Cleaning Technician

POSITION DESCRIPTION

Business Title: CLEANING TECHNICIAN

Department: FACILITIES

Location: DOWNTOWN BRANCH

Grade: 58

Bargaining Unit: UNIT B

Full Time or Part Time: FULL TIME

Hours per Week: 37.5 HOURS

End Date (if Term Appointment): N/A

Reports to: FACILITIES MANAGER

ABOUT PPL
Portland Public Library is an equal-opportunity employer dedicated to providing safe, free access to

educational and cultural resources for all. As Maine’s most visited cultural institution, PPL has served the

community for over 150 years.

We provide shared resources, including books, films, history, and ideas, in a welcoming environment that

fosters connection and positive change. Our work centers on equity, accessibility, inclusion, and

representation of diverse perspectives. We seek team members who value curiosity, collaboration, and

creativity. Applicants from diverse racial, ethnic, and cultural backgrounds are strongly encouraged to apply.

POSITION SUMMARY
Reporting to the Facilities Manager, the Cleaning Technician is responsible for maintaining a clean, safe,

sanitary, and welcoming environment throughout the Downtown Branch. The position performs a variety of

custodial, building-support, and safety-related duties, including cleaning and maintaining public and non-

public spaces, operating and maintaining custodial equipment, responding to cleaning and maintenance

requests, monitoring supplies, and supporting building security and emergency procedures. The position

works primarily at the Downtown Branch and may occasionally be assigned to other Portland Public Library

facilities to support special events or operational needs.

NATURE & SCOPE

• Sets and disables building alarm systems at the Downtown Branch as required. When closing the

building for the night, conducts a full building sweep to ensure that all staff, guests, vendors, and

patrons have safely exited the building before setting the alarm.

• Cleans and maintains all public and non-public areas of the Downtown Branch, including public

spaces, service areas, offices, administrative areas, staff areas, stairwells, restrooms, and other

assigned areas. Duties include sweeping, mopping, stripping, waxing and polishing floors; dusting

shelves, furniture, and other surfaces; vacuuming and shampooing carpets; collecting and removing

trash and recycling; washing windows; cleaning restrooms; and other custodial duties as assigned.

• Safely responds to and cleans bodily fluids, blood, and other biohazardous materials, including the

safe handling and disposal of syringes and other sharps in accordance with established procedures

and the use of appropriate sharps containers and personal protective equipment.

Approved: 8.17.26

• Coordinates custodial tasks and responsibilities with other Cleaning Technicians to ensure that the

Downtown Branch is consistently maintained.

• Regularly inspects assigned areas and reports maintenance needs, safety hazards, damage,

vandalism, leaks, pest activity, and other building concerns to the Facilities Manager or appropriate

staff.

• Operates, cleans, and performs routine maintenance on custodial equipment, including vacuums,

floor machines, carpet extractors, and other cleaning equipment; reports equipment malfunctions

and repair needs.

• Uses a computer and the work-order system to monitor and respond to cleaning and custodial

service requests, check and respond to email, document completed work, and communicate with

Facilities staff.

• Assists in training Facilities staff in the proper and safe use of cleaning equipment and products.

Trains other library staff in the proper use of sanitizing products at public-facing service desks and

public computers.

• Monitors inventory of cleaning supplies and paper products and maintains adequate inventory levels

by identifying supply needs and submitting orders through the Facilities Manager. Monitors cleaning

supply levels in library departments and restocks supplies as necessary.

• Assists with conference room and event setup, breakdown, and cleaning, including moving and

arranging furniture and signage and assisting with audiovisual equipment as needed.

• Works independently and collaboratively with Facilities staff and other library employees, adjusting

priorities and responsibilities based on operational needs, building conditions, staffing, and

schedules.

• Carries a radio while working at the Downtown Branch and provides backup support to the Safety

team during emergencies when called upon.

• May occasionally work at other Portland Public Library facilities to support special events, operational

needs, or other temporary assignments.

• Performs all duties in accordance with applicable OSHA requirements, library safety policies, and

established procedures for personal protective equipment, equipment operation, ergonomics,

bloodborne pathogens, chemical storage and handling, and other workplace safety practices.

BASIC QUALIFICATIONS
This position requires experience in janitorial or custodial work; or any equivalent combination of

experience and training that provides the following:

• Knowledge of materials, tools, equipment, cleaning products, methods, and best practices used in

the cleaning and maintenance of a variety of surfaces, including but not limited to carpet, tile, vinyl

flooring, painted walls, acoustic tile, bathroom fixtures and partitions, glass, and other common

building surfaces.

