Facilities manager

The USS Midway Museum has an excellent opportunity for an experienced Facilities Manager to lead the maintenance and day-to-day facilities operations of one of San Diego’s most unique attractions.

The successful candidate will be an experienced facilities leader with strong people-management skills and practical knowledge of electrical/mechanical systems and maintenance trades. Previous Navy or shipboard experience as Senior Enlisted or Limited Duty Officer such as an Engineering Department Maintenance Manager is preferred.

Reporting to and working closely with the Chief Engineer, the Facilities Manager is responsible for the daily operation, maintenance, preservation, and improvement of the Museum’s interior and exterior facilities and equipment.

This position provides hands-on leadership to approximately 40 maintenance and custodial personnel and works closely with employees, volunteers, contractors, vendors, and other Museum departments to ensure that facilities are safe, clean, functional, well maintained, and ready to support daily Museum operations and special events.

About Midway

The USS Midway Museum is America’s most-visited historic floating ship museum. It is dedicated to preserving the legacy and contributions of naval aviation as well as honoring those who serve America in uniform. It is the top-rated attraction in San Diego and hosts more than 1,000,000 visitors annually. Located in downtown San Diego, it is open 363 days a year.

Compensation & Benefits:

• Salary – $95,000 - $115,000 year, commensurate with education/experience.
• Medical, dental, and life insurance 100% employer paid for employee.
• Optional vision, legal and FSA plan
• 403(b) retirement plan matching 100% of the employee contribution up to 6%, with immediate vesting.
• 15 vacation days, 10 days of accrued paid sick days per year, and 10 paid holidays.
• Paid Parking

Key Success Factors:

1. Safe, Clean Reliable, and Well-Maintained Facilities
2. High-Performing and Accountable Maintenance Team
3. Responsive and Collaborative Internal Customer Service
4. Timely and Effective Maintenance and Problem Resolution
5. Successful Projects and Responsible Resource Management

Summary of Responsibilities

• Lead and supervise approximately 40+ maintenance and custodial personnel responsible for facilities maintenance, equipment maintenance, custodial services, preservation, event support, and related activities.
• Acts on behalf of the Chief Engineer in their absence to ensure continuity of department operations and leadership.
• Plan, assign, prioritize, and monitor daily work performed by employees, volunteers, vendors, and contractors.
• Recruit, interview, hire, onboard, train, coach, and evaluate maintenance personnel.
• Develop employees and supervisors, establish clear performance expectations, and promote accountability, teamwork, safety, and responsive customer service.
• Oversee preventive maintenance and repairs involving building and facility systems such as electrical, HVAC, ventilation, plumbing, lighting, equipment, interior spaces, exterior surfaces, and related infrastructure.
• Oversee daily custodial operations and standards throughout the Museum, ensuring public and employee spaces are consistently clean, presentable, safe, and appropriately staffed to support Museum operations and guest visitation.
• Coordinate maintenance and preservation of the Museum's unique historic structure, including corrosion control and interior and exterior preservation activities.
• Manage and respond to maintenance requests, facility concerns, and safety-related discrepancies, ensuring appropriate prioritization and follow-through.
• Coordinate facility improvement and repair projects, including demolition, construction, abatement, clean-up, maintenance, preservation, and restoration activities.
• Work with outside contractors and vendors, including obtaining proposals, coordinating work, monitoring performance, and ensuring projects are completed safely and appropriately.
• Procure custodial, maintenance, repair, equipment, and operating supplies.
• Assist the Chief Engineer with development and management of the Engineering Department's annual operating and project budgets.
• Support Museum events and operational needs requiring Engineering Department assistance.
• Coordinate movement and delivery of equipment, materials, and event supplies, including activities that may involve forklifts, lifts, cranes, elevators, or other material-handling equipment.
• Ensure employees receive appropriate training and certifications for equipment they are assigned to operate.
• Promote compliance with applicable safety requirements, Museum policies, preventive maintenance practices, and department procedures.
• Respond as needed to unexpected or urgent facility conditions that may occur outside of normal operating hours.

