Custodian - (4pm - 12:30am)

Center for Public Partnerships & Research; Topeka (KS); On-site; USD 43,841,000 - 59,314,000; Full time

Job summary

The University of Kansas is seeking a Custodian Shift to perform routine custodial tasks across campus, including cleaning floors, dusting, disinfecting restrooms, and trash removal.

Shift: Monday–Friday, 4:00 pm to 12:30 am. The role includes comprehensive benefits such as paid vacation, sick leave, holidays, retirement, and health/dental insurance, with tuition assistance information available.

Qualifications

• Preferred knowledge of cleaning operations and equipment.
• Experience interacting with the public or campus community.

Responsibilities

• Vacuum carpets and mop floors in offices and classrooms.
• Dust and clean furniture, glass, blinds and surfaces.
• Disinfect restrooms and replenish supplies.
• Strip, wax and polish floors and furniture as needed.
• Collect and remove trash from offices and common areas.
• Assist with snow removal and environmental cleanups when required.

Skills

Custodial experience

Cleaning equipment operation

Safety awareness

Tools

Vacuum cleaners

Floor scrubbers

Job description

Position Overview

The Custodian Shift position involves performing routine custodial tasks in a designated area. Responsibilities include sweeping and mopping floors, vacuuming carpets, dusting and cleaning offices and classrooms, and disinfecting restrooms. Additionally, this role requires stripping, waxing, and polishing floors and furniture, as well as collecting and removing trash.

Work Schedule

Monday-Friday 4:00 pm to 12:30 am

Facilities Services Within KU Operations

Facilities Services within KU Operations plays a vital role in maintaining an inviting and safe campus environment that supports teaching, learning and research. KU Operations supports KU’s mission of learning, scholarship, and creative endeavor by providing the visible and behind-the-scenes services that make possible the university’s academic and research missions.

Employee Benefits

KU offers great benefits to employees with up to 176 hours of paid vacation per year, 96 hours of sick leave earned per year, nine paid holidays plus one discretionary day, a retirement program, medical & dental insurance, life and disability insurance, other benefit plan options, and State of Kansas discounts offered by various vendors. KU also offers employees educational and professional development opportunities.

Tuition assistance offers up to 12 credit hours per year for employees and Employee Dependent Tuition Assistance Scholarship (EDTAS) award opportunities! Details available at: https://humanresources.ku.edu/tuition-assistance

KU’s excellence is a result of the rich tapestry of experiences, perspectives, and backgrounds of our faculty, staff, students, and colleagues from across our nation and the globe. At KU, we invest in continuous learning and growth by creating a climate where people engage in respectful dialogue and debate and support each other’s success. We foster a culture of care where each person is seen, heard, and valued. When people feel a true sense of belonging, we believe they are better able to reach their full potential and achieve remarkable things.

Job Description

40% - Office, Classroom and Facilities Maintenance: Vacuums, bonnets and extracts carpeted areas using appropriate equipment and chemicals. Dust mops clean tile floors, wet mops stains and spots on tiled floors using paid method and semi-automatic scrubbers. Empties trash, using special care in research and lab areas, cleans containers and replaces liners. Dusts furniture, blinds and other surfaces. Cleans glass, ledges, chalk and dry marker boards. Some work locations require attention to bio-hazards.

15% - Hallways, Stairways, Elevators, Entrances and Exteriors: On resilient surfaces, dust mops, scrubs and burnishes with a variety of specialized equipment. Wet mops spots and stains on tiled areas and floor mats. Spot cleans walls, doors, carpets, jams, and kickplates. Washes windows and rails. Dusts and polishes surfaces. Cleans fire extinguishers cases and reports damaged and/or missing equipment to the supervisor. Cleans display cases, drinking fountains, furniture, etc. Cleans exterior entrances daily, removing snow and ice when necessary. Checks and maintains exterior areas, handicap access ramps and equipment, elevator cabs and doors, etc.

15% - Floor Maintenance: Strips floors, chemical detergent scrubs in non-carpeted areas. Burnishes tile floors, bonnets and deep extracts carpeted areas, cleans and maintains specialty floors such as wood, cork, quarry tile, etc. using a variety of automatic equipment. Follows associated safety procedures in order to avoid injury to self, others, and equipment damage.

15% - Restroom/Shower Cleaning: Cleans and disinfects sinks, stools, urinals, sanitary napkin receptacles and trash containers. Cleans and polishes fixtures, wet mops floors, dusts and cleans all surfaces. Replaces soap and paper goods. Cleans floor drains and adds water according to established schedule. Scrubs walls, detergent scrubs floors with semi-automatic scrubbing equipment. Acid cleans urinals and toilets. All work is performed following standard procedures and safety precautions.

5% - Supplies, Chemical and Equipment Maintenance: Cleans and performs minor maintenance on hand tools and mechanized equipment such as burnishers, scrubbers, dry/wet vacuums, etc, reporting equipment malfunctions or repairs that are not minor to supervisor. Remains knowledgeable concerning proper use and purposes of chemicals, the proper mixing of chemicals, and associated safety procedures in order to avoid injury to self, others, and equipment damage.

5% - Other Related Work: Includes but is not limited to locking and unlocking building doors, assisting in other areas/buildings with special university events and emergencies. Reports building repair needs and concerns to supervisor. Reports and turns in all found items according to established policy. Raises and lowers flags in certain university buildings and areas. Participates in training sessions and in-service classes. Participates in departmental staff meetings and committees as assigned. Assists with snow removal and surface treatment.

5% - Performs other related work as assigned.

Position Requirements

• Ability to lift and/or carry up to 30 pounds frequently and the ability to lift and/or carry up to 50 pounds occasionally with or without accommodation.
• Ability to bend, stoop and/or kneel frequently.
• Ability to work on step ladders.
• Physical strength sufficient to stand the strain of working long hours at custodial tasks.
• Willingness and ability to work overtime as needed.
• Willingness and ability to work under a variety of extreme temperature and weather.

Required Qualifications

None required

Preferred Qualifications

• Knowledge of materials, methods, and practices used in cleaning operations.
• Custodial experience in large residential or commercial buildings.
• Knowledge of and experience with the operation, use, and care of vacuum cleaners, floor scrubbing machines, polishing machines, and other janitorial equipment.
• Advanced training in custodial and high-volume cleaning operations.
• Experience interacting with customers and/or the public.

Application Review Begins

Application review begins on Monday, August 31st and will continue until all available positions have been filled.

Contact Information to Applicants

Leslie Payne

[e-mail]

Advertised Salary Range

$18/hr + $0.40/hr shift differential

Application Review Begins

Monday August 31, 2026

Anticipated Start Date

Monday September 14, 2026