Mechanic Apprentice Jobs in Nebraska (NOW HIRING)

Salary: $26.99 - $29.98 Hourly
Location : Lincoln, NE
Job Type: Full time/probationary or status
Job Number: 202600393R
Department: Transportation & Utilities Department
Division: StarTran
Opening Date: 07/23/2026
Closing Date: Continuous
Job Posting Information
Are you mechanically inclined, eager to learn, and ready to build a career in public transportation? Join our team as a Bus Apprentice Mechanic, where you'll gain hands-on experience maintaining, inspecting, and repairing a variety of makes and models of City-owned and operated buses that serve our community every day.
This is an excellent opportunity for someone with foundational mechanical experience who wants to grow their skills, work with experienced mechanics, and be part of the supportive, professional team at StarTran, a division of Lincoln Transportation and Utilities (LTU) - the City of Lincoln's largest department.
What You'll Do
Working alongside a Journey Mechanic, you will assist with:

• work on electrical problems
• work on brake repairs.
• removing and replacing transmissions
• overhauling engines
• air conditioning repairs and adjustments
• work on wheelchair lifts
• work on inspections to understand components and probable failures
• assist with the performance of building and grounds maintenance

This position lifts up to 25 pounds.
Upon successful completion of probation and required ASE certifications, you will be eligible to advance to Bus Journey Mechanic.
Hours: Monday - Saturday; Hours to be determined by shift bid.
THIS SAFETY SENSITIVE POSITION IS SUBJECT TO MANDATORY DRUG TESTING POLICIES AS A CONDITION OF EMPLOYMENT.
Minimum Qualifications

• Graduation from high school or equivalent
• Specialized vocational/technical school training with a degree in diesel repair or technology

Any equivalent combination of training and experience that provides the desirable knowledge, abilities and skills may be considered.
Necessary Special Requirements

• A valid Driver's License
• Commercial Driver's License (CDL) and endorsement
  *Commercial Learner's Permit required at start date. Training, including Entry Level Driver Training, will be provided prior to testing for a Commercial Driver's License (CDL). Must be able to obtain CDL within 60 days of employment.

Certification as an ASE (Automotive Service Excellence) Mechanic, or pass a mutually agreed upon examination, prior to advancement to Journey Mechanic.
Take a look at what it is like to be a part of Lincoln's transit team! Visit lincoln.ne.gov/TransitCareer
We value each City of Lincoln employee and one way we demonstrate this is by providing an attractive and competitive total compensation package that adds value to our employees' professional and personal lives. The following benefits are available for this position:

• Pay increases are available upon completion of the 6-month new employee probationary period, and annually thereafter based on performance.

• We encourage a healthy work-life balance by offering 10 days of vacation leave and approximately 12 days of sick leave annually that you begin accruing upon hire; plus 8 paid holidays and 4 personal convenience days.

• All medical, dental, and vision benefits for you and your family begin the first of the month following hire, no need to wait!

• 30 days of Paid Parental Leave

• Employee Assistance Programs offering work/life services, wellness coaching, short-term counseling, legal assistance, and financial coaching.

• Up to 3 days of Funeral and Bereavement Leave

• $50,000 of Life Insurance.

• 401(a) Retirement Plan. If you make a 7% contribution, the City will contribute 9%

• Employer provided Post Employment Health Plan for eligible medical expenses that occur after you leave City employment.

• Optional benefits include:
  • Medical and/or Dependent Care Flexible Spending Accounts
  • Allstate Voluntary Plans
  • Supplemental Term Life
  • Deferred Compensation Plans

01
APPLICATION COMPLETION ACKNOWLEDGEMENTTo successfully complete your application, please make sure you read each statement below and check ALL boxes prior to submission.

• 1. This application is hand scored.
• 2. ALL questions must be fully answered to receive full credit.
• 3. "See Resume", or answers such as "See ___" are not acceptable responses and may not receive full credit.
• 4. Copied/Pasted answers may not receive full credit.
• 5. ALL employers and education referred to in answers must be listed in the Work History and Education sections of the application for verification and to receive full credit.
• 6. I understand I am responsible for the accuracy and completeness of my application.
• I Acknowledge that I have read and understand each of the above statements.

