Building Engineer | Montgomery County

Thomas Park; Maryland; On-site; USD 38,572 - 45,460; Full time

Job summary

J. Thomas Property Services seeks a roving Building Engineer to maintain a portfolio of commercial properties across Montgomery County. You’ll troubleshoot, repair, and document work orders across retail, office, and medical facility sites while traveling between locations.

The role emphasizes independence, multi-trade skills, and timely communication using smartphone tools to log actions and updates. On-call rotation and clean driving record are required.

Qualifications

• 2+ years in commercial maintenance or related field.
• Clean driving record required.
• Smartphone, email, and work order apps proficiency.

Responsibilities

• HVAC: basic thermostat troubleshooting and component identification.
• Electrical: low/line voltage tasks, bulb/driver replacement, safe de-energizing.

Skills

2+ years experience

Clean driving record

Smartphone proficient

On-call availability

Job description

The Building Engineer is a roving, multi-trade commercial maintenance professional responsible for the day-to-day upkeep, troubleshooting, and repair of a portfolio of commercial properties throughout Montgomery County.

This is not a stationary facility role. Engineers travel between assigned properties, manage their own work order queue, respond to maintenance needs, and provide reliable support across multiple commercial buildings.

The ideal candidate is comfortable working independently, troubleshooting a variety of building systems, and using technology to document work, communicate updates, and manage daily responsibilities.

Portfolio types include retail, office buildings, and outpatient medical facilities.

What you'll do

HVAC

• Basic thermostat troubleshooting — programming, set points, sensor issues
• Identify components and isolate problems; know when a vendor is needed

Electrical

• No high-voltage work — low and line voltage only
• Change light bulbs, ballasts, LED drivers, small fan motors, exhaust fans
• Safely isolate circuits before working — lockout/tagout mindset
• Whole fixture replacement using LED modifications
• Identify what equipment is powered by and how to safely de-energize it

Plumbing

• Identify and repair common restroom fixtures: faucets, toilets, urinals, floor drains
• Repair/replace drain traps, supply lines, flush valves, diaphragms
• Water fountain repairs
• NOT doing new plumbing installs — repair and replacement only
• Understand fire life safety sprinkler systems: isolation valves, wet vs. dry pipes
• Source parts from distributors; know where to get what

Life Safety Systems

• Working knowledge (not hands-on repair) of: fire alarms, sprinkler systems, fire extinguishers, fire pumps
• Know how to operate isolation valves and identify system status
• Understand what triggers alarms, what is a nuisance vs. an actual event
• Know when NOT to touch something and when to call a licensed vendor

Carpentry / General Maintenance

• Basic drywall repair — patching holes, backer board installation
• Basic framing — understanding how walls are built
• Operate power tools: drills, chop saws, wood saws

Work Order Systems

• Prior experience with a digital work order platform is highly preferred (any platform)
• Must be able to: receive, acknowledge, complete, log time and labor on work orders
• Self-prioritize work queue based on urgency and building needs

Qualification s

Experience Background:

• Roving commercial building engineer — this is the gold standard (not stationary)
• Commercial property management maintenance — any portfolio type
• Multi-site facility maintenance — multi-tenant, retail, office, or mixed-use

Minimum Qualifications:

• 2+ years in commercial maintenance (preferred)
• Clean driving record — non-negotiable (company vehicles on roads daily)
• Smartphone proficient: email, work order apps, navigation, photo documentation
• Available for on-call rotation (2 weeks on, then rotating break based on team size, typically 8-12 weeks off)

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience with work order management system (any platform)
• Understanding of demising walls, fire ratings, commercial building codes
• Life safety familiarity: fire alarms, sprinkler systems, fire pumps

Salary range for this position is $28.00 - $33.00, based on experience

About the company

J. Thomas Property Services specializes in commercial small projects, including tenant improvements, interior build-outs, renovations, and property repairs. Our team partners with contractors and property managers to deliver reliable, high-quality work through