Custodian

Indiana University; Gary (IN); On-site; USD 31,000 - 35,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Medical and dental insurance

Health savings account (HSA)

Retirement plan with IU contributions

Tuition subsidy for employees and IU-s

Job summary

Indiana University Northwest in Gary, Indiana is seeking a Custodian to maintain cleanliness and safety across campus facilities. The role involves restroom and classroom cleaning, floor care, and assisting with snow removal and event setup.

The position requires basic high school knowledge or diploma, strong English communication, and reliable attendance. IU offers comprehensive benefits and competitive compensation.

Qualifications

• General high school knowledge is required.
• Preferred: High school diploma or equivalent.
• Custodial experience is preferred.
• Experience in educational facilities or similar environments is preferred.

Responsibilities

• Maintains cleanliness and sanitation of buildings, offices, classrooms, labs, restrooms, and common spaces.
• Supports events by assisting with room setup, breakdown, and cleaning as needed.
• Monitors building conditions and reports issues to supervisors.
• Cleans floors, restrooms, windows, fixtures, and surfaces using standard cleaning equipment.
• Assists with snow removal and inclement weather response as required.
• Operates cleaning equipment safely and follows safety guidelines.
• Provides courteous customer service to faculty, staff, students, and visitors.

Skills

Safety procedures

English communication

Attention to detail

Time management

Teamwork

Interpersonal skills

Education

General high school knowledge

High school diploma or equivalent

Custodial experience

Experience in educational facilities

Job description

Department Information

The Physical Plant Department at Indiana University (IU) Northwest is responsible for maintaining a safe, clean, and welcoming campus environment for students, faculty, staff, and visitors. The department supports the university's academic mission by maintaining campus facilities, classrooms, offices, laboratories, and common areas to high standards of cleanliness, safety, and operational readiness. Custodial staff play a vital role in daily campus operations by supporting building sanitation, facility upkeep, and campus safety. This position collaborates with facilities staff and campus partners to ensure that IU Northwest provides a professional, well-maintained environment that supports learning, teaching, and community engagement.

Job Summary

Department-Specific Responsibilities

• Maintains the cleanliness and sanitation of academic buildings, offices, classrooms, laboratories, restrooms, and common spaces across the IU Northwest campus.
• Supports campus events and activities by assisting with room setup, breakdown, and cleaning as needed.
• Monitors building conditions and reports maintenance issues, safety hazards, or facility concerns to supervisors.
• Ensures cleaning supplies and equipment are maintained and used in accordance with university safety guidelines.
• Assists with campus seasonal operations, including snow removal, ice treatment, and inclement weather response.
• Follows university sanitation standards and safety protocols, including proper handling of cleaning chemicals and equipment.
• Provides courteous customer service to faculty, staff, students, and visitors when working in occupied spaces.

General Responsibilities

• Cleans floors, ramps, and stairs by sweeping, wet mopping/dust mopping, scrubbing, or vacuuming them.
• Services, cleans, and supplies restrooms.
• Gathers and empties recycling and trash.
• Cleans and polishes fixtures.
• Replaces light bulbs.
• Cleans windows, glass partitions, and mirrors using soapy water or other cleaners, sponges, and squeegees.
• Mixes water and detergents or acids in containers to prepare cleaning solutions, according to specifications.
• Dusts furniture, walls, machines, and equipment.
• Steam cleans or shampoos carpets.
• Strips, seals, finishes, and polishes floors.
• Cleans, replaces, and hangs blinds, drapes, and entrance mats.
• Collects and delivers soiled items.
• Clears sidewalks, drives, and adjacent areas.
• Shovels snow.
• Locks, unlocks, and secures buildings.
• Maintains awareness of building sand facilities, reports abnormalities or security concerns.
• Identifies and reports needed building repairs.
• Performs other duties and responsibilities as assigned.
• Assists with snow removal activities as necessary.

Qualifications

Education

• Required: General knowledge at the high school level.
• Preferred: High school diploma or equivalent (such as HSED or GED.)

