Transmission Technician

JA Riggs Tractor Company•Little Rock, AR

7d•Onsite

About The Position

Riggs Cat Power & Energy is hiring Transmission Technicians at apprentice through Lead / Master levels. The role is based in the shop and involves tearing down, inspecting, and rebuilding transmissions, torque converters, final drives, and other powertrain components. Candidates may come from on-highway, agricultural, heavy equipment, military, or automotive backgrounds, with experience ranging from entry-level to more than ten years in powertrain rebuilding. The work spans mechanical rebuilds, torque converters, and electronic/hydraulic controls. Technicians advance by taking ownership of more areas. Continuous improvement is central to the role: technicians investigate why transmissions fail and use their findings to improve future repairs. All levels are expected to work according to the Riggs Way: Urgent. Selfless. Excellent. Responsibilities and scope vary by level. Apprentices assist with teardown, cleaning, inspection preparation, kitting, and supervised measurements. Technician II employees perform teardown and reassembly independently, check and shim clearances, inspect valve bodies, and service final drives. Senior technicians overhaul and test torque converters, diagnose controls, analyze returned failures, perform final quality checks on rebuilds, and train junior technicians. Lead / Master technicians own transmission quality and shop standards, make repair-versus-replace and warranty decisions based on documented evidence, scope and quote jobs, mentor the team, coordinate with the Dyno or test stand on failures, share findings to improve rebuilding practices, and communicate clearly with clients. The position requires precision, cleanliness, contamination control, systematic separation of mechanical, hydraulic, and control causes, and evidence-based decisions. Candidates must be able to pass work-related pre-employment physical demands. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform essential functions. The role involves occasional exposure to moving mechanical parts, fumes or airborne particles, outdoor weather conditions, and vibration; the noise level is usually moderate. Extended periods of driving are required. The job description may change as employer needs and job requirements change. This is a non-exempt, hourly position with an equal opportunity employer.

Requirements

All levels: Experience may range from 0–2 years at Apprentice level, 2–5 years at Technician II, 5–10 years at Senior, and 10+ years in transmission, converter, and final drive work at Lead / Master.
All levels: Ability to use precision tools and apply basic hydraulics.
All levels: Ability to read exploded-view diagrams and OEM manuals.
All levels: Strict cleanliness and contamination control for hydraulic systems.
All levels: Familiarity with Cat SIS 2.0 or a comparable service information system, such as John Deere Service ADVISOR, CNH Service Plus, or Jaltest.
All levels: Forklift and overhead crane certification within 90 days of hire.
Level 2 and above: Powertrain Systems Level 1, Transmission and Torque Converter Overview coursework, Cat ET, scope-of-repair and parts-reuse guidelines, and AFA I.
Level 3: Powertrain Systems Levels 1 and 2, Transmission Control Overview, AFA I and II, and a structured diagnostic approach to controls.
Level 4: Same training as Senior, plus cost and scope judgment.
Replace wear parts rather than reuse them to save time.
Methodically distinguish mechanical, hydraulic, and control causes.
Make evidence-based decisions.
Must be able to pass work-related pre-employment physical demands.
Must be able to drive for extended periods.

Nice To Haves

ASE A2 Automatic Transmission certification.
ASE T3 Drive Train certification.
Cat powertrain experience, noted as a strong plus at Level 4.

Responsibilities

Tear down, clean, inspect, and rebuild transmissions, torque converters, final drives, and powertrain components.
Prepare components for inspection and kit clutch packs and seals.
Measure clearances under supervision and tag failed parts.
Perform independent transmission teardown and reassembly, clutch and plate clearance checks and shimming, valve body inspection, and final drive service at Technician II level.
Overhaul and test torque converters; diagnose controls; analyze failures on returned units; perform final quality checks on individual rebuilds; and train Levels 1–2 at Senior level.
Own transmission quality and shop-wide rebuild, test, and sign-off standards at Lead / Master level.
Make repair-versus-replace decisions, including whether a core is worth rebuilding; handle warranty dispositions using documented evidence; and scope and quote jobs.
Mentor the team and provide corrective feedback.
Coordinate with the Dyno or test stand on failures and feed findings back into rebuilding practices.
Communicate clearly with clients at Lead / Master level.
Investigate transmission failures and apply findings to improve future repairs.
Maintain cleanliness and contamination control in hydraulic systems and make evidence-based repair decisions.