Trades Leader

The School District of Philadelphia is committed to becoming the fastest improving District in the country and transforming the educational opportunities it offers to our city’s more than 200,000 students. The District seeks leaders who have a passion for working with schools and communities who are committed to ensuring all students achieve. Serving a population as diverse as ours requires creativity, commitment and vision. Will you join us?

Job Summary

Journeyman and limited supervisory trades work in the area of specialty. Work involves overseeing and/or participating in fabrication, installation, maintenance and repair work within the respective trades area. This class differs from the lower level class in that, as required, employees are responsible for overseeing and directing the activities of work crews engaged in the performance of tasks associated with large or complex installations or repairs.

Essential Functions

All Specialties

• Leads a crew or squad of journeyman and/or trainees in the performance of work tasks when required; may assist in planning and directing projects; inspects quality of work and job progress.
• Orders work materials; maintains job records on material and labor costs.
• Participates and/or oversees subordinates in the performance of the following exemplified duties within the given area of specialization.
  
  

Automatic Plan Maintenance Specialty

• Performs required repairs on H.V.A.C. equipment including compressors, generators, motors, turbines, steam boilers, oil and gas burners, pressure vessels, vents and ducts using power tools and hand tools.
• Observes meters and gauges and adjusts controls of equipment to verify specified operating conditions; records data such as equipment temperature, hours of operation, fuel consumption and the temperature and analysis of fuels to diagnose equipment malfunctions.
• Tests, adjusts and repairs equipment following blueprints, schematic drawings, and verbal or written instructions.
  
  

Carpentry Specialty

• Performs skilled carpentry work involving both rough and finished carpentry and some blueprint and diagram readings; replaces damaged doors, frames and sashes; repairs and replaces locks, handrails, athletic stands, garage doors, protective screens and fencing.
• Installs and removes partitions, blackboards, bulletin boards, mailboxes, lumber racks, soap dispensers, paper towel holders, shelving and fire extinguishers.
• Repairs sagging ceilings, gymnasium stands and floors; eases sticking doors; installs panic bolts on fire towers; prepares materials for carpentry jobs by performing cutting, joining, molding of lumber, cork or other materials.
  
  

Ironwork Specialty

• Performs all types and phases of ironwork including straightening iron fencing, securing and replacing fences as needed, and welding iron post braces and intermediate bars; performs all types and phases of sheet metal work including the design, layout, fabrication, and erection of air supply ducts and exhaust systems.
• Performs welding work involving the repair, fabrication or installation of cyclone fences, gates, iron duct plates, iron landing steps, elevators floors, iron grading, handrails and air in-take doors.
• Repairs existing duct lines, floor ventilators, exhaust lines, metal fire tower doors, smoke screen doors, air wash pans, aluminum windows and stainless-steel kitchen equipment.
  
  

Locksmith Specialty

• Performs skilled duties involving finished locksmith work with some blueprint and diagram reading.
• Repairs and replaces all types of locks including file cabinets, desk and locks; inserts new tumblers to change combinations.
• Performs keying and rekeying; sets cylinders using coded and code machines; selects key blanks, cut keys, and fits keys to locks; makes master keys.
• Performs work on power machines such as key cutting machines, drill presses and grinders.
  
  

Machine Operations Specialty

• Operates all machine shop equipment such as lathes, milling machines, shapers, planers, radical drill presses, surface grinders, and bandsaws.
• Works with various types of reciprocating and centrifugal pumps and compressors for air vacuum, water and steam.
• Repairs electrical motors, valves, automatic lubricators, automatic draught or damper regulators, fans and blowers, steam and vacuum gauges and a multitude of related types of equipment.
  
  

Masonry Specialty

• Performs a variety of tasks which include plastering, pointing, rough casting, tile work, lathing, and plaster molding; removes plaster, prepares surfaces for plastering; patches plaster walls and ceilings; applies a variety of plaster finishes.
• Lays, refaces and replaces bricks; points brick and stone; refaces and replaces bricks; caulks windows and resets limestone caps around buildings, performs cement finishing on steps and floors; may rough cast, reset or replace marble or concrete work.
• Performs in a variety of ways using cement, concrete, roughwear and/or blacktop; makes concrete blocks for motors or pumps; replaces concrete or cement in those floors which have been broken by steamfitters or plumbers while performing their work.
  
