ZipRecruiter

Log In

1

Mechanic Side Jobs in California (NOW HIRING)

Empire Parking Lot Services

Mechanic

Orange, CA · On-site

$25 - $35/hr

  • Medical

  • PTO

... to side without hesitation or discomfort. * Except for conventional corrective aids, one must ... mechanical parts; outside weather conditions; and extreme cold and/or heat. * The employee may be ...

Empire Parking Lot Services

Mechanic

Orange, CA

$25 - $35/hr

  • Medical

  • PTO

... to side without hesitation or discomfort. * Except for conventional corrective aids, one must ... mechanical parts; outside weather conditions; and extreme cold and/or heat. * The employee may be ...

Empire Parking Lot Services

Mechanic

Orange, CA · On-site

  • Medical

  • PTO

... to side without hesitation or discomfort. * Except for conventional corrective aids, one must ... mechanical parts; outside weather conditions; and extreme cold and/or heat. * The employee may be ...

Empire Parking Lot Services

Mechanic

Orange, CA · On-site

$25/hr

  • Medical

  • PTO

... to side without hesitation or discomfort. * Except for conventional corrective aids, one must ... mechanical parts; outside weather conditions; and extreme cold and/or heat. * The employee may be ...

RSS Trailer Repair

Trailer Mechanic Trainee

Patterson, CA · On-site

$18 - $21/hr

  • Medical

  • Dental

  • Life

  • Retirement

Work side-by-side with a Trailer Mechanic. * Help perform repairs and maintenance on semi-trailers - keeping trailers in compliance with DOT safety standards. * Essential tasks will include changing ...

ConGlobal

Refrigeration Mechanic

Wilmington, CA · On-site

$24.98 - $30.66/hr

  • Medical

  • Dental

  • Vision

  • Retirement

Perform routine and preventive maintenance on side loaders, hostlers, forklifts, and related ... Previous crane mechanic experience a plus * Hydraulic systems experience required (pumps, valves ...

next page

Showing results 1-20

All JobsMechanic Side JobsMechanic Side Jobs in California

Mechanic Side information

See California salary details

$12

$24

$36

How much do mechanic side jobs pay per hour?

As of Aug 12, 2026, the average hourly pay for mechanic side in California is $24.49, according to ZipRecruiter salary data. Most workers in this role earn between $18.99 and $28.46 per hour, depending on experience, location, and employer.

Is being a mechanic a good side hustle?

Being a mechanic can be a viable side hustle for those with automotive skills, as it allows flexible scheduling and the potential to earn extra income by offering repair or maintenance services. Success depends on technical knowledge, tools, and the ability to manage customer relationships outside of a full-time job.

What is a mechanic side?

A Mechanic Side job typically refers to working as a mechanic on a part-time, freelance, or side-gig basis. This could involve performing vehicle repairs, maintenance, or diagnostics outside of full-time employment, often in a personal garage or mobile setup. Many mechanics take on side jobs to earn extra income or gain more hands-on experience. It’s important to have the necessary tools, skills, and any required certifications to ensure quality work.

What are the key skills and qualifications needed to thrive in the mechanic side position, and why are they important?

To thrive as a Mechanic Side, you need a solid understanding of mechanical systems, troubleshooting, and hands-on repair skills, often acquired through vocational training or apprenticeship. Familiarity with diagnostic tools, power tools, and common shop equipment, along with relevant certifications such as ASE, is essential. Strong teamwork, attention to detail, and good communication abilities help you excel in supporting lead mechanics and ensuring safety. These skills and qualifications are vital for maintaining efficient operations, minimizing downtime, and delivering reliable service in automotive or machinery repair environments.

How to get more side jobs as a mechanic?

Mechanics can increase side jobs by building a strong reputation through quality work and customer referrals, and by advertising services on online platforms, social media, or local classifieds. Developing specialized skills or certifications can also attract more clients seeking specific repairs or services. Maintaining a flexible schedule and offering mobile or emergency services can further expand opportunities.

What are the typical daily responsibilities of a mechanic side?

A Mechanic Side typically assists lead mechanics with vehicle or equipment repairs, conduct routine maintenance tasks like oil changes and tire rotations, and helps diagnose mechanical issues. You may also be responsible for keeping work areas organized, handling tool setup and cleaning, and maintaining records of completed work. This role often requires collaborating closely with more experienced mechanics and service advisors to ensure each job is completed efficiently and safely. Being proactive and learning on the job can open growth opportunities and provide valuable hands-on experience in the field.

What are popular job titles related to Mechanic Side jobs in California? For Mechanic Side jobs in California, the most frequently searched job titles are:
What job categories do people searching Mechanic Side jobs in California look for? The top searched job categories for Mechanic Side jobs in California are:
What cities in California are hiring for Mechanic Side jobs? Cities in California with the most Mechanic Side job openings:
Mechanic Side jobs near you
Infographic showing various Mechanic Side job openings in California as of August 2026, with employment types broken down into 1% As Needed, 69% Full Time, 22% Part Time, 2% Temporary, and 6% Contract. Highlights an 92% Physical, 3% Hybrid, and 5% Remote job distribution, with an average salary of $50,937 per year, or $24.5 per hour.

Mechanical Engineer -- Munition System

Velia multiservices

San Francisco, CA • On-site

Full-time

Re-posted 27 days ago

Job description

About the project

We're building a small, safety-critical kinetic munition delivered by an FPV-class airframe. The system carries an electro mechanical safe and arm device (EMSAD) governed by a seven-state safety-arm-fire state machine, electromechanical safing features, and sensor suite. Everything has to survive flight loads, drops, vibration, and field handling — and fail safe at every step.

You will own the mechanical side end-to-end: from concept and CAD through prototypes, testing, and the transfer to production.

What you'll do

Design the munition housing, internal structure, and arming mechanism (S&A train, transport pin, motor-driven elements) in CAD.

Define the mechanical safety architecture together with the HW and SW leads — interlocks, out-of-line geometry, transport-pin retention, drop/impact behavior.

Spec materials, finishes, tolerances, and fasteners for the operating environment (temperature, vibration, humidity, salt fog as relevant).

Build prototypes in-house (3D print, CNC) and run iteration loops; hand off drawings and DFM packages to external machinists / injection-mold vendors.

Plan and execute mechanical qualification: drop, shock, vibration, environmental, mass-properties / CG checks, integration with the airframe.

Own the BOM, weight budget, and CG budget. Track them like the safety-critical numbers they are.

Work directly alongside the HW and SW engineers — PCB outline, connector placement, harnessing, mechanism actuation requirements come out of these conversations.

Required

5+ years designing mechanical assemblies that go into the field — UAV payloads, defense, automotive, aerospace, or similar regulated/rugged domains.

Fluency in a parametric CAD tool (SolidWorks, Fusion 360, Onshape, Creo, NX — pick your favorite).

Comfort producing manufacturing-ready drawings: GD&T, tolerance stacks, surface finishes, fits.

Hands-on with prototyping: FDM/SLA printers, mill, lathe, basic machining sense.

Strong intuition for failure modes — you've broken things deliberately and know which question to ask next.

Working English, written and verbal.

Nice to have

Experience with safety & arming (S&A) mechanisms, fuzing, pyrotechnics, or anything else that has to be unambiguously safe before it's allowed to be dangerous.

Familiarity with MIL-STD-810 (environmental), MIL-STD-331 (fuze tests), or equivalent civilian standards.

FEA / structural simulation (Ansys, SolidWorks Simulation, Onshape FEA).

Injection-mold and metal-casting DFM.

FPV / small-UAV background — payload integration, mass/CG sensitivity.