Facilities Assistant

Bucks County Historical Society

Immediate Opening: Facilities Assistant – Full-Time

Organizational Background

Located in Doylestown, in the heart of Bucks County, PA, the Mercer Museum & Fonthill Castle, operated by the Bucks County Historical Society (BCHS), are two historic concrete castles that celebrate the life and legacy of Henry Chapman Mercer (1856-1930), American archaeologist, anthropologist, ceramicist and scholar.

The Mercer Museum, one of Bucks County’s premier cultural attractions and a Smithsonian affiliate, features both local and national seasonal exhibits as well as a collection of over 50,000 pre-Industrial tools. This permanent collection offers visitors a unique window into pre-Industrial America and is one of the world’s most comprehensive portraits of American material culture.

Fonthill Castle was home to Henry Chapman Mercer and served as a showplace for his collection of tiles and prints. Fonthill Castle features Mercer’s renowned, handcrafted ceramic tiles designed at the height of the Arts and Crafts movement.

It is the mission of the Bucks County Historical Society to educate and engage its many audiences in appreciating the past and to help people find stories and meanings relevant to their lives—both today and in the future.

Description

The Bucks County Historical Society seeks a reliable, diligent, detail-oriented team player to perform essential custodial, maintenance, grounds care, and landscaping tasks at its various properties.

As a member of the Historical Society’s Facilities Team, the Facilities Assistant performs a variety of maintenance and custodial tasks at the Mercer Museum and Fonthill Castle, and in all ancillary buildings that form the extended Bucks County Historical Society campus. Position is supervised by the Facilities Manager, and requires both weekday and weekend hours. This is a non-exempt position, requiring approximately 37-39 hours/week (full-time).

Overview of Duties

Duties include basic custodial, sanitization & housekeeping tasks; program and special event set-up and support; grounds maintenance and landscaping work; other minor maintenance tasks. When performing these duties, the Facilities Associate is expected to demonstrate a sensitivity and commitment to the unique and historic nature of our sites.

Key areas of responsibility:

• Performs common custodial & housekeeping tasks, including mopping, dusting, sweeping, vacuuming, trash removal and re-supplying restrooms. May train and engage in specialized housekeeping activities in collaboration with the Museum Collections Manager.
• Performs essential sanitization and disinfection tasks in both public and behind-the-scenes areas to ensure a healthy environment for guests and staff.
• Performs grounds maintenance tasks, including (but not necessarily limited to) trimming, weeding, leaf removal, litter clean-up and related chores.
• Assists with set-ups/take-downs for special programs and events; also assists as needed with the staffing of special events – especially in regards to providing custodial support and post-event clean-up.
• Performs minor building and facilities maintenance tasks, and other duties, as assigned and as skilled/qualified.
• Takes special care when cleaning or performing work in those areas in which museum and library collections are housed or exhibited.

Qualifications

• Ability to prioritize and plan time efficiently
• Ability to work independently
• Ability to work flexibly and cooperatively with co-workers
• Good oral and written communication skills
• Ability to utilize common power and hand tools to accomplish maintenance tasks
• Ability to work carefully and safely
• Possession of a valid Pennsylvania driver’s license
• Ability to meet physical demands, including standing, walking, climbing stairs and ladders, seeing, reaching/bending, working at heights, and lifting a maximum of 50 lbs.

Required Education or Experience
High School Diploma or GED Equivalency. A proven employment record demonstrating honesty, diligence, reliability and dependability. Previous landscaping, maintenance and/or custodial experience strongly preferred. The Bucks County Historical Society provides equal employment opportunities to all employees and applicants for employment and prohibits discrimination and harassment of any type without regard to race, color, religion, age, sex, national origin, disability status, genetics, protected veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, or any other characteristic protected by federal, state or local laws. The Bucks County Historical Society provides equal employment opportunities to all employees and applicants for employment and prohibits discrimination and harassment of any type without regard to race, color, religion, age, sex, national origin, disability status, genetics, protected veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, or any other characteristic protected by federal, state or local laws. All interested candidates should send a cover letter, résumé, and three references as a single PDF to careers@mercermuseum.org, ATTN: Facilities Assistant.

Job Type: Full-time

Pay: $20.00 per hour

Benefits:

• 401(k)
• 401(k) matching
• Dental insurance
• Health insurance
• Health savings account
• Life insurance
• Paid time off
• Parental leave
• Vision insurance

Schedule:

• Monday to Friday
• Weekend availability

Ability to commute/relocate:

• Doylestown, PA 18901: Reliably commute or planning to relocate before starting work (Required)

Application Question(s):

• Must be willing to work weekends.

License/Certification:

• Driver's License (Required)

Work Location: In person