• Ability to safely operate and maintain custodial equipment and tools and to use cleaning and

sanitizing products in accordance with manufacturer instructions, safety requirements, and

established procedures.

• Ability to recognize and appropriately respond to unsafe conditions, spills, biohazards, sharps, and

other hazards encountered in a public facility, including the proper use of personal protective

equipment and adherence to applicable OSHA requirements and library safety procedures.

• Ability to understand and carry out oral and written instructions, work independently, prioritize and

organize tasks, and work cooperatively with other Facilities staff.

Approved: 8.17.26

• Ability to communicate effectively with the Facilities Manager and other PPL staff, including staff

who may work different schedules. Ability to communicate with the “person in charge” regarding

security, safety, maintenance, or other building concerns and follow through as directed.

• Ability to interact appropriately with members of the public and to enforce library rules when

necessary while maintaining a calm, respectful, and professional demeanor.

• Ability to communicate well with all members of the public and to enforce library rules effectively

while maintaining a calm and professional demeanor.

• Ability to use a computer and standard office technology to check and respond to email, monitor and

respond to cleaning requests, document completed work, and communicate with Facilities staff.

• Ability to recognize and address ergonomic and workplace safety concerns and to follow established

procedures for safe work practices.

PHYSICAL DEMANDS

• Requires frequent standing, walking, bending, stooping, kneeling, crouching, reaching, and

stretching while performing cleaning and custodial duties throughout library facilities.

• Requires the ability to push and pull custodial equipment, carts, vacuums, floor machines, carpet

extractors, and other equipment across a variety of floor surfaces.

• Requires the ability to lift, carry, and move cleaning supplies, equipment, trash, recycling, furniture,

and other materials as necessary to perform assigned duties.

• Requires frequent repetitive hand and arm movements associated with sweeping, mopping,

vacuuming, dusting, wiping, scrubbing, polishing, operating cleaning equipment, and other custodial

tasks.

• Requires the ability to work on ladders or step stools as necessary to perform cleaning duties,

including cleaning windows and other elevated surfaces.

• Requires the ability to safely navigate stairs and move throughout multiple levels and areas of library

buildings while carrying cleaning supplies or equipment.

• Requires sufficient visual and auditory ability to identify spills, debris, hazards, damage, alarms, and

other conditions requiring attention.

• Requires the ability to work in environments where there may be exposure to cleaning chemicals,

dust, dirt, bodily fluids, bloodborne pathogens, sharps, and other potentially hazardous materials

while following required safety procedures and using appropriate personal protective equipment.

• Requires the ability to perform physical tasks for extended periods, including standing and walking

throughout the workday.

• Requires regular use of a computer, keyboard, mouse, and other standard office technology to

check and respond to email, monitor and respond to cleaning requests, and document work.

• May require working in confined or awkward spaces and in areas with limited access while

performing cleaning and custodial duties.

• May require occasional lifting or moving of heavier objects, including furniture and equipment, with

or without assistance or appropriate mechanical aids.

Reasonable accommodations may be made to support the performance of the essential functions of this

position.

WORK ENVIRONMENT

• Works primarily indoors in a public library environment, including public and non-public areas,

offices, administrative spaces, stairwells, restrooms, and other assigned areas.

Approved: 8.17.26

• Regularly works in areas occupied by members of the public, including children, adults, and

individuals who may be experiencing behavioral, medical, or other emergencies.

• Regularly exposed to dust, dirt, odors, cleaning chemicals, bodily fluids, bloodborne pathogens,

sharps, and other potentially hazardous materials. Appropriate personal protective equipment and

established safety procedures are required.

• May work in areas with varying temperatures, ventilation, noise levels, lighting conditions, and levels

of public activity.

• May occasionally work outdoors or in areas that are not climate controlled when performing

assigned duties or assisting with building or event-related activities.

• May be required to work independently in portions of the building when the library is closed or during

periods of limited staffing.

• May encounter spills, debris, pests, damaged property, or other potentially unsafe conditions and is

expected to follow established procedures for addressing or reporting such conditions.

• May be exposed to moving equipment, wet floors, electrical equipment, elevated surfaces, and

other conditions inherent to custodial work.