  

Painting-Glazing Specialty

• Performs a variety of routine and difficult painting tasks; cleans and repairs work areas by sanding, scraping, plastering, filling and touching up work area; mixes paints to correspond with and match existing colors.
• May perform sign painting and lettering; may perform varnishing and glazing work involving the removal of broken or old glass, puttying, cutting glass and installing new glass.
  
  

Plumbing Specialty

• Installs, maintains and repairs plumbing equipment and fixtures; makes sketches and drawings and works from blueprints in installing, connecting and repairing such facilities as hot water heater and tanks, showers, toilets, sinks, and urinals.
• May be called upon to break and dig up pavements and streets or break through walls or ceilings in order to run new or repair old hot and cold-water lines and gas lines.
• May install or repair drinking fountains, inside and outside of the school buildings; repairs and replaces a variety of valves; opens frozen lines during winter months; opens and cleans drains; repairs watermains and pneumatic controls.
  
  

Steam fitting Specialty

• Removes and renews steam lines; replaces and repairs radiators; replaces and repairs steam lines; replaces fittings and sections of mass heaters; installs boiler grates; removes and renews bent and straight tubes in heater tube boilers; replaces steam drums, mud drums and sections of a sectional cast iron boiler; replaces internal feed lines inside drums of boilers; cuts and threads pipe or other material to be used in repair work.
• Handles boiler emergencies at schools.
• Disassembles any built-in, recessed or covered radiation such as built-in window line, uninvent or convector type radiation and repairs same.
  
  

Minimum Requirements

• Education equivalent to the completion of the twelfth school grade.
• Three years of full-time, journeyman level experience in the applicable trades area.
  
  

Knowledge, Skills And Abilities

All Specialties

• Thorough knowledge of the principles, methods and procedures of the applicable trade.
• Thorough knowledge of the tools and materials used in the applicable trade.
• Thorough knowledge of the occupational hazards and the requisite safety precautions of the applicable trade.
• Skill in the care and use of the tools of the applicable trade.
• Ability to follow oral and written instructions.
• Ability to prepare reports and to maintain records of work performed.
• Ability to establish and maintain effective working relationships with administrators, work associates and subordinates.
  
  

Automatic Plant Maintenance Specialty

• Knowledge of the theory and principles of operating heating and cooling systems.
• Knowledge of the operation of electronic controls and motors associates with H.V.A.C. equipment.
• Ability to diagnose defects in and repair malfunctioning equipment.
• Ability to interpret and work from technical sketches.
  
  

Ironwork Specialty

• Ability to read blueprints and schematic diagrams.
  
  

Locksmith Specialty

• Knowledge of carpentry
• Skill in making and fitting locks and keys.
• Ability to work from sketches.
  
  

Machine Operations Specialty

• Considerable knowledge of blueprint reading.
  
  

Plumbing Specialty

• Considerable knowledge of the principles governing plumbing systems in a large building.
  
  

Steam fitting Specialty

• Considerable knowledge of the principles of steam heating and heating systems for a large building.
• Knowledge of automatic heating systems.
• Ability to read blueprints and schematics.
  
  

Disclaimer

The above statements are intended to describe the general nature and level of work being performed by people assigned to this classification. They are not to be construed as an exhaustive list of all responsibilities, duties, and skills required of personnel so classified.

Nondiscrimination

The School District of Philadelphia provides equal employment opportunities to all employees and applicants for employment without regard to race, color, age, creed, religion, sex, sexual orientation, ancestry, national origin, disability, pregnancy, marital status, gender identity, or genetic information. Please refer to Board Policy 348 for further information regarding the District's commitment to Nondiscrimination in Employment Practices.

Certificates/Licenses

Plumbing Specialty

Possession of or immediate eligibility for a Journeyman Plumber license as issued by the City of Philadelphia.

Possession of a proper class license valid to operate a motor vehicle in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania prior to and during the tenure of appointment.

Additional Information

Before a candidate can be employed for this position, he/she must successfully pass a

physical examination as legally required by the regulations of the NIOSH, the EPA and the

Commonwealth of Pennsylvania.

Primary Location

Facilities Maintenance (9KZ0)

Job

Facilities & Maintenance

Schedule

Regular

Employee Status

Manager

Job Posting

Jul 17, 2026, 4:57:31 PM

Union Affiliation

32BJ- District 1201 (32BJ)

Unposting Date

Aug 21, 2026, 11:59:00 PM