Maintenance Assistant, Roofer & Tinsmith

SUNY Downstate Health Sciences University; New York (NY); On-site; USD 42,000 - 62,000; Full time

Job summary

SUNY Downstate Health Sciences University is seeking a Maintenance Assistant (Roofer and Tinsmith) to perform routine roofing and tinsmith tasks. The role may involve journey-level activities under supervision and occasional supervision of junior staff.

The position sits within a larger facilities team. It emphasizes safety, precision in metalwork, and adherence to detailed instructions for learning and skill development.

Qualifications

• Two years of full-time roofing and tinsmith experience under supervision.
• Completion of an appropriate technical school course in roofing and tinsmith trade.
• Equivalent combination of experience and training in roofing and tinsmith trades.

Responsibilities

• Repair and maintain roofs of metal, slate, tile, composition, and built-up types.
• Erect ladders and scaffolds to access roofs; cut and fit roofing materials.
• Caulk joints, flashing and brickwork to ensure watertight surfaces.
• Fabricate and install sheet metal products such as ducts, gutters, and downspouts.
• Follow blueprints or written instructions to cut, bend, join, and install metal components.

Skills

Roofing experience

Tinsmith experience

Education

Technical roofing/tinsmith training

Tools

Welding equipment

Soldering equipment

Sheet metal tools

Job description

Distinguishing Characteristics Maintenance Assistant (Roofer and Tinsmith): non-competitive; as a semiskilled employee, performs the more routine, repetitive maintenance and repair tasks in the roofing and tinsmith trade. Incumbents may also perform journey-level activities, under supervision, or after receiving detailed instructions, to learn and perfect their skills.

Job Description Maintenance Assistant (Roofer and Tinsmith): non-competitive; as a semiskilled employee, performs the more routine, repetitive maintenance and repair tasks in the roofing and tinsmith trade. Incumbents may also perform journey-level activities, under supervision, or after receiving detailed instructions, to learn and perfect their skills.

Generally, Maintenance Assistants (Roofer and Tinsmith) work under the supervision of a skilled trades or supervisory maintenance position; in turn, they may supervise Facility Operations Assistants 1 and other relatively unskilled workers in performing manual tasks involving elementary skills.

Related Classes There are a number of other specialized maintenance assistant classes having parenthetic designations describing the predominant trade area in which the incumbent is assigned including carpenter, plumber and steamfitter, mason and plasterer, and electrician. Although incumbents of such classes may perform tasks normally associated with more than one trade, most of their time is spent performing tasks typical of the trade indicated by the parenthetic designation.

Incumbents of Maintenance Assistant positions without a parenthetic designating a trade specialty are usually found in relatively small maintenance staffs where such specialization is not desirable or in maintenance pools where specialization is not efficient. However, incumbents may be assigned to tasks such as those described for any of the specialized positions of Maintenance Assistant.

Maintenance Assistant is distinguished from Facility Operations Assistant 1 by the latter's performance of relatively unskilled tasks in direct support of semiskilled and/or skilled trades positions. Such tasks involve a limited use of the tools and equipment of the trade under very specific instruction and supervision of either a Maintenance Assistant or a journey-level tradesperson.

Critical distinctions between the Maintenance Assistant (Roofer and Tinsmith) and Trades Specialist (Roofing) are the latter’s responsibility for the periodic inspection of roofs and roof drainage systems to determine the nature and extent of repair or maintenance work necessary, for planning and laying out work on a project basis, and for the supervision of Maintenance Assistants, Facility Operations Assistants 1 and occasionally other Trades Specialists (Roofing).

Illustrative Tasks

• Repairs and maintains all types of roofs including metal, slate, tile, composition shingle, and built-up roofs.
• Erects ladders and scaffolds to provide access to the roof.
• Cuts roofing materials to size and punches holes in tile and slate according to specifications.
• Aligns roofing materials and fastens with asphalt cement or nails.
• Cuts strips of flashing and fits them into angles formed by vents, chimneys, and intersecting roof surfaces.
• Caulks joints, flashing and brickwork to make them watertight.
• Applies hot asphalt or tar and roofing paper to roofs.
• Removes snow, ice and debris from roofs and roof drainage systems.
• Paints metal areas of roofs.
• Repairs or replaces such roof drainage system components as gutters, and down-spouts.
• Fabricates, repairs, and installs a variety of sheet metal-ware, such as heating and ventilating ducts, gutters, down-spouts, and flashing.
• Following written instructions or blueprints, uses shears, breaks, bending tools, and welding and soldering equipment to cut, bend, straighten, and join metal in the fabrication and repair of standard sheet metal items.
• Installs manufactured sheet metal products, using such tools and equipment as punches, electric or hand drills, welding and soldering equipment, and grinders.

Independence of Operation Maintenance Assistants (Roofer and Tinsmith) are usually supervised by a higher-level trades position, such as Trades Specialist (Roofing) who determine work priorities, define the nature and extent of work to be performed, provide instructions and direction, provide resources for work projects, layout and plan projects, assist in performing the more difficult tasks, train staff in skilled work, activities, evaluate performance, and inspect work in progress and upon completion. Maintenance Assistants (Roofing and Tinsmith) may perform the activities of the class with considerable independence when supervision is not available; incumbents are expected to perform the more routine repetitive tasks with considerable independence.

Communication The nature of a Maintenance Assistant’s (Roofer and Tinsmith) activities generally restricts relationships to employees working within the same organizational unit and to individuals for whom the State has custody or responsibility assigned to projects or work units. Such relationships are characterized by frequent oral and written communication in assigning work, providing instructions, and exchanging information. Written and oral communications with the general public are not typical of this class.

Supervision Exercised A Maintenance Assistant (Roofer and Tinsmith) may supervise work crews of relatively unskilled workers and/or individuals for whom the State has custody or responsibility by making assignments, giving instructions, and aiding in performing tasks.

Non-competitive

QUALIFICATIONS Two years of full-time experience in roofing and tinsmith work under the supervision of a skilled tradesperson; OR completion of an appropriate technical school course in the roofing and tinsmith trade carpentry at a school, institute, or branch of the Armed Services; or an equivalent combination of experience and training gained by completion of appropriate technical in the roofing and tinsmith trade carpentry courses at a school, institute, or branch of the Armed Services.

When required to operate motor vehicles, candidates must possess a valid New York State driver's license appropriate for the type of vehicle to be operated.