Campus Plumber/Plumbing Specialist

St Thomas University; Miami Gardens (FL); On-site; USD 52,000 - 76,000; Full time

Job summary

St Thomas University in Miami Gardens, FL is seeking a skilled Campus Plumber to maintain, repair, and install plumbing systems across the campus, including academic buildings, residence halls, and athletic facilities.

Under supervision, you will perform preventive maintenance on water distribution, drainage, backflow preventers, and fixtures, read blueprints, and coordinate with contractors for major renovations while adhering to county codes and safety protocols.

Qualifications

• High school diploma or GED; trade training preferred.
• 3–5 years of institutional plumbing experience.
• Valid Florida driver’s license; Journeyman/Master license preferred/required depending on level; backflow certification preferred.

Responsibilities

• Inspect, troubleshoot, and repair water supply and drainage systems campus-wide.
• Repair or replace toilets, urinals, fixtures, and water heaters.
• Perform preventative maintenance on pumps, valves, backflow preventers, and piping.
• Read blueprints and schematics to locate and fix issues.
• Coordinate with contractors for major renovations and projects.
• Ensure safety, code compliance, and proper PPE.

Skills

Commercial plumbing

Troubleshooting

Blueprint reading

Safety compliance

Communication

Education

High School Diploma or GED

Tools

CMMS

Job description

Job DetailsJob Location: MIAMI GARDENS, FL 33054Position Type: Full Time

Position Summary

Under the general supervision of Facilities Operations leadership, the Campus Plumber performs skilled and semi-skilled plumbing maintenance, repair, installation, and preventive maintenance across the university campus. This includes academic buildings, residence halls, athletic facilities, and administrative spaces. The position ensures the safe, efficient, and continuous operation of all water distribution, drainage, backflow, and plumbing fixture systems across campus.

Essential Duties & Responsibilities

• Routine & Emergency Maintenance: Inspect, troubleshoot, and repair domestic hot/cold water supply systems, drainage, sanitary sewer lines, storm drains, and vent piping. Respond promptly to urgent leaks, line blockages, and plumbing emergencies campus-wide.
• Fixture Repair & Replacement: Repair or replace toilets, urinals, flush valves (manual and sensor-operated), faucets, sinks, showers, drinking fountains, water heaters, and garbage disposals.
• Preventative Maintenance: Perform scheduled preventative maintenance on campus pumps (circulator, sump, lift station), valves, backflow preventers, and piping assemblies. Maintain routine logs and digital work order records within the campus maintenance management system (CMMS).
• System Inspections & Troubleshooting: Clear drain blockages using motorized drain augers, hydro-jetters, and specialized diagnostic equipment. Read and interpret building blueprints, mechanical schematics, and system layouts.
• Modifications & Upgrades: Measure, cut, thread, solder, crimp, and assemble piping (copper, PVC, CPVC, PEX, cast iron) for minor capital improvements or facility modifications.
• Safety & Code Compliance: Ensure all work adheres to Miami-Dade County plumbing codes, OSHA standards, and university safety protocols. Maintain safe work areas and proper PPE during hazardous or elevated work.
• Vendor & Project Coordination: Assist facilities leadership in scope verification and inspection for third-party plumbing contractors working on major campus renovation or construction projects.
• General Department Support: Support overall Physical Plant operations during major campus events, emergency weather prep (e.g., hurricane prep/post-storm recovery), and other duties as assigned by leadership.

Qualifications

Minimum Qualifications:

• Education: High School Diploma or GED equivalent. Vocational or technical school training in plumbing preferred.
• Experience: Minimum 3–5 years of commercial or institutional plumbing maintenance experience. Higher education campus experience is a plus.
• Licensure / Certifications: Valid State of Florida Driver’s License (Required). Miami-Dade County Journeyman/Master Plumber License or equivalent trade certification (Preferred/Required depending on level). Backflow Prevention Certification (ASSE 5110 or equivalent) (Preferred).

Knowledge, Skills & Abilities

• Thorough knowledge of commercial plumbing equipment, tools, fittings, materials, and local plumbing code requirements.
• Ability to utilize electronic work order tracking software (CMMS) on desktop/mobile devices.
• Strong problem-solving abilities with high attention to work safety and cleanliness.
• Good interpersonal and communication skills to work effectively with students, faculty, staff, and external vendors in a university setting.

Physical Demands & Working Conditions

• Must be able to lift, push, pull, or carry up to 50–70 lbs regularly.
• Requires climbing ladders, crouching, crawling in tight spaces, standing for extended periods, and working both indoors and outdoors in South Florida weather conditions.
• Occasional exposure to grease, dirt, wastewater, chemicals, high temperatures, and loud environments.
• Must be available for rotation on-call duties or emergency response outside standard working hours.