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About Rice

Boasting a 300-acre, tree-lined campus in Houston, Texas, Rice University is ranked among the nation's top 20 universities by U.S. News & World Report. Rice has a 6-to-1 undergraduate student-to-faculty ratio and a residential college system, which supports students intellectually, emotionally, and culturally through social events, intramural sports, student plays, lecture series, courses, and student government. Developing close-knit, diverse college communities is a strong campus tradition, which is why Rice is highly ranked for best quality of life and best value among private universities.

Rice is also a wonderful place to work. Rice faculty, staff, and students share values that are essential to our success as a healthy community. These values guide our decisions and behaviors and shape Rice's culture. They are reflected in the way we treat each other and the welcome we extend to our visitors. These values can be recalled simply by our name -- RICE -- Responsibility, Integrity, Community, and Excellence.

Position Summary

The Maintenance Technician II (Day, Night, or Weekend Shift) plays a key role in keeping our facilities safe, efficient, and fully operational. Working with limited oversight, this role involves installing, troubleshooting, repairing, and performing preventative maintenance on a variety of systems, including electrical, HVAC, plumbing, structural, and other mechanical equipment during alternative campus hours.

In this role, you will inspect buildings regularly, quickly address maintenance issues, and maintain accurate records of all work performed. You will identify problems, diagnose issues, and determine the best course of action to ensure equipment and facilities continue running smoothly. Preventative maintenance is a core part of the role, helping prolong the life of our assets and avoid downtime.

Day-to-day tasks may include cleaning HVAC coils and ductwork, replacing filters, maintaining machine rooms and laundry lint systems, performing manual valve maintenance, and assembling or disassembling HVAC and electrical equipment. You will also work closely with other maintenance, custodial, and specialty staff to support facility operations as needed.

The ideal candidate has at least two years of hands-on experience in facilities maintenance or a specialty trade, such as HVAC, plumbing, electrical, power generation, or manufacturing. They are comfortable working directly with equipment and systems, applying practical skills to troubleshoot, maintain, and repair facility assets. This role requires flexibility and reliability for evening shifts, with the ability to work independently and respond effectively to issues that arise during off-peak campus hours.

Workplace Requirements

This is an essential on-campus position, requiring all duties to be performed in person, with multiple schedules in place, including day, night, and weekend shifts. Schedules may change based on business needs and may include overtime or shifts to other hours. Per Rice policy 440, work arrangements may be subject to change. Candidates selected through this posting may be assigned to day, night, and weekend shifts.

As an essential role, the employee must be on-site during emergencies or crises to ensure continuity of critical operations and remain accessible to leadership to support institutional functions. After-hours work or work outside the regular schedule may be required, and the employee must be available for "on-call" scheduling to respond to problems affecting campus operations.

Hiring Range

This is a full-time, benefits-eligible position, and the hiring range is $22.12 - $25.00 hourly, contingent upon qualifications and experience. Non-Exempt (hourly) positions under FLSA are eligible for overtime.

Minimum Requirements

• No formal education required
• 2+ years of experience in facilities maintenance or a related trade, with practical knowledge of mechanical, electrical, and HVAC systems, and the use of standard tools and troubleshooting equipment
• Valid Texas driver's license (or the ability to obtain within 30 days of employment), with no more than three moving violations or at-fault accidents in the past 36 months, and no DWI/DUI convictions or deferred dispositions within the past five years

Skills:

• Proficiency with basic repair techniques and proper use of tools and equipment, including drills, screwdrivers, wrenches, ratchets, metering devices, water pumps, vacuum pumps, multimeters, anemometers, and tablet interfaces for troubleshooting electrical circuits or assembling/disassembling machinery
• Ability to read and interpret mechanical blueprints and electrical schematics relevant to assigned equipment
• Basic mechanical aptitude and comfort working with technical equipment
• Fundamental computer skills, including the use of maintenance management systems or digital tools
• Knowledge of NEC, NFPA, and OSHA guidelines for safe work practices
• Strong verbal and written communication skills
• Organizational and time management skills, with the ability to prioritize tasks effectively
• Attention to detail and commitment to accurate, high-quality work

Preferences

• Bachelor's or Associate's degree, or a trade school degree in a related field
• Journeyman qualifications or equivalent in a technical craft, such as electrician, mechanic, HVAC, plumbing, or pipefitting
• Experience working effectively in a team environment
• Strong analytical and problem-solving skills, with the ability to work independently and make sound decisions
• Knowledge of electrical systems, including transfer switches, bus ducts, and motors
• Ability to understand and troubleshoot sophisticated, state-of-the-art interactive systems
• Excellent interpersonal, verbal, and written communication skills, with a focus on building positive relationships and delivering strong customer service
• Proficiency with computers, including word processing, spreadsheets, and computerized maintenance management systems
• Motivated self-starter with strong organizational skills and attention to detail

Essential Functions

• Perform preventative maintenance on facility systems and equipment to ensure reliable operation and prolong asset life
• Troubleshoot and diagnose mechanical, electrical, and HVAC issues, determining the most effective course of action to resolve problems
• Coordinate with supervisors on complex repairs, generating and managing work orders as needed
• Inspect, clean, and repair machinery, equipment, tools, and work areas to maintain safety, efficiency, and cleanliness
• Recommend materials and supplies to maintain appropriate inventory levels for maintenance operations
• Assist other maintenance technicians with tasks as needed
• Accurately enter work orders and record daily work hours using computerized systems
• Support electrical system maintenance, including troubleshooting and repairing motor circuits, power circuits, associated controls, and alarm systems
• Perform general facilities maintenance, including moving furnishings, cleaning HVAC coils and ductwork, replacing HVAC filters, maintaining machine rooms, servicing lint-collecting systems in laundry areas, performing manual valve maintenance, conducting equipment inspections and functional tests, and disassembling/reassembling machinery and equipment
• Ensure all duties are completed safely and efficiently, following established protocols and standards
• Perform other duties as assigned to support the overall operations of the facilities team

Working Conditions

Physical Demands:

• Ability to lift up to 50 lbs.

• Climb stairs, ladders, scaffolding, and navigate confined areas with piping or wiring obstructions as needed to access equipment

• Moderate to heavy physical activity, including bending, stooping, climbing, balancing, standing, and walking for up to 8 hours per day

• Occasional entry into utility tunnels and other confined spaces

Work Environment and Safety:

• Exposure to high-pressure boilers and steam piping, high-voltage electricity, high noise levels, rotating machinery, and other potentially hazardous equipment

• Work in mechanical rooms, tunnels, labs, attics, crawl spaces, non-conditioned spaces, and dusty, dirty, or wet conditions

Personal protective equipment (hearing protection, safety shoes, safety glasses) is required

Rice University HR | Benefits: https://knowledgecafe.rice.edu/benefits
Rice Mission and Values: Mission and Values | Rice University

Rice University is committed to ensuring Equal Employment Opportunity and welcoming the fullness of diversity into our candidate pools. Rice considers qualified applicants for employment without regard to race, color, religion, age, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national or ethnic origin, genetic information, disability, or protected veteran status. Rice also provides reasonable accommodations to qualified persons with disabilities. If an applicant requires a reasonable accommodation for any part of the application or hiring process, please get in touch with Rice University's Human Resources Office via email at facstaffada@rice.edu for support.

If you have any additional questions, please email us at jobs@rice.edu . Thank you for your interest in employment with Rice University.