POSITION IDENTIFICATION
TITLE Piano Technician
CLASSIFICATION NUMBER 2139
GRADE 44
CLASSIFICATION Nonexempt
IMMEDIATE SUPERVISOR Department Head, Music
GENERAL FUNCTION
The Piano Technician executes tuning, regulation, voicing, repairs, action refurbishing,
preventative maintenance, and other duties to maintain the fleet of Missouri State
University Music Department’s piano inventory at an optimal level that supports and
continues the All-Steinway School designation.
MINIMUM ACCEPTABLE QUALIFICATIONS
Education: A Bachelor’s degree is required. Documentation of training at the C.F.
Theodore Steinway Technical Academy is required.
Experience: At least five years of experience maintaining pianos at optimal level
(detailed performance tunings, action regulation and refurbishing, voicing, repairs,
and preventative maintenance of grand and upright pianos) is required. Experience
with harpsichord tuning and repair is preferred.
Skills: Effective verbal and written communication skills are required. Effective
interpersonal, collaborative, and customer service skills are required. The ability
to develop knowledge of, respect for, and skills to engage with those of other cultures
or backgrounds is required.
Other: Evening and weekend work is required due to concert and event scheduling.
ESSENTIAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES
1. Provides specialized piano repair services, including but not limited to tuning,
voicing, regulation, repairs, piano action refurbishing, and preventative maintenance.
2. Prepares concert hall pianos for all performances on a regular schedule.
3. Provides recommendations for the optimal maintenance, long-term care, and oversight
of the departmental piano inventory, including the development of schedules for tunings,
voicing, and regular scheduled maintenance.
4. Provides basic harpsichord tuning and repair, including tuning, plectra replacement,
and restringing.
5. Maintain records and provides expertise regarding the effects of humidity and temperature
changes on the piano fleet.
6. Maintains ongoing participation in training provided by the C. F. Theodore Steinway
Technical Academy.
7. Contributes to a work environment that encourages knowledge of, respect for, and
development of skills to engage with those of other cultures or backgrounds.
8. Remains competent and current through self-directed professional reading, developing
professional contacts with colleagues, attending professional development courses,
and attending training and/or courses as directed by the supervisor.
SUPERVISION
The Piano Technician is supervised by the Department Head, Music.
OFFICE OF HUMAN RESOURCES
JUNE 2019
JOB FAMILY 4
Factor 1: Professional Knowledge, Skill, and Technical Mastery
Level 4.0 - 2300 Points: Knowledge of the principles, concepts, practices, methods and techniques of an administrative, managerial, or professional field such as accounting or auditing, financial management, business administration, human resources, engineering, social sciences, communications, education, law, or medicine. Knowledge permits the employee to complete assignments by applying established methods to recurring types of projects/problems susceptible to well-documented precedents or to schedule, plan, and carry out precedented projects. Alternatively, knowledge at this level might also permit the employee to carry out precedented projects requiring considerable experience in specific areas within higher education. Knowledge at this level is typically acquired through a combination of formal education and/or training and experience that includes a requirement for a college degree in a specific technical or professional specialty along with significant related work experience. Alternatively, equivalent knowledge requirements at this level include a non-technical or general Bachelor's degree requirement with substantial work experience or a non-specific Master's degree requirement with substantial work experience. Knowledge requirements generally also include a significant amount of related work experience and may include administrative or supervisory experience.
Factor 2: Supervisory Responsibility
Level 1.0 - 50 Points: Typically, little, if any, supervision of others is required. The job may require irregular but occasional responsibility to direct the work of student workers and/or temporary or part-time workers. The nature of supervision is largely confined to assigning tasks to others and does not include a full range of supervisory responsibilities. The amount of time spent on directing the work of others is normally a small portion of total work time.
Factor 3: Interactions with Others
Level 3.0 - 250 Points: The purpose of interactions is to advise or counsel others to solve recurring and structured problems, and/or to plan or coordinate work efforts with other employees who are working toward common goals in situations where relationships are generally cooperative. Interactions are moderately structured and routine and may involve employees in different functions, students, and/or the general public. These types of interactions require normal interpersonal skills.
Factor 4: Job Controls and Guidelines
Level 3.0 - 500 Points: The employee operates under general supervision expressed in terms of program goals and objectives, priorities, and deadlines. Administrative supervision is given through statements of overall program or project objectives and available resources. Administrative guidelines are relatively comprehensive and the employee need only to fill in gaps in interpretation and adapt established methods to perform recurring activities. In unforeseen situations, the employee must interpret inadequate or incomplete guidelines, develop plans, and initiate new methods to complete assignments based on those interpretations. Assignments are normally related in function, but the work requires many different processes and methods applied to an established administrative or professional field. Problems are typically the result of unusual circumstances, variations in approach, or incomplete or conflicting data. The employee must interpret and refine methods to complete assignments. Characteristic jobs at this level may involve directing single-purpose programs or performing complex, but precedented, technical or professional work.
Factor 5: Managerial Responsibility
Level 3.0 - 850 Points: Work involves providing significant support services to others both within and outside of the department that substantially influences decision-making processes. Work activities are complex and others rely on the accuracy and reliability of the information, analysis, or advice to make decisions. Work activities have a direct, but shared, impact on further processes or services, affect the overall efficiency and image of the department, and may have material impact on costs or service quality within the cost center. Incumbents may be responsible for identifying areas of need and for developing proposals that request funding to fulfill those needs.
