Journey Parts Person

Community Transit is looking for an experienced parts professional to join our maintenance team in Everett. In this role, you'll help keep our buses and support vehicles on the road by making sure our maintenance teams have the right parts, at the right time, at the right value.

This is a hands-on, relationship-driven parts role. You'll work directly with mechanics and maintenance teams, often helping identify parts that may not come with a part number or an obvious description. You might be handed an unfamiliar or worn component and need to use your knowledge, experience, catalogs, suppliers, and problem-solving skills to figure out exactly what it is and find the right replacement.

We're looking for someone who is comfortable walking into a maintenance environment, talking with mechanics, asking the right questions, getting their hands on parts, and figuring things out. Experience with heavy-duty, fleet, truck, bus, diesel, or industrial parts is especially valuable.

• Locate, purchase, record, and dispense parts and services for bus and auto facilities maintenance employees.
• Verify receipts and maintain price records, stock locations, and shipping logs.  Maintain specifications of safety-sensitive parts and after-market parts purchased, confirming compliance with safety specifications.  Maintain related documents.  Assist with contract administration in compliance with federal, state, and local audit requirements.
• Research and purchase unusual or hard-to-find goods and services.  Collect and evaluate information on required specifications.  Resource and evaluate best-value purchases, considering price, quality, warranty, and delivery.
• Maintain centralized shipping and receiving information.
• Prepare specifications and conduct informal RFQs for goods and services, including evaluation and award in compliance with federal, state, and local regulations.
• Analyze usage trends and forecast future stock usage.  Set stock reorder levels, safety stock, and minimum stock levels.  Design and assist with creating custom inventory reports.
• Establish a reliable after-market vendor base, determining compliance with OEM safety-sensitive specifications.  Assist in identifying safety-sensitive parts.  Research potential vendors and offerings.  Evaluate the quality of products and services.
• Evaluate and determine delivery requirements vs. cost.  Negotiate disputed pricing, core charges, re-stocking charges, receipts, delivery charges, warranties, and quality issues with vendors.
• Maintain a perpetual inventory system.  Perform cycle counts and year-end inventory counts.
• Perform other duties of a similar nature or level.

Minimum Qualifications

• High school diploma, GED, or equivalent credential.
• 5 years of experience in an automotive, industrial, bus, or truck parts department.
• Valid Washington State driver’s license and ability to drive a Community Transit vehicle.
• Ability to work any assigned shift, including weekends and holidays.

An equivalent combination of education and experience to successfully perform the job duties is also accepted.

Knowledge Requirements

• Basic automotive and diesel power train specifications, brakes (air and hydraulic), suspension, air system controls, fuel management, exhaust and emission systems and standards.
• Basic industrial supplies, including electrical (AC and DC), hydraulic and air hoses and fittings, fasteners, welding, body shop, HVAC, and plumbing.
• Basic inventory management processes.
• Basic purchasing processes and applicable procurement regulations.
• General business practices.

Skill Requirements

• Fostering an inclusive workplace by upholding Community Transit’s core values in support of the organization’s vision and mission. Inspiring team commitment, pride, and trust while promoting cooperation and motivating members to achieve shared goals. Demonstrating courtesy, sensitivity, and respect in all interactions.
• Designing evaluation methods - reviewing and evaluating programs to monitor effectiveness and devising methods for improvements or corrective action in procedures within an assigned area.
• Researching and evaluating products for cost, quality, and availability.
• Interacting, communicating, and negotiating with outside vendors.
• Basic mathematical computations.
• Operating a forklift.
• Operating a Windows-based computer, including email and word processing tools, and basic internet proficiency.

Preferred Skills and Knowledge

• Public procurement processes.
• Contract administration.
• Beginner-level experience with Microsoft Excel

Working Conditions

Your work will be performed both in an office setting and in a vehicle maintenance or heavy equipment maintenance shop environment.  You will need to operate standard office equipment and keyboards.  You will be required to move throughout and between different offices and maintenance shop buildings.  You may be required to exert up to 100 pounds of force occasionally, up to 50 pounds frequently, and up to 20 pounds constantly to inspect and move parts. 

Schedule: Because our maintenance operations run around the clock, this position may work different shifts, including weekends and holidays, based on the needs of the agency. Shift assignments follow the applicable collective bargaining agreement.

Application and Selection Process

• Only on-line applications accepted.  
• Applicants for this job may be considered for other openings up to six months after the date this position is filled.
• Applicants who meet the minimum requirements may be scheduled for an interview as well as a variety of tests to demonstrate knowledge, and skills for the position.  The evaluation process may include interviews, background check, reference checks and various performance tests. 

Employee Benefits

• Employees (and their families) are covered by medical, dental, vision, basic life and disability insurance.
• Employees participate in the Public Employees Retirement System (PERS) and have the option to enroll in the agency’s deferred compensation plan. 
• In addition to WA Paid Sick Leave, employees in this position, accrue nineteen (19) days of Paid Time Off (152 hours) in their first year and receive ten (10) paid holidays throughout the calendar year.
• Full list of all benefits and details can be found here.

If you are related to or share the same living quarters of a current Community Transit employee, please let your Human Resources Recruiter know as your eligibility for this position will be affected.

Community Transit provides a tobacco-free and drug-free work environment.  As a recipient of federal funds, Community Transit is an Equal Opportunity Employer and does not unlawfully discriminate on a basis prohibited by Federal, State or Local law.  We value and encourage diversity in our workforce.  EOE AA M/F/Vet/Disability.  Qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to their race, color, religion, national origin, sex, protected veteran status or disability.