Laboratory Schools: Facilities Specialist

Facilities Maintenance Position

The Laboratory Schools currently has approximately 600,000 square feet of facilities space, including Historic Campus, Earl Shapiro Hall and Gordon Parks Arts Hall. This position is responsible for maintaining the efficient and smooth operation of assigned facilities at the Laboratory Schools. Work closely with the Director, Associate Director and Operations Manager to deliver on facilities activities, including maintenance of the work order system and the completion of work orders in a timely manner; event set-up and support; purchasing supplies and equipment; assisting in developing facilities-related policies and procedures; prioritizing and scheduling work requests, inspecting work, and providing guidance and assistance to staff, students, visitors, parents and faculty. Act as liaison with University Facilities Services. May assist with on-going construction projects. This position will require the incumbent be able to continually inspect and evaluate the needs of the facility. The majority of the workday will be spent in areas in and around the buildings.

Responsibilities:

• Perform non-mechanical repair and other services in common areas, classrooms and offices as directed.
• Complete work orders, which may include light bulb changing, light carpentry, touch-up painting, minor damage to furniture, window treatments, and storm window and screen removal, repair, cleaning and installation.
• Commitment to providing best-practice level of customer service to the Lab Community, which includes students, faculty, staff and parents.
• Generate follow up work orders for requests that require the services of engineers or skilled trades.
• Maintain and ensure the orderly appearance of adjoining areas and special equipment that supports the Lab Community, including site amenities such as loading docks, grills, patios, decks, exterior stairwells, green roofs and bicycle racks to maintain safe and presentable areas of travel accessible paths.
• Provide significant physical support for snow shoveling and removal, policing litter at entrances and exterior refuse collection.
• Entrance and lobby monitoring for cleanliness and emergency response cleaning.
• May include inspections, bulk content removal and disposal, furniture inventory and repair, window treatments, window screens and storms, light bulb replacement, minor plumbing, light carpentry, access coordination, follow-up and final quality inspection.
• Complete daily tasks including but not limited to loading dock organization and cleaning, exterior trash monitoring and collection, entrance and lobby monitoring and cleaning, playground maintenance and cleaning, copy paper delivery.
• Perform emergency response cleaning, and holiday break and summer classroom and office cleaning.
• Perform all work required for setting up, moving, removing, cleaning and preparing for event setup in support of programs as directed.
• Assist the IS Department, when needed, with A/V installations for events.
• Perform and participate in office-wide programs, initiatives, and relationships and collaborating with colleagues.
• Serve as an ambassador for clients and Lab staff. Examples include resident staff moves, recommending products, accepting deliveries, storage room management and oversight on open days, furniture and supply inventory management.
• Key member of the team supporting the annual summer maintenance program.
• Provide room or common space access and oversight for students, FS trades, outside contractors, and management and for scheduled inspections by management, professional consultants or contractors.
• May provide coordination of activities with janitorial contractors and assist in new staff training orientation.
• Respond promptly to emergency situations such as water leaks and fire alarms.
• Assist security in missing student building sweeps.
• Other duties as assigned.

Competencies:

• Adhere to Core Values, including, but not limited to collaboration, safety, service, efficiency and effectiveness, credibility, responsiveness, quality, accountability and respect.
• Demonstrated organizational skills to manage and complete multiple requests/projects simultaneously, set priorities and meet deadlines required.
• Decision-making, verbal and written communication and customer service skills required.
• Demonstrated ability to work with supervision to identify and describe work task priorities required.
• Work independently and as part of a team required.
• Demonstrated ability to coordinate and lead the work of others required.
• Demonstrated ability to interact and communicate with clarity, tact and courtesy with patrons, staff, faculty, students and others required.
• Demonstrated ability to communicate effectively in English, both orally and in writing required.
• Demonstrated ability to recognize and resolve or refer to problems and conflicts required.

Education, Experience, or Certifications:

Education:

• High school diploma, or GED required.
• Associate's degree in engineering, business, or another relevant field or a certificate from a college or technical school preferred.

Experience:

• Two years relevant work experience is required.
• Lead experience preferred.
• Previous experience working in a facilities support role preferred.
• Previous experience working in a K-12 educational setting preferred.

Certifications:

• Valid Driver's License required. Must successfully complete the University's Motor Vehicle Records process.

Working Conditions and Physical Requirements:

• Must be able to work in a school and office environment with a diverse group of staff, students, parents, faculty.
• Must be capable of strenuous daily physical activity such as snow shoveling and removal, walking, crouching, kneeling, climbing, driving, and cleaning.
• Ability to work efficiently, professionally and safely with tools of the maintenance trade, snow blowers, snow shovels, equipment and small hand and power tools requiring high dexterity.
• Requisition materials and supplies as needed for projects so as to ensure productive and efficient use of skills and time.
• Ability to carry or lift loads/objects of up to 25 lbs.
• Ability to carry or lift loads/objects of 25 to 49 lbs.
• Ability to carry or lift loads/objects of 50 to 99 lbs.
• Ability to push/pull loads/objects of up to 25 lbs.
• Ability to push/pull loads/objects of 25 to 49 lbs.
• Ability to push/pull loads/objects of 50 to 99 lbs.
• Ability to sit for up to 2 hours.
• Ability to stand for 4 hours or more.
• Ability to use computers.
• Ability to climb stairs up to 5 stories.
• Ability to occasionally work from ladders or lifts.
• Ability to Use standard office equipment.
• Ability to safely operate a vehicle.

Pay Range:

• $22.20 - $22.32

Required Documents:

• Resume
• Cover Letter
• Professional References Contact Information (3)

When applying, the document(s) MUST be uploaded via the My Experience page, in the section titled Application Documents of the application.

Benefit Eligibility

Yes

The University of Chicago offers a wide range of benefits programs and resources for eligible employees, including health, retirement, and paid time off.

Pay Rate Type

Hourly

Pay Range

$22.20 - $22.93

The included pay rate or range represents the University's good faith estimate of the possible compensation offer for this role at the time of posting.

Scheduled Weekly Hours

40

Union

022- Local 743, I.B.T. Service Maintenance

Job is Exempt

No

Drug Test Required

No

Health Screen Required

No

Motor Vehicle Record Inquiry Required

No

Posting Date

2026-05-06

Posting Statement

The University of Chicago is