Michigan Technological University is an R1 technological research university founded in 1885 in Houghton. Our rural campus is situated just miles from Lake Superior in Michigan's scenic Upper Peninsula and is home to nearly 7,500 students from more than 60 countries around the world. Consistently ranked among the best universities in the country for return on investment, Michigan's flagship technological university offers more than 185 undergraduate and graduate degree programs. Research focus areas include defense, health, energy, automotive, environment, and aerospace. The area's waters, forests, and snowfall support year-round recreation, including skiing, snowboarding, hiking, biking, and paddling. The University is an integral part of the region, supported by a friendly and welcoming community that takes pride in being a true college town. We embrace our size, climate, sense of adventure, and originality.
Summary
|
The Building Mechanic III position at Michigan Technological University ensures the safe operation and maintenance of campus buildings to create a secure, comfortable environment for students, faculty, and staff. Responsibilities include advanced preventive/reactive maintenance, compliance, and facility management.
|
Responsibilities and Essential Duties
|
1. Perform routine custodial, maintenance, and repair services in campus buildings to ensure a clean, safe, and functional environment that supports the University's mission and enhances the overall student experience.
2. Conduct daily checks of interior and exterior building conditions including performing snow removal and salt application and ensuring proper function, comfort and security.
3. Conduct weekly checks of various building systems to ensure reliability, safety, and regulatory compliance.
4. Conduct monthly checks of various building components and equipment, organize and clean mechanical/electrical areas, and audit spare parts inventories to ensure operational efficiency, safety, and regulatory compliance.
5. Conduct preventative maintenance in accordance with manufacturer's recommendations and perform corrective actions based on maintenance findings.
6. Provide initial response for facility-related emergencies including, but not limited to building system alarms, security/fire system alarms, power outages, and elevator faults.
7. Monitor building systems and alarms via a network terminal, computer or mobile device/application.
8. Provide initial response when following up on reports of nuisance odors, water leaks, tripped breakers, plugged drains, and similar accounts from building occupants.
9. Exercise functional supervision over seasonal, temporary, and student employees.
10. Performance of custodial duties as assigned including cleaning and maintaining conference rooms, hallways, lobbies, lounges, restrooms, offices, laboratories, stairwells and other areas as assigned.
11. Perform advanced troubleshooting and maintenance tasks related to HVAC systems, electrical services, plumbing systems, and building structural elements, fixtures, and finishes.
12. Participate in training programs and assist fellow building mechanics and licensed tradespersons with assessing, diagnosing, repairing, and restoring building systems.
13. Commit to learning about continuous improvement strategies and applying them to everyday work. Actively engage in University continuous improvement initiatives.
14. Basic ability to read and interpret blueprints, sketches, schematic diagrams, and instruction manuals to assess and troubleshoot simple systems, circuits, and networks.
15. Contribute to a safe working environment by following best practices and safe work procedures, wearing assigned PPE, completing safety training as assigned, and actively participating in the development of safe work procedures.
|
Required Education, Certifications, Licensures
|
* High School diploma, or an equivalent combination of education and experience from which comparable knowledge and abilities can be acquired.
* Possess a valid driver's license and meet the University's vehicle use requirements.
|
Required Experience
|
* Five years' experience in building operation and maintenance including the implementation of routine inspections, preventive and reactive maintenance strategies, and routine repairs as follows:
* Advanced experience maintaining building HVAC, electrical, mechanical, architectural, and water systems.
* Advanced experience performing operational inspections of doors and hardware, elevators, mechanical equipment, water valves and drain systems, and environmental controls.
* Advanced experience conducting weekly and monthly inspections of lighting, roof drains, cooling systems, chemical treatment systems, generators, fire suppression systems, utility meters, elevators, and plumbing systems.
* Advanced experience preparing common items like lights, ballasts, receptacles, switches, pipe insulation, thermostats, plumbing fixtures, gaskets, doors, windows, furniture repairs, ceiling tile/track, hardware, and clocks.
* One year's experience working with the general public and/or internal customers.
|
Desirable Education and/or Experience
|
* Experience maintaining a variety of floor surfaces using auto-scrubbers, burnishers, buffers, carpet extraction vacuums, and other commercial cleaning equipment.
* Experience troubleshooting, maintaining, and performing repairs on custodial equipment.
* Experience troubleshooting and maintaining building HVAC systems including diagnosing electrical and mechanical malfunctions and repairing components such as steam traps, coils, compressors, controls, and ductwork.
* Experience troubleshooting and maintaining building electrical services, including replacing lighting fixtures and replacing in-kind electrical components.
* Experience augering drains, patching/repairing water leaks in PVC and copper piping and utilizing a pro-press for small diameter piping repairs.
* Experience troubleshooting and maintaining structural building elements, fixtures, and finishes, including repairing various floors and ceilings; installation and repair of various doors, trim, locksets, windows and window coverings.
* Experience troubleshooting and maintaining building steam systems, refrigeration systems, and fire suppression systems.
* Demonstrated success in, or potential future contributions to, working with persons with a wide variety of backgrounds and viewpoints.
|
Required Knowledge, Skills, and/or Abilities
|
* Ability to perform general maintenance tasks, including adjusting/replacing belts, greasing bearings, and changing filters.
* Ability to troubleshoot and maintain a variety of building systems including but not limited to electrical services, water systems, and commercial/industrial building HVAC systems.
* Ability to organize and prioritize work assignments, including working from general assignment and proceeding with minimum supervision/direction.
