Lead Mechanic - CAT

About Cooper Machinery Services

Cooper Machinery Services provides natural gas compression equipment and services to customers globally in the Oil & Gas, Power, Transportation, and Marine sectors. With a proud heritage dating back to 1833, Cooper Machinery Services is the OEM for legendary product lines including Cooper-Bessemer™, Ajax™, Superior™, Gemini, TSI, CSI, Enterprise, and Joy. Headquartered in Houston, TX, with commercial and services hubs around the world, the company supports more than 22,000 units in its installed base.

Lead Mechanic – CAT

Hourly Non‑Exempt

Regular – Full Time

Machine Shop

Deer Park, TX

The Lead Mechanic is a highly skilled technical role responsible for disassembly, positioning, reassembly, testing, and painting of moderate to highly complex equipment using a combination of manual, pneumatic, and hydraulic tools. The role must clean, inspect, and repair natural gas engine and compressor components in a shop environment while adhering to all Environmental, Health, and Safety rules. The candidate must be able to read detailed prints, use micrometers, dial calipers, and indicators, and work overtime, weekends, and holidays.

• Provide daily oversight of shop activities and help coordinate workflow on the floor, ensuring work is carried out safely, efficiently, and in accordance with engineering specifications and quality standards.
• Train and mentor mechanics at all levels to build technical capability, craftsmanship, and adherence to Cooper standards.
• Serve as a technical resource for peers by demonstrating best practices, advanced techniques, and proper use of specialized tools and equipment.
• Consistently meet production schedules and quality requirements while contributing expertise to continuous improvement initiatives.
• Apply advanced mechanical knowledge and troubleshooting skills to diagnose, repair, and restore complex natural gas engine (including CAT 3600 and Waukesha 7042/7044 in‑frame complete shop zero‑hour overhauls) and compressor components.
• Perform disassembly, inspection, reassembly, testing, and painting of highly complex equipment using a wide range of manual, pneumatic, and hydraulic tools.
• Conduct and document risk assessments before operations and material movements, ensuring safe use of cranes, lift trucks, and other heavy equipment.
• Troubleshoot and perform minor maintenance on mechanical tooling and equipment.
• Complete required documentation with accurate information for routers, inspection reports, and test results.
• Collaborate with engineering and quality teams to support root‑cause investigations and recommend improvements to repair methods, tooling, and processes.
• Ensure facility equipment and tooling are accounted for, maintained, and operating in safe and efficient condition.
• Identify, report, and resolve problems or hazardous conditions that occur during equipment disassembly, assembly, and test set‑up.
• Conduct all business‑related tasks according to Cooper Machinery Services policies.
• Demonstrate an unwavering commitment to Environmental Health & Safety (EHS).
• Understand and adhere to Compliance and Integrity policies.
• Perform other related duties as assigned or indicated by management.

• High School Diploma or GED from an accredited school or institution.
• Minimum 10 years of experience in mechanical test and assembly / disassembly or heavy equipment repairs and maintenance.
• Minimum 8 years of experience in operations / service center operation applications or total relevant operation experience preferred.
• Strong knowledge of existing natural gas engine and compressor cylinder equipment strongly preferred.

• Work overtime, weekends and holidays as required.
• Work in a constant pushing, pulling, lifting, stretching, bending and other physical activities.
• Be in the shop environment a minimum of 8 hours per day, primarily standing and sitting, as required.
• Lift objects weighing up to 50 lbs.
• Be subjected to extreme heat for extended periods of time.
• Work inside and outside, as required.
• Interpret drawings, prints, engineering…