diesel, and other vehicular equipment. The position oversees the Grounds NYS Vehicle Inspection program, supports research and selection of large and small equipment purchases, handles day-to-day procurement of parts and supplies, manages stock and shop tool inventories, and helps maintain a safe, clean, and efficient shop operation. The position also administers receiving processes for the Grounds department, ensuring accurate receipt, documentation, and billing paperwork for materials, equipment, chemicals, supplies, and other department purchases. The position may operate landscape, construction, and heavy snow removal equipment, including dump trucks with plows and salt spreaders and large loaders with plows or snow boxes, in support of special projects, seasonal operations, and snow emergencies in a high-traffic campus environment. The position promptly reports unsafe conditions or damage to campus landscape, equipment, vehicles, or facilities. This position is subject to 24/7 call-in for emergencies and may require extended hours, including nights, early mornings, evenings, weekends, and holidays, to meet seasonal operational needs. Work may occur in weather extremes and may involve working underneath vehicles and equipment, on lifts, in confined spaces, from ladders, in noisy environments, and around gasoline, diesel fuel, and other petroleum products. While position responsibilities vary, every member of our community is expected to foster a culture of belonging and a psychologically healthy work environment by communicating across differences; being cooperative, collaborative, open, and welcoming; showing respect, compassion, and empathy; engaging and supporting others regardless of background or perspective; speaking up when others are being excluded or treated inappropriately; and supporting work/life integration of oneself and others.

Requirements

• High school diploma or equivalent.
• Minimum of six years of experience maintaining, repairing, and operating a broad range of grounds, landscape maintenance, construction, and snow removal equipment.
• Equipment experience should include tractors, turf equipment, mowers, aerifiers, hydro-seeders, sprayers, edgers, vacuum equipment, wheel loaders, backhoes, excavators, sewer rodders, compressors, pickup trucks, large diesel dump trucks with air brakes, wing plows, salt spreaders, asphalt equipment, and related equipment.
• Minimum of six years of experience operating snow removal equipment, including 4 ft. to 11 ft. hydraulic plows, snow boxes, salt spreaders, and snow blowers.
• Experience repairing and maintaining 2-cycle and 4-cycle fractional-horsepower gasoline engines.
• Minimum of three years of leadership experience.
• Demonstrated ability to provide work direction, training, and technical guidance to mechanics, equipment operators, temporary staff, and seasonal employees.
• Ability to organize, prioritize, schedule, and assign work.
• CDL Class A with air brake certification required.
• Must have and maintain a valid U.S. driver’s license and may be required to operate a personal or Cornell-owned vehicle to travel to and from job sites.
• Must be OBD II certified.
• NYS Inspection Certificate for light-duty and heavy-duty vehicles required.
• Must pass a pre-employment drug test and be subject to random drug and alcohol testing.
• Ability to analyze complex mechanical, electrical, fuel, and power/transmission delivery system failures and perform appropriate repairs.
• Ability to read and follow diagrams, sketches, operation manuals, and manufacturer specifications.
• Ability to use welding, burning, and brazing equipment to complete repairs and fabrication work.
• Ability to write maintenance reports, communicate effectively in writing, understand and follow oral instructions, and communicate clearly with supervisors, coworkers, equipment operators, and staff.
• Experience in and/or demonstrated commitment to supporting diversity, equity, access, inclusion, and wellbeing.

Nice To Haves

• Associates Degree or additional technical training school course work desirable.

Responsibilities

• Serves as the lead mechanic for Grounds vehicle and equipment maintenance.
• Assists with oversight and coordination of mechanics and temporary staff, including scheduling, assigning routine work, training staff in equipment maintenance procedures and safety protocols, providing guidance on vehicle maintenance matters, and inspecting work for compliance with standards.
• Performs and helps oversee skilled diagnostics, servicing, repairs, inspections, fabrication, preventive maintenance, and recordkeeping for a wide variety of Grounds fleet vehicles and equipment.
• Oversees the Grounds NYS Vehicle Inspection program.
• Supports research and selection of large and small equipment purchases.
• Handles day-to-day procurement of parts and supplies.
• Manages stock and shop tool inventories.
• Helps maintain a safe, clean, and efficient shop operation.
• Administers receiving processes for the Grounds department, ensuring accurate receipt, documentation, and billing paperwork for materials, equipment, chemicals, supplies, and other department purchases.
• May operate landscape, construction, and heavy snow removal equipment in support of special projects, seasonal operations, and snow emergencies.
• Promptly reports unsafe conditions or damage to campus landscape, equipment, vehicles, or facilities.

Benefits

• Educational benefits
• Access to a plethora of wellness programs
• Employee discounts with local and national retail brands
• Health care options to choose from
• Generous paid leave provisions: 3 weeks of vacation leave, health and personal leave, 13 holidays (including end of year winter break through New Year’s Day), 2 floating holidays
• Superior retirement contributions

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Senior
• Education Level: High school or GED