* Ability to troubleshoot and maintain a variety of building equipment including, but not limited to pumps, electrical motors, valves, and similar equipment and fixtures.
* Ability to perform advanced carpentry tasks, including woodwork, trim work, rough framing, and drywall hanging/finishing.
* Demonstrated ability to adapt to frequently changing work environments, conditions, and work schedules.
* Ability to log into computerized systems/software, complete digital forms, and send and receive email and text messages.
* Ability to communicate effectively across cultural boundaries and work harmoniously with diverse groups of students, faculty, and staff.
* Demonstrated ability to read and work from blueprints, sketches, schematic drawings, and maintenance manuals.
* Ability to contribute to a safe work environment by integrating safety practices into daily activities.
|
Desirable Knowledge, Skills, and/or Abilities
|
* Excellent interpersonal, customer service and oral/written communication skills.
* Familiarity with maintenance management software and electronic work request ticketing system.
* Prior safety training and a proven understanding of safe operating and maintenance procedures.
* Excellent work attendance record.
* Good physical condition to enable safe, efficient, and sanitary performance of work, with or without accommodation.
* Maintain a broad knowledge of applied trade practices, techniques, and applicable rules and codes.
* Demonstrated success in, or potential future contributions to, working with persons with a wide variety of backgrounds and viewpoints.
|
Language, Mathematics and/or Reasoning Skills
|
Language Skills: Ability to read and interpret documents such as safety rules, operating and maintenance instructions, and procedure manuals. Ability to complete routine reports. Ability to effectively present information in one-on-one situations to customers or employees.
Mathematical Skills: Ability to add, subtract, multiply, and divide in all units of measure, using whole numbers, common fractions, and decimals. Ability to apply concepts such as fractions, percentages, ratios, and proportions to practical situations.
Reasoning Ability: Ability to solve practical problems and deal with a variety of problems on a regular basis. Ability to define problems, collect data, establish facts, and draw valid conclusions. Ability to interpret a variety of technical instructions in mathematical, diagram, written or oral form.
|
Work Environment and/or Physical Demands
|
Work Environment: The work environment described here is representative of those an employee encounters while performing the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodation may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.
* While performing the duties of this job, the employee may be exposed to wet, humid conditions, fumes or airborne particles, toxic or caustic chemicals and extreme heat and cold.
Physical Demands: The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job.
* While performing the duties of this job, the employee is regularly required to stand and walk; talk or hear; use hands to finger, handle, or feel objects, tools or controls; reach with hands and arms; climb or balance; and stoop, kneel, crouch or crawl, climb extension ladders, and step ladders.
* Ability to shovel, move, and/or scrape snow and ice from exterior entrances, steps, patio's, porches, and fire escapes.
* Ability to use ladders on a regular basis.
* The employee must frequently lift and/or move up to 100 pounds. Specific vision abilities required by this job include close, distance, peripheral and color vision; depth perception; and the ability to adjust focus. |
Required Training and Other Conditions of Employment
|
Every employee at Michigan Technological University will receive the following training courses:
* Employee Safety Overview
* Annual Data Security Training
* Anti-Harassment, Discrimination, Retaliation Training
* Annual Title IX Training
* Additional training will be required by the department on a periodic basis.
Background Check: Offers of employment are contingent upon and not considered finalized until the required background check has been performed and the results received and assessed.
|
| Full-Time Equivalent (FTE) % (1=100%) |
1.0
|
FLSA Status
|
Non-Exempt
|
Appointment Term
|
12 months
|
Shift
|
1st Shift
|
Pay Rate/Salary
|
Contractual. External candidates will receive the minimum amount ($23.67hr).
|
Title of Position Supervisor
|
Facilities Manager
|
Posting Type
|
Internal & External |
Dependent on Funding
|
No |
Special Instructions to Applicants (if applicable)
|
AFSCME Posting 11/04/2026 - 11/10/2026
External applicants are encouraged to apply, however internal AFSCME applicants are given first consideration if they apply during the internal AFSCME posting dates.
|
To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential duty satisfactorily. The requirements listed are representative of the knowledge, skill, and/or ability required. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.
If you require any auxiliary aids, services, or accommodations during Michigan Tech's hiring process please notify the Human Resources office at 906-487-2280 or hr-help@mtu.edu.
Other Conditions of Employment:
Please note that successful applicants are responsible for ensuring their eligibility to work in the United States (i.e. a citizen or national of the United States, a lawful permanent resident, a foreign national authorized to work in the United States without the need of an employer sponsorship) on or before the effective date of your appointment, and maintain eligibility without sponsorship throughout your appointment.
Michigan Technological University is an Equal Opportunity Educational Institution/Equal Opportunity Employer that provides equal opportunity for all, including protected veterans and individuals with disabilities.
The Annual Security and Fire Safety Report contains current campus safety and disciplinary policies, crime statistics for the previous 3 calendar years, and on-campus student housing fire safety policies and fire statistics for the previous 3 calendar years. Michigan Tech will provide a paper copy upon request; please contact the Michigan Tech Public Safety.
In compliance with the federal Drug-Free Schools and Communities Act (DFSCA) and its implementing regulations (34 CFR Part 86), Michigan Tech is committed to maintaining a drugfree campus environment and actively promoting the health and safety of its community. Find our notice that outlines the University's policies, legal sanctions, health risks, and available support resources related to the unlawful possession, use, or distribution of illicit drugs and alcohol.
|
|
Michigan Technological University
Nov 04, 2026