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities Required

Education and Experience

• Approximately 8–10 years of progressively responsible facilities, maintenance, engineering, construction, or related experience, including significant responsibility for facility operations and maintenance.
• Demonstrated experience leading and managing a sizeable maintenance, facilities, engineering, construction, or skilled-trades workforce.
• Strong working knowledge of one or more maintenance trades, such as electrical, HVAC, mechanical systems, plumbing, construction, or general facilities maintenance, along with sufficient knowledge of other facility systems to effectively oversee staff and contractors.
• Experience in Navy, maritime, shipboard, historic vessel, or similar environments is strongly preferred.
• Experience with commercial, institutional, hospitality, campus, public attraction, industrial, or similarly complex facilities strongly preferred.
• Experience developing and implementing preventive maintenance programs and managing maintenance priorities, work orders, and repair projects.
• Experience managing vendors, contractors, projects, purchasing, and departmental budgets.
• Trade experience or prior work in a skilled trade followed by progression into facilities or maintenance management is highly desirable.

Skills and Abilities

• Strong leadership skills with demonstrated ability to hire, train, coach, develop, motivate, and hold employees accountable.
• Ability to manage a large volume of maintenance activity and effectively prioritize preventive maintenance, repairs, projects, safety issues, and operational requests.
• Practical understanding of commercial facility systems and maintenance practices, including electrical, HVAC, mechanical, ventilation, plumbing, and related systems.
• Ability and willingness to learn the specialized systems, configuration, terminology, and maintenance requirements associated with a historic aircraft carrier.
• Strong project coordination skills and ability to work effectively with employees, volunteers, contractors, vendors, and other departments.
• Strong organizational and follow-up skills with the ability to monitor assignments through completion.
• Sound judgment and the ability to respond effectively to urgent facility and operational issues.
• Excellent internal and external customer service and communication skills.
• Ability to balance operational needs, customer service, preservation considerations, employee safety, and facility requirements.
• Proficiency with Microsoft Office applications, including Outlook, Word, Excel, and PowerPoint, and the ability to work with computerized maintenance or work-order systems.
• Ability to obtain required certifications to operate applicable equipment such as forklifts and scissor lifts.
• Availability to occasionally work evenings or weekends and respond to unexpected facility needs when necessary.
• Collaborative, hands-on leadership style and willingness to assist wherever needed.

Working Conditions

Work Location: Work is performed aboard the USS Midway Museum, a permanently moored historic aircraft carrier open to the public. The work environment combines many traditional commercial facilities-management responsibilities with the unique physical characteristics of a historic vessel. Occasional overnight travel may be required.

Physical Requirements: The position requires regular movement throughout a large facility, including frequent walking and climbing stairs and shipboard ladders. Work may occasionally require accessing confined or difficult-to-reach spaces; bending, stooping, reaching above and below shoulder height; and pushing, pulling, lifting, or carrying materials weighing up to 50 pounds.

Equipment: Depending upon operational needs and appropriate training or certification, equipment may include computers and office equipment, forklifts, scissor lifts, pallet jacks, material-handling equipment, aircraft and cargo elevators, maintenance equipment, small power tools, and custodial equipment.

These essential functions may be performed with or without reasonable accommodation.

The USS Midway Museum is an Equal Opportunity Employer. We do not discriminate based on race, color, religion, sex (including pregnancy, sexual orientation, or gender identity), national origin, disability, age (40+), genetic information, or any other protected status under federal, state, or local law.

We are committed to providing reasonable accommodations for applicants and employees with disabilities, sincerely held religious beliefs, pregnancy‑related needs, or other protected circumstances, as required by law. If you require accommodation during the application or hiring process, please contact us.

Employment eligibility verification will be completed after hire in accordance with federal law.