Plant Custodian (Evening Shift)

Job Description

Job Description

 

Custodian – Evening ShiftPrecision. Pride. Performance.

FTE Status: Full-Time – 40 Hours
Shift: Evening Shift
Benefits: Benefit Eligible

Four day work week - Monday thru Thursday

Paid Time Off

Medical, Dental, Vision and Life Insurance

401(k) with company match up to 5%
FLSA Status: Non-Exempt
Reports To: Operations / Facilities Leadership

Position Summary

At Applied Aerospace & Defense, cleanliness is more than appearance—it is part of how we protect our products, our people, and our customers.

The Custodian is responsible for maintaining a clean, safe, organized, and production-ready manufacturing environment. This position performs detailed cleaning throughout the facility, with particular emphasis on production areas, equipment, machinery surfaces, workstations, floors, and other areas where dust, debris, fibers, chips, residue, or foreign material could create contamination or Foreign Object Debris (FOD) risks.

This is a hands-on role for someone who takes genuine pride in cleanliness, notices the details others may overlook, and enjoys leaving an area better than they found it.

The Custodian works primarily during the evening shift, allowing for detailed cleaning of manufacturing areas and equipment while minimizing disruption to production.

Success in this position is easy to recognize: our facility is cleaner, safer, and more production-ready because you were here.

PRECISIONClean the Details Others Miss.

Precision means understanding that in aerospace manufacturing, the small things matter.

Responsibilities

• Perform detailed cleaning throughout production, manufacturing, warehouse, and facility areas.
• Clean accessible surfaces of production equipment, machinery, workstations, benches, carts, racks, shelving, tables, fixtures, and other manufacturing surfaces.
• Remove dust, dirt, fibers, chips, residue, packaging material, and other debris that could become a source of contamination or FOD.
• Sweep, vacuum, mop, and scrub production floors and other assigned areas.
• Use industrial vacuums, floor scrubbers, and other cleaning equipment as appropriate.
• Clean around, underneath, and behind equipment where safely accessible and authorized.
• Clean machine and equipment exterior surfaces using approved methods and cleaning products.
• Empty production waste and trash containers and move waste to designated disposal locations.
• Clean aisles, walkways, material-staging areas, and production support spaces.
• Clean doors, walls, windows, ledges, horizontal surfaces, and other areas where dust and debris can accumulate.
• Respond promptly to spills and other cleaning needs while following applicable safety and environmental procedures.
• Maintain custodial tools, equipment, and supplies in clean and serviceable condition.
• Follow established requirements for cleaning around sensitive equipment, tooling, materials, work-in-process, and finished product.
• Use only approved cleaning chemicals and follow applicable SDS, labeling, and storage requirements.
• Maintain required separation of cleaning tools or materials when necessary to prevent cross-contamination.

PRIDEOwn the Environment.

Pride means seeing something that needs attention and taking responsibility for it.

We are looking for someone who enjoys cleaning and takes satisfaction in doing it exceptionally well.

Responsibilities

• Take personal ownership of the cleanliness and appearance of assigned areas.
• Perform work thoroughly rather than simply completing a checklist.
• Look for dust, debris, contamination, and FOD sources that may not be immediately obvious.
• Regularly inspect production areas and identify locations requiring additional attention.
• Take pride in clean floors, equipment, workspaces, corners, surfaces, and manufacturing areas.
• Leave production areas clean, organized, and ready for the next shift.
• Work respectfully around equipment, tooling, materials, work-in-process, and employee workspaces.
• Protect customer products and manufacturing materials while performing cleaning activities.
• Understand the difference between material that is waste and material, tooling, components, or documentation that must not be moved or discarded.
• Communicate concerns involving unusual debris, leaks, spills, damaged equipment, potential contamination, or unsafe conditions.
• Support 5S and workplace-organization expectations.
• Maintain custodial supplies and storage areas in a clean and organized condition.
• Demonstrate reliability and the ability to work independently during evening hours.
• Treat every production area as though the quality of the product depends on its cleanliness—because sometimes it does.

PERFORMANCEProtect Tomorrow's Production.

Performance means leaving the facility ready for the people who depend on it the next day.

