Maintainer

Role overview

The State of Connecticut’s Department of Mental Health and Addiction Services is hiring an experienced Maintainer to support the Connecticut Mental Health Center in New Haven. This is a full-time, on-site position on first shift, scheduled Monday through Friday from 7:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m., for a total of 37.5 hours per week. The position number is 139070.

What you will do

In this role, you will help keep the facility safe, functional, and well maintained through a mix of basic maintenance, repairs, and support work across building systems and grounds.

• Maintain patient areas and carry out routine upkeep across the facility.
• Respond to building maintenance needs and help keep the site operating smoothly.
• Handle painting and related finishing work.
• Support electricians and plumbers with assigned tasks.
• Perform preventive maintenance checks and minor repairs on equipment, fixtures, and building systems.
• Keep simple records and prepare basic reports connected to assigned work.
• Assist with grounds and outdoor maintenance when needed, including snow, debris, and landscaping-related tasks.
• Support trades staff by carrying tools, moving materials, and completing helper-level tasks.
• Carry out related duties as assigned.

About the workplace

DMHAS is responsible for promoting the health and well-being of people with behavioral health needs through integrated, comprehensive, and effective services that encourage dignity, respect, and self-sufficiency. Connecticut Mental Health Center is an urban mental health facility with a long-standing history of serving people living with serious mental illness and co-occurring behavioral health conditions.

Minimum qualifications

Applicants should have any experience and training that provide the knowledge, skills, and abilities needed for the job.

Preferred experience

• Comfort using Microsoft Word, Outlook, and Excel.
• Strong customer service approach with professionalism and responsiveness.
• Ability to work effectively in a busy, high-volume setting while staying organized and detail-oriented.
• Background in preventive maintenance and related best practices.
• Experience using a work order system.
• Experience tracking inventory and maintaining small equipment and machines.
• Hands-on experience stripping, waxing, and buffing floors.
• Prior support experience for electricians and/or plumbers.
• Painting experience with good surface preparation, color application, and quality workmanship.

Special requirements

The appointing authority may require current licenses, permits, or certifications, and these may need to be maintained throughout employment.

Physical demands

This position requires sufficient strength, stamina, agility, vision, hearing, and overall physical fitness to perform the duties of the class. A medical examination may be required. The job may involve lifting moderate to heavy loads and exposure to severe weather, equipment-related injury risk, and aggressive or abusive patients and/or clients.

Employment conditions and other notes

• A full medical examination, including drug screening, will be required if a conditional offer is made.
• All state employees must follow Connecticut’s drug-free workplace policy.
• Applicants must meet the minimum qualifications by the closing date unless otherwise stated.
• Educational credits and degrees must be entered accurately, and foreign education must be supported by recognized U.S. equivalency documentation if applicable.
• Resumes are not accepted during the initial application stage; additional documents may be requested later.
• Applicants must choose all locations and shifts they are willing to accept.
• Application materials must be submitted by the deadline; late submissions are rarely accepted except for documented incapacitating events.
• Salary calculations for current state employees may differ across branches of government and are not directly comparable.
• Selection may follow contractual language, reemployment rules, SEBAC, transfer, promotion, and merit employment rules.
• Selected candidates are subject to the State Code of Ethics for Public Officials and State Employees.
• The employer may participate in E-Verify and may provide Form I-9 details to the federal government to confirm work authorization.
• The immediate vacancy is listed, and this recruitment may also be used for future openings in the same job class.

Help and contact

Questions about recruitment can be directed to Julie Barker at Julie.Barker@ct.gov.

Job class scope

This state agency job class involves basic tasks of an unskilled nature that can usually be learned quickly on the job. Work may fall into one or more of the following areas: building and equipment maintenance, grounds care, food services, operation of trucks under five tons, or parking garage duties.

Examples of duties by area

General: simple recordkeeping, basic reporting, and related tasks.

Building and equipment maintenance: checking gauges and indicators, changing filters, inspecting doors, tightening and lubricating furniture and hardware, replacing casters, cleaning grease traps, patching walls, replacing washers and tiles, repairing minor leaks, installing shelving and bulletin boards, cleaning equipment housings and ducts, relieving other maintenance staff, performing custodial duties, and moving furniture.

Grounds care: digging, shoveling, operating hand and small power equipment, mowing, trimming, weeding, raking, loading supplies, cleaning drainage areas, planting and fertilizing with guidance, operating and maintaining grounds equipment, sanding and salting walkways, collecting litter, and emptying trash areas.

Trades support: assisting skilled workers, acting as a helper to higher-grade maintainers or craft workers, doing semi-skilled carpentry, plumbing, painting, masonry, and electrical tasks, and making minor adjustments to systems and equipment.

Knowledge, skills, and abilities

Applicants should have strong interpersonal communication, the ability to communicate clearly in speech and writing, follow directions, learn rules and procedures, operate and maintain tools and equipment, and keep records.

Working climate

Depending on assignment, the role may require use of protective equipment and completion of an asbestos removal program in line with EPA maintenance guidelines.

Additional opportunity details

The role offers meaningful hands-on work, the chance to support public service in a collaborative team, and access to professional growth opportunities as well as a healthy work-life balance.

This position is scheduled for first shift, Monday through Friday, from 7:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m., at the Connecticut Mental Health Center in New Haven, Connecticut.