02
Do you have a degree in diesel repair or technology?

• Yes
• No

03
If yes, please indicate where you acquired this degree. If no, enter N/A.
04
Please indicate your level of work experience or training in the servicing, repair, or technology of the following:(Please select only one option for each category)

• Diesel vehicles - Less than 1 year
• Diesel vehicles - 1 - 2 years
• Diesel vehicles - 2 or more years
• Gasoline vehicles - Less than 1 year
• Gasoline vehicles - 1 - 2 years
• Gasoline vehicles - 2 or more years
• CNG vehicles - Less than 1 year
• CNG vehicles - 1 - 2 years
• CNG vehicles - 2 or more years
• Electric vehicles - Less than 1 year
• Electric vehicles - 1 - 2 years
• Electric vehicles - 2 or more years
• No Experience or Training

05
For any option(s) selected above, please list the employer from the Work History section of this application, or the school from the Education section, where you gained this experience. If No Experience or Training, enter N/A.
06
For any option(s) selected above, please describe your work duties. If No Experience or Training, enter N/A.
07
Indicate if you have work experience repairing and overhauling the following:

• Transmissions - Diesel experience
• Transmissions - Gasoline experience
• Air Conditioning - Diesel experience
• Air Conditioning - Gasoline experience
• Brakes - Diesel experience
• Brakes - Gasoline experience
• Air Brakes - Diesel experience
• Air Brakes - Gasoline experience
• Trouble Shooting Electrical system - Diesel experience
• Trouble Shooting Electrical systems - Gasoline experience
• Tune up engines - Diesel experience
• Tune up engines - Gasoline experience
• No experience

08
Please list the employers from your application where you acquired this experience. If none, enter N/A.
09
I understand, as a condition of my employment for the position for which I am applying with the City of Lincoln/Lancaster County, that I must at all times be legally licensed to operate a motor vehicle. I understand state law requires operators possessing a driver's license from another state must obtain a valid Nebraska driver's license within 30 days of change of residence. Further, I understand that I must notify my immediate supervisor the next working day following a motor vehicle conviction which results in loss, revoked, impounded or suspension of my driver's license Further, I understand that this document is an official City/County record, and that falsification of this document, or failure to properly notify the City/County of driving convictions or loss of driving privileges will result in discipline, up to and including termination. This applies any time driving privileges are revoked, suspended or limited in any way by any court or the Nebraska Department of Motor Vehicles or any other Administrative agency of the state of Nebraska or any other state jurisdiction. Do you have a valid driver's license?

• Yes
• No

10
If yes, please list the state of issuance, your driver's license number, the date of issuance, and expiration date
11
As a condition of employment for this position, you must at all times be legally licensed to operate a COMMERCIAL motor vehicle. Do you have a valid commercial driver's license (CDL)?

• Yes
• No

12
If yes, please list your license number, state of issuance, date of issuance, and expiration date. If no, enter N/A.
13
CDL endorsements: (Check all that apply)

• Passenger Transport
• Air Brakes
• Combination Vehicles
• Tanker
• None

14
I understand that I will be required to obtain a valid Nebraska Commercial Driver's License with endorsements, if applicable, within 60 days of appointment or I will be terminated.

• I understand

15
I understand that in accordance with Federal Transit Administration and Department of Transportation Regulations, each individual conditionally hired for a safety sensitive position is subject to mandatory drug and alcohol testing. Any applicant who refuses or fails to execute the City/County's general consent and release form to be drug and alcohol tested, who refuses or fails to execute the City/County's authorization to obtain past drug and alcohol test results forms, who refuses or fails to submit to a pre-employment/pre-duty drug and alcohol test as directed, or whose result is positive for either test, will not be considered eligible to work for the City/County. Existing workers who test positive will not be considered qualified for the position for which they are applying and will also be subject to the City/County discipline, up to and including discharge. All pre-employment job applicants covered by this policy who test positive will not be hired.I understand that any applicant has the right to have their original split sample retested (by a DHHS certified laboratory, the original laboratory will follow approved transfer procedures) at their expense, if requested in writing to the City/County Human Resources Director within 72 hours of the final result provided by the Medical Review Officer. If upon retest the results are found to be negative, the City/County will reimburse the costs involved with the retest. (If the second test is found to be positive, the applicant will not be hired, and the cost of the retest will not be reimbursed.)Current employees transferring, promoting or demoting into a position requiring drug testing who test positive have the right to have their sample retested (by a DHHS certified laboratory, the original laboratory will follow approved transfer procedures) at their expense, if requested in writing to the City/County Human Resources Director within 72 hours of the final result provided by the MRO. If upon retest the results are found to be negative, the City/County will reimburse the costs involved with the retest. If the results of the retest, are positive, the cost will not be reimbursed.

• I understand

16
I understand, if hired to a safety sensitive position, I am subject to Random, Post Accident, Reasonable/Suspicion, Return to Duty and Follow-Up drug and alcohol testing. Failure to comply with federal mandates and City/County Policy could result in discipline up to and including termination.

• Yes
• No

17
Have you failed or refused a Department of Transportation drug or alcohol test within the previous two years?

• Yes
• No

18
I understand this position lifts up to 25 pounds.

• I Understand

Required Question