SKILLED TRADE SPECIALIST II - LIFE SAFETY

Maryland-Department-of-Transportatio; Baltimore (MD); On-site; USD 65,000 - 90,000; Full time

Job summary

Maryland Port Administration seeks a Skilled Trade Specialist with experience in fire protection and life safety systems to troubleshoot, inspect, repair, and replace life safety equipment across MDOT facilities including Dundalk Marine Terminal. The role requires responding to emergencies 24/7, diagnosing faults, and maintaining fire suppression components.

A CDL is required during the probationary period. This is an essential position with safety at the core.

Qualifications

• High school diploma or GED required.
• 3 years of skilled trade experience in plumbing.
• Selective Qualification: 1 year in fire protection and life safety systems (sprinklers, emergency lighting, alarms, backflow devices).

Responsibilities

• Perform inspection, preventative maintenance, and repairs of fire protection and life safety systems.
• Respond to 24/7 emergency calls and address sprinkler and alarm issues.
• Troubleshoot, diagnose, and repair faults in life safety systems.
• Service, inspect, test, and maintain sprinkler system components.
• Perform minor repairs to keep systems in service.
• Prepare preliminary cost estimates for installations or services.
• Evaluate feasibility of repairs or replacements and advise supervisors.

Skills

Fire protection

Life safety systems

Sprinkler systems

Education

High school diploma or GED

Tools

CDL license

Job description

Career Service

Open to All Qualified Candidates

This is a position specific recruitment. The resulting list of eligible candidates will be used to fill this Maryland Port Administration (MPA) position/function only. All interested persons will need to re-apply for any future recruitment conducted for this classification.

The Maryland Port Administration (MPA) is a 203-employee transportation business unit within the Maryland Department of Transportation (MDOT) and is the public face of the Port of Baltimore. MPA was created by the Maryland General Assembly to increase waterborne commerce through the ports in the state. The Port of Baltimoreplays an integral role as an economic generator and job creator, in addition to maintaining our nation’s supply chain and moving vital goods to industries and consumers. As one of the nation's top ports for total cargo tonnage and overall dollar value of cargo, the Port of Baltimore is also one of the most diverse ports in the United States with over 140,000 jobs in Maryland linked to port activity.

For information on MPA, please go to: MPA (maryland.gov)

MPA is seeking a motivated, positive, and driven Skilled Trade Specialist with experience in the area of Fire Protection & Life Safety Systems to join the Facility Maintenance Division. The primary responsibility of this position is to troubleshoot, inspect, repair, and/or replace if needed any Life Safety equipment (such as sprinkler systems, emergency lighting systems, fire extinguishers, fire alarms, and backflow devices) located throughout all MPA terminals.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities:

• Perform inspection, preventative maintenance, and repairs as they relate to fire protection and life safety systems.
• Respond to emergency calls 24/7, such as fire sprinkler problems and alarm calls and take necessary actions to correct the problem including resetting tripped sprinkler systems as well as clearing monitoring system trouble alerts.
• Troubleshoot, diagnose, and repair faults on various fire protection and life safety systems.
• Service, inspect, test, repair and maintain components of the fire suppression system.
• Perform minor repairs on sprinkler systems to keep them in service.
• Prepares preliminary cost estimates for new installations, modifications, equipment, or contractual services.
• Evaluates the feasibility of repairing or replacing equipment and systems to advise administrative superiors.

The current vacancy exists at the Dundalk Marine Terminal. This position reports directly to a Skilled Trade Supervisor in the Facility Maintenance Division.

MDOT offers a generous and competitive benefits package. You can learn about our amazing benefits here: MDOT Benefits-MDOT (maryland.gov)

• A selection of high-quality boots is provided with no out-of-pocket cost from the employee and continue to be covered for replacement once per year (the employee may choose to pay for boots outside the covered options).
• All tools and equipment needed to perform the required work is provided by the MPA.
• All costs associated with the CDL license requirements during the probationary period are covered by the MPA.
• Continued training and development is provided by the MPA.
• Tuition reimbursement is available per MPA procedures and TSHRS policy.

Minimum Qualifications:

Education: Graduation from a standard high school or possession of a high school equivalency certificate.

Experience: Three (3) years of experience performing skilled trade work in the area of plumbing.