Work Experience

• Preferred: Custodial experience.
• Previous custodial, janitorial, or building services experience in educational institutions, healthcare facilities, government buildings, or commercial facilities.
• Experience with commercial custodial equipment, including floor buffers, auto scrubbers, carpet extractors, and industrial vacuums.
• Experience working in environments requiring strict sanitation or safety standards.

Skills

• Required: Ability to work in a safe and efficient manner.
• Proficient in English written and verbal communication skills.
• Maintains a high degree of professionalism.
• Demonstrates time management and priority setting skills.
• Demonstrates a high commitment to quality.
• Possesses flexibility to work in a fast-paced, dynamic environment.
• Seeks to acquire knowledge in the area of specialty.
• Highly thorough and dependable.
• Demonstrates a high level of accuracy, even under pressure.
• Excellent organizational skills.
• Ability to represent the company with external constituents.
• Ability to drive multiple projects to successful completion.
• Strong verbal communication and listening skills.
• Ability to build strong customer relationships.
• Knowledge of cleaning procedures and equipment and have ability to operate and use standard cleaning equipment and materials.
• Some knowledge of standard kitchen practices and sanitation methods (for positions in food service facility).
• Ability to follow safe work practices in biohazard and/or hazardous waste clean-up (i.e., bloodborne pathogens; toxic, reactive, explosive, and ignitable laboratory wastes; corrosive wastes from cleaning operations; other miscellaneous wastes from across campus). May involve training and tests in hazardous waste management.
• Ability to interact and communicate with a wide variety of people.
• Ability to perform work that requires medium to heavy physical effort.
• Ability to understand and follow oral and written instructions.
• Ability to work in a team environment.
• Preferred: Knowledge of proper cleaning techniques, sanitation practices, and chemical handling procedures.
• Ability to operate custodial equipment safely and efficiently.
• Strong attention to detail and ability to maintain high standards of cleanliness.
• Ability to work independently and manage assigned work areas.
• Strong teamwork and collaboration skills when working with facilities staff and campus partners.
• Reliable attendance.
• Ability to interact professionally with faculty, staff, students, and campus visitors.

Working Conditions / Demands

This role requires the ability to remain in a stationary position as well as the ability to move about the workplace for long durations. It requires effective communication, the ability to operate machinery, tools, and controls. The role requires the ability to ascend/descend ladders/stairs, and to position oneself in low level positions, detect a variety of chemicals and/or gases. The role requires the ability to ascend to rooftops and move in tight spaces to perform and complete inspections. The person in this role must be able to perform the essential functions with or without an accommodation. Available to work during inclement weather (i.e. snow and ice) when weather emergencies dictate that the department is needed to take care of the campus.

Work Location

IU Northwest CampusGary, Indiana

Advertised Salary

$31,200.00 - $35,360.00 annually

Benefits Overview

Comprehensive medical and dental insuranceHealth savings account with generous IU contributionsHealthcare and dependent care flexible spending accountsBasic group life insurance paid by IUVoluntary supplemental life, long-term disability, critical illness, and supplemental accidental death & dismemberment insuranceBase retirement plan with generous IU contributions, subject to vestingVoluntary supplemental retirement plan optionsTuition subsidy for employees and family members taking IU courses10 paid holidays plus a paid winter break each yearGenerous paid time off plansPaid leave for new parents and IU-sponsored volunteer eventsEmployee assistance program (EAP)Learn more about our benefits by reviewing the IU Benefit Programs Brochure.

Job Classification

Career Level: FoundationalFLSA: NonexemptJob Function: Engineering, Trades & FacilityJob Family: Custodial

Equal Employment Opportunity

Indiana University is an equal opportunity employer and provider of ADA services and prohibits discrimination in hiring. See Indiana University Notice of Non-Discrimination here which includes contact information.

Campus Safety and Security

The Annual Security and Fire Safety Report, containing policy statements, crime and fire statistics for all Indiana University campuses, is available online. You may also request a physical copy by emailing IU Public Safety at [e-mail] or by visiting IUPD.