Job Title
Bicycle Mechanic
Company / Organization
bike works by p:ear
Job Description
p:ear builds positive relationships with homeless and transitional youth through education, art and recreation to affirm personal worth and create more meaningful and healthier lives.
p:ear respects and celebrates the diversity, creativity and strength of the p:ear community. Equity and inclusion are a priority across all parts of our organization. We are committed to using our time and resources to help identify and eliminate disparities based on identity and to promote equitable access to our programs so we can all live in the world we want for our young people.
Position: Bicycle Mechanic
P/T: Wednesday-Saturday ~ 32 hrs/week
Reports To: p:ear Works Director / Shop Managers Compensation: $19/hr.
Bike Mechanic Job Description
bike works is looking for a dynamic individual to help support our social purpose enterprise community bike shop in East Portland. In partnership with the Rosewood Initiative, bike works supports Portland’s Eastside communities, providing low cost, low
barrier access to bike education, repair and sales of refurbished bicycles and parts. Prior community bike shop experience is a big advantage. Our shop is located at 141276 SE Stark St.
The primary role of the bicycle mechanic from January through March will be to build up the shop’s inventory of bikes that are ready for sale before business picks back up in the spring. This position will require mechanical aptitude and attention to detail. Additional duties include: tearing down unusable bikes and processing used parts, help with customer service and miscellaneous shop functions, participate in shop inventory counts and shop organization efforts.
As demand for repair services increases in the spring, the mechanic role will increasingly focus on customer repairs and direct customer service. This will include check in/out of customer bikes and bike repair assessments and sales. As an essential part of our team, you will model excellent customer service and professionalism for our youth interns.
Required Qualifications & Competencies
● Commitment to advancing equity and creating and maintaining an inclusive environment that is welcoming for all
● Commitment to non-violence and compassionate responses
● Bike shop mechanic experience – several years preferred
● Excellent customer service and communication skills
● Able to work independently, problem solve and complete tasks with minimal
oversight
● Bilingual a plus
Essential Duties & Responsibilities
● Exemplifies compassion and understanding around the barriers of homelessness and underrepresented populations in the community
● Maintain an organized and efficient work environment
● Professional communication with supervisors
● Proficiently execute assembly, repairs and maintenance for all types of bicycles,
particularly used and older bicycles
● Adheres to any and all safety procedures regarding lifting, usage of tools and bicycle safety checks. Helmets must be worn when riding a bicycle.
● Assemble, test and service new and used bikes
● Represent bike works and its mission positively and professionally
● Identify barriers and recommend solutions to better serve the community
Mechanics
o Properly assess and determine bike repairs and recommend customer options
o Repair and refurbish bicycles to be sold in the shop, as well as to be donated
o Track parts used per project
o Maintain a neat and organized workspace
o Maintain a high level of professionalism
o Perform quality control checks on bikes built
Winter Production Work
● Select and fully repair bicycles for sale through the shop
● Produce 2 complete bicycles per day
● Track inventory and inputs on each production bike
● Complete no fewer than 100 sale bikes by the 1st of March
Shop Operations
o Salvaging usable parts from bike donations
o Cleaning and organizing used part inventory
o Assist customers in the shop with purchases and bicycle repairs during
sales
o Strong proficiency with bicycle tech
Physical Demands
● Able to sit or stand and walk throughout the scheduled work shift
● Ability to lift and/or move up to 75 lbs
bike works by p:ear
Bike Works by p:ear promotes the bicycle as a vehicle for social change, creating opportunities for homeless youth and build resilient and diverse communities. p:ear’s social enterprise bike shop works to make bicycling accessible and affordable to Portland’s east side community. Our full service bike shop provides an array of services, from minor adjustments and tune-ups, to full bike overhauls.
p:ear’s Bike Mechanic School serves as a conduit from which our shop’s intern mechanics became educated and trained in the art of bike mechanics. Under your guidance p:ear youth interns will continue to build their mechanical hard skills as well as develop the soft skills of customer service, time management, problem solving and independence to name a few.
The Rosewood Initiative
The Rosewood Initiative connects and empowers Rosewood neighbors to build a safe, prosperous, vibrant and inclusive community. The Rosewood Community Center is a hub where neighbors can help the community as they improve their own lives. Neighbors
come here to interact with one another, work on projects and feel safe. Rosewood builds capacity in the neighborhood by helping people learn useful skills and by connecting friends, partners and resources. The Bicycle Shop Manager position is a partnership between p:ear and The Rosewood Initiative. This person will be expected to follow all organizational policies and procedures of both organizations.
p:ear Bike Works Agreements
Lastly, we expect the following agreements to be used with regard to every youth intern, customer and individual regardless of race, religion, color, creed, national origin, age, disabling condition, political affiliation or sexual orientation.
Agreements*
Agreements are more than a vehicle to keep conversations safe and focused. When used to their potential, agreements are an actual tool. Agreements are a tool that supports both individuals and organizations in understanding “how” to engage in productive efforts to advance equity and inclusion. We expect all employees, interns and volunteers to honor the following agreements:
• Stay Engaged • Speak Your Truth Responsibly •Listen to Understand
• Be Willing to Do Things Differently / Experience Discomfort
• Expect and Accept Non-Closure •Confidentiality *Adopted from the Center for Equity and Inclusion
How to Apply
TO APPLY: Please send resume and answers to the questions below as PDFs to the questions in lieu of a cover letter to nathan@bikeworkspdx.org with “Bicycle Mechanic” in the subject line. The job will remain open until full. Email only, no phone calls, please – phone calls will not be returned. Successful candidates will be contacted for an interview starting early January 2024.
1. How will you incorporate equity into your work as a bike mechanic at bike works by p:ear? Please outline your approach to customer service and working with underserved communities.
2. Describe your level of bike mechanic expertise and proficiencies, including types of bikes worked on and past or current shop environments that you have worked in.