Selective Qualification: One (1) year of the required experience must include performing skilled trade work (inspection, preventative maintenance, corrective/emergency repairs, etc.) in regard to fire protection and life safety systems, such as sprinkler systems (sprinkler technician), emergency lighting systems, fire extinguishers, fire alarms, and backflow devices. SELECTIVE QUALIFICATION recruitments are utilized when the position requires specific or additional bona fide occupational qualifications (knowledge, skills, and abilities). No substitutions are allowed for a Selective Qualification.

Your placement on an eligible list may be based solely on the contents of your application; therefore, itisessentialthat you provide complete and accurate information. Please include all relevant experience on your application. This includes, but is not limited to, full or part time, volunteer, military, acting capacity, or any other experience that is relevant to the position you are applying for.

If you have held more than one (1) position at the same employer, please list each position that you held and the length of time that you held each position.

Notes:

1. Additional work experience performing skilled trades as defined above may be substituted on a year-for-year basis for the required education.
2. A certificate from a vocational technical school with a major in one or more of the skilled trades as defined above may be substituted for one year of the required general experience.
3. Candidates may substitute U.S. Armed Forces military service experience as a non-commissioned officer in utilities repair classifications or construction and engineering specialty codes in the skilled trades as defined above field of work, on a year-for-year basis for the required experience.

1. Candidates appointed to positions in this classification are assigned duties that require the operation of motor vehicles. Employees are required to possess a motor vehicle operator's license valid in the State of Maryland. All applicants must list their license number and expiration date on the application.
2. During the probationary period, employees will be required to obtain and maintain a Class A or Class B Commercial Driver's License (CDL) valid in the State of Maryland, depending on the type of equipment operated.
3. The employing administration may require employees to satisfy its agency training and certification program requirements to obtain and maintain permanent status in this classification.
4. During the probationary period, employees will be required to obtain and maintain a Transportation Workers Identification Card (TWIC) to gain unescorted access to Maryland Department of Transportation Maryland Port Administration facilities.

Additional Notes:

1. Employees must be willing and available for duty at such hours, day or night, as may be required to maintain continuous operation of a facility and are subject to call-in.
2. Employees are required to maintain a reliable communication link for emergency call back requirements.
3. This position requires compliance with applicable OSHA standards, including the use of Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) necessary to perform essential job duties. Employees are responsible for maintaining the grooming, safety, and physical standards required for the safe and effective use of PPE. This may include, but is not limited to, maintaining a clean-shave of those parts of face required to that when necessary to ensure the proper fit and seal of tight-fitting respirators, as well as removing jewelry or other items that may interfere with the safe and effective use of PPE, in accordance with all applicable local, state, and federal occupational safety and health regulations.
4. Applicants may be required to demonstrate the ability to perform maintenance work on high structures and in cramped quarters.
5. Employees in this classification are considered "Essential Employees" and must sign and agree to all policies and procedures relating to "Essential Employee" status.

All applications must be received by 10/30/26.

Please be advised that the State of Maryland is dedicated to a drug-free workplace, and as a result, employees are subject to the State's Substance Abuse Policy to include possible drug testing. Selected candidate(s) may be subject to background and reference checks.

The incumbent in this position may be a member of a collective bargaining unit.

For education obtained outside the U.S., at the time of application you are required to provide proof of the equivalent American education as determined by a foreign credential evaluation service, such as the National Association of Credential Evaluation Services (http://www.naces.org) or World Education Services: International Credential Evaluation (https://www.wes.org/). This must be submitted as an attachment with the application of the position in which you are applying.

The Maryland Port Administration is not sponsoring new employees in application of the H-1B Visa or providing an extension of an existing H-1B Visa at this time due to budgetary constraints. All applicants must be legally authorized to work in the United States under the Immigration Reform and Control Act of 1986. Federal regulations prohibit H1B Visa candidates from paying sponsorship fees, all sponsorship fees must be assumed by the potential employer.

WE ARE AN EQUAL OPPORTUNITY EMPLOYER. MPA does not discriminate based on age, ancestry, color, creed, gender identity or expression, genetic information, marital status, mental or physical disability, national origin, race, religious affiliation, belief or opinion, sex, or sexual orientation.

MDOT has various careers for people of all experiences, backgrounds, and abilities who come together to contribute to one mission - connecting our customers to life's opportunities. Join us in serving our Maryland residents, visitors, and businesses!

Reasonable Accommodations for persons with disabilities will be provided upon request. Appropriate auxiliary aids and services for qualified individuals with disability will be provided upon request. Please notify us in advance. MDRelayServiceNumber 1-800-735-2258 (TTYNumber:711). Bilingual applicants are encouraged to apply.

Issue Date: 10/16/26