Maintenance Specialist

Summary: 

Seasonal Contract position supporting the National Science Foundation managed United States Antarctic Program as part of the Antarctic Support Contract (ASC). Maintenance Specialist will perform maintenance or construction work, or any combination thereof, under the supervision of the Preventative Maintenance Foreman (McMurdo/South Pole), Facilities Maintenance Supervisor or Preventative Maintenance Coordinator (Palmer). Tasking is based on employee’s prior work experience and ASC schedule requirements. 

Position Responsibilities: 

• Diagnose, repair, and perform scheduled Preventative Maintenance on existing buildings, systems, equipment, fixtures, and infrastructure 

• Manage small maintenance projects that fall within their work area division including the coordination of other trades, equipment, tools, parts and schedules with reporting responsibilities to the PM Foreman and the Facilities Maintenance Supervisor. 

• Perform major overhauls to include dismantling, replacing parts and making repairs to all facilities-related equipment including heating, ventilating, cooling, refrigeration, Overhead doors, hoists, compressors, hydronic systems, pumps, kitchen/galley equipment, shop tools and a wide variety of other types of equipment and their component parts including some non-facility capital assets such as exercise, medical and lab equipment. 

• Accomplish tasking working from Job Plans, verbal information, schematics, blueprints, wiring diagrams, documents, vendor/manufacturer manuals, and applicable specifications and codes. 

• Analyze equipment breakdown and make technical decisions based on manufacturer’s recommendations. 

• Timely respond to emergency service calls during and outside of normal working hours 

• Utilize the assistance of other station personnel to complete tasking, or assist other trades or departments with their tasking as appropriate 

• Prepare and document work plans, job hazard analysis, job safety analysis, code required forms, checklists, and internal procedural documents as required  

• Responsible for leading and overseeing work by Utility Technicians on a regular basis. 

• Assist in the day-to-day operations of a very large maintenance crew up to and including the ability to fill in for the Preventive Maintenance Foreman when necessary 

• Implement and enforce Preventative Maintenance Program, including inventory and work order look-up in the Maximo database 

• Maintain detailed records, logs and accounts, and interpret trends to initiate resolutions to issues accordingly  

• Submit reports as required by supervisor, including the quality assurance self-inspections 

• Accurate and thorough documentation of hours worked, tasking performed, materials used, and processes involved 

• Advise immediate Supervisor of job progress and material/labor requirements 

• Accomplish tasking utilizing design drawings, specifications, and wiring diagrams 

• Use solid decision-making ability and sound judgment to safely and effectively solve problems 

• May deploy to remote research support facilities for day trips or extended periods 

• Maintain communication with Supervisor and Management, to include e-mail and regular meeting minutes, regularly reporting status of all facilities equipment and significant issues and events within their work area division. 

• Prepare and submit material resupply requests to maintain inventory of repair parts for individual items of equipment. 

• Coordinate with Supervisor on suggestions for appropriate edits and additions to Preventative Maintenance Tasks, equipment/parts associations, and maintaining data integrity within the maintenance database. 

• Participates in training programs and meetings 

• Ensure all facilities and equipment are maintained and operated safely and efficiently 

• Review and follow established Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs), and recommend creation or revisions to SOPs as needed  

• Perform tasking outdoors in environmentally challenging conditions including wind and extreme cold weather 

• Proactively identify any unsafe conditions, hazards, or Code violations and communicate them effectively 

• Comply with all ASC Environmental, Safety and Health (ESH), Waste Management and Quality Assurance requirements 

• Participate in Work Center Safety Program and ASC safety objectives 

• Be a responsible, clean and safe custodian of work areas, tools, equipment and spare parts  

• Perform other duties as required 

Required Education, Experience, Certificates and Licenses: 

• High School diploma or equivalent 

• Five years of experience in facilities maintenance to include all phases of preventive and corrective maintenance, including industrial and/or commercial facilities maintenance is required 

• Experience in refrigeration, HVAC, plumbing, and electrical 

• Experience with fuel oil fired combustion appliances (South Pole and Palmer) 

Expected Skills and Competencies: 

• Work history must include the demonstrated ability to work independently 

• Possess the competencies, willingness, and ability to perform the duties of position 

• Skilled in ability to read and interpret design drawings, specifications, diagrams, maintenance manual and manufacturer’s troubleshooting guides to accomplish tasking 

• Experienced developing written work plans, job hazard analysis, and job safety analysis related to the work activities under a permit to work system 

• Proficient in the use of electrical/electronic and mechanical test equipment, instruments, measuring devices, and shop tools such as soldering units, meters, scopes, and probes 

• Highly skilled at troubleshooting using appropriate testing devices 

• Proficient in heating and ventilation system maintenance 

• Proficient in maintenance of commercial, government, industrial, and/or institutional building facilities 

• Possess prior computer experience and be able and willing to learn and effectively utilize computer-based labor, inventory, and maintenance tracking applications   

• Proficient in the appropriate use of personal protective equipment to include:  safety glasses, toe protection shoes and gloves 

• Proficient in LOTO procedures for various tasking 

• Proficient in confined space safety protocols  

• Knowledge of electrical safety procedures (NFPA 70E and OSHA) 

• Proficient in risk assessment and determination of PPE appropriate to specific tasking 

• Knowledgeable of limits of PPE and proper maintenance of PPE 

• Familiar with fall protection and respirator use 

• Hands on experience analyzing situations and making technical and safety decisions based on specifications and applicable codes and manufacturer guidelines 

• Solid decision-making ability and sound judgment to safely and effectively solve problems 

• Good organizational and planning skills 

Preferred: 

• Experience with natural gas or fuel oil fired combustion appliances (McMurdo) 

• Experience with Building Automation Systems 

• Experience with installation and maintenance of fuel piping  

• Experience with maintenance of overhead garage doors 

• Experience with Maximo or other Computerized Maintenance Management System 

• Experience with Microsoft Office Suite 

Physical and/or Other Requirements: 

• Willingness and ability to deploy to Antarctica for extended periods  

• Successful completion of Medical and Dental examinations required by the NSF for deployment to Antarctica 

• Successful completion of drug screening and background check required by employer 

• Successful completion of Federal Background Check required by the NSF 

• Must be willing and able to lift and move items, parts, assemblies, and equipment up to the safety regulation maximum as required by the position.  

• Must be willing and able to perform physical activities including heavy lifting, climbing in and out of equipment, crawling, and working outdoors in extreme cold as required by the position.  

• Must participate in community programs, such as “house-mouse” (chores), “daisy-picking” (cleaning-up around the station), recycling efforts & safety objectives.  

• Valid Driver’s License issued in the United States 

• Must be able to obtain and maintain facility credentials/authorization. Note: US Citizenship is required for facility credentials/authorization at this work location.