Responsibilities

• Complete daily, weekly, and periodic cleaning activities according to established schedules and priorities.
• Prioritize production areas where contamination or FOD presents the greatest risk.
• Coordinate cleaning activities around active production and equipment availability.
• Perform scheduled detailed and deep-cleaning activities.
• Identify recurring areas of debris or contamination and communicate potential sources to appropriate leadership.
• Support FOD-prevention initiatives through consistent cleaning and observation.
• Respond to priority cleaning requests from Production, Quality, Operations, or Facilities.
• Help maintain clear aisles, walkways, exits, emergency equipment access, and designated material locations.
• Identify damaged cleaning equipment, facility conditions, leaks, or other issues requiring repair or additional attention.
• Support special cleaning activities associated with production changes, shutdowns, equipment moves, audits, customer visits, or other facility needs.
• Look for opportunities to improve cleaning methods, schedules, tools, and practices.
• Consistently complete assigned work while maintaining high standards for safety, quality, and cleanliness.

FOD & Contamination Prevention

Because AAD manufactures aerospace and defense products, Foreign Object Debris (FOD) and contamination prevention are an important part of this position.

The Custodian is expected to:

• Recognize common potential FOD and contamination sources.
• Remove dust, chips, fibers, loose hardware, packaging debris, and other foreign material from authorized areas.
• Follow established FOD-control and housekeeping requirements.
• Use appropriate cleaning methods around sensitive products, materials, equipment, and manufacturing processes.
• Avoid introducing contamination through cleaning tools, chemicals, or improper cleaning practices.
• Immediately report unusual debris, foreign material, spills, leaks, or conditions that could affect product quality.
• Never move, clean, open, adjust, or disturb equipment, tooling, material, product, or controls unless authorized and trained to do so.

When unsure—stop and ask. Protecting the product always comes before completing the cleaning task.

What Success Looks Like

Success in this position may be measured through:

• Cleanliness of production and manufacturing areas
• Reduction and control of potential FOD sources
• Compliance with established cleaning schedules
• Equipment and surface cleanliness
• Production readiness at the beginning of the next shift
• Safe handling and use of cleaning chemicals and equipment
• Workplace organization and 5S support
• Identification and reporting of contamination or facility concerns
• Reliability and attendance
• Quality and thoroughness of completed work

Required Qualifications

• High school diploma or GED preferred.
• Previous custodial, janitorial, industrial cleaning, manufacturing, or facilities experience preferred but not required.
• Strong attention to detail and commitment to cleanliness.
• Willingness and ability to clean manufacturing equipment and production environments.
• Ability to work independently with limited direct supervision.
• Ability to follow written and verbal instructions.
• Ability to safely use cleaning chemicals, custodial equipment, vacuums, floor scrubbers, and basic cleaning tools.
• Ability to recognize unsafe conditions and appropriately escalate concerns.
• Dependable attendance and ability to consistently work the scheduled 3:00 PM–11:00 PM evening shift.

The Person We're Looking For

Technical cleaning skills can be taught. Pride in your work is harder to teach.

We're looking for someone who:

• Notices when something isn't clean.
• Enjoys the satisfaction of cleaning and organizing a space.
• Doesn't walk past something simply because it wasn't on the checklist.
• Pays attention to corners, edges, equipment surfaces, and areas others might overlook.
• Can be trusted to work independently and complete the job correctly.
• Understands that cleaning around aerospace products and manufacturing equipment requires care and attention.
• Takes satisfaction in knowing their work helps someone else succeed.
• Wants to be part of a manufacturing team where their contribution matters.

Working Conditions & Physical Requirements

Work is performed primarily in an active manufacturing environment during evening hours.

The position requires frequent standing and walking and regular bending, reaching, twisting, kneeling, crouching, pushing, and pulling. The employee must be able to safely lift and carry up to 50 pounds and use ladders or step stools when appropriately trained.

The employee may work around manufacturing equipment, machining operations, composite materials, dust, noise, cleaning chemicals, and other normal industrial workplace conditions.

Cleaning of production equipment must only be performed when it can be done safely and in accordance with established equipment, machine-guarding, Lockout/Tagout, and other applicable safety requirements.

Required PPE and established safety procedures must be followed at all times.

Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable qualified individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions of the position.