Whether repairing essential equipment, ensuring heating and cooling systems run efficiently, or helping guide a visitor to the right location, our maintenance and facilities staff play an essential role in directly supporting patient care.
No matter if they’re quickly resolving an issue in a patient room, supporting emergency readiness, or keeping vital infrastructure running without interruption, our facilities teams make a meaningful difference behind the scenes, making sure every patient receives care in the best possible environment, every single day.
UPMC’s maintenance and facilities employees work around the clock to ensure that our clinical teams can prioritize and focus on delivering the best care, knowing the environment around them is safe, functional, and responsive to patient needs.
Derek R.
Working Foreperson – UPMC Presbyterian
Derek began his career at UPMC in March 2021, inspired by observing his father’s skillful trade work when he was young. Derek worked various jobs in his youth that taught him about trades and how they are essential to the function of different industries. “I have been able to grow my skills and develop my career due to the opportunities that UPMC has given me. Between the trainings and everyday tasks as a foreman, I feel like I improve every day,” said Derek. “I spent roughly two and a half years as a journeyman painter at UPMC. I believe that my managers and directors saw my work ethic and the pride that I put into my jobs and that resulted in me getting a promotion to the foreman position. Hard work pays off!”
Each day, Derek performs a variety of tasks depending on the needs of the hospital. Core responsibilities include overseeing infrastructure and facilities maintenance, completing preventative maintenance on building systems, ensuring compliance with local health and safety regulations, and supporting continued operational flow throughout the hospital. “When we finish a project and see the work from all trades coming together as one to finish a project and transform a bland area into something remarkable, it is very meaningful,” Derek shared.
“It is rewarding to take a step back and realize that we put all of our effort into a specific project and the end result affects people all throughout the hospital. That alone makes me put pride in my work.”
Although maintenance and facilities roles may not be the first that come to mind when thinking of careers that take place in a hospital, these professionals develop a comprehensive understanding of each unit because their responsibilities require continuous engagement throughout the facility. “My favorite part of coming to work every day is being part of a family,” explained Derek. “The staff I work with every day is great. We laugh together and, overall, the environment at work is always welcoming. We all work together as a group to make UPMC a great place to work!”
“It is rewarding to take a step back and realize that we put all of our effort into a specific project and the end result affects people all throughout the hospital. That alone makes me put pride in my work.”
Matt B.
Master Class Painter/Plasterer - UPMC Presbyterian
Matt transitioned his career from union contractor to facilities employee at UPMC in 2024. At the time, he was looking for a job that suited his skills without having to endure harsh weather conditions and understaffing issues. Matt was able to continue working in a field he enjoyed at UPMC, while also achieving better work-life balance.
“By my title, we are predominantly known for painting, but we also do various other tasks like epoxy floors, finish drywall, and some cement and concrete projects,” Matt explained.
“It’s a lot of odds and ends and every day is something different. We like to keep busy and broaden our tasks and skillsets as a team.”
Matt explained that working in a hospital is a lot different than working in his previous construction jobs. “One big reason why I chose to come to UPMC is that I have a lot more coworkers to handle the workload. Any time that I feel overwhelmed, I can always call for extra assistance, and I know that my team will show up to help me finish a project.”
Though Matt was nervous to transition away from the contracting work he was accustomed to, he shared that he was grateful that he took a chance on an opportunity to grow his career in a different way. “To have steady work coming in all the time really gave me peace of mind that I wasn’t going to get laid off if work was slow, like I did in my past positions. The hospital is also a cleaner environment, and knowing that I have to show up at the same facility every day takes the burden off of having to plan my commute to different job sites that were sometimes over an hour away from where I live,” Matt shared. “There are always opportunities to grow and try something new, and my managers are always willing to help me in any way that they can; they offer great support.”
Explore Maintenance and Facilities Careers
Great care starts with a strong foundation. Every repair, improvement, and project contributes to the lasting effect on the safety of our employees, patients, and visitors around the clock. Build your career with a team that keeps healthcare running one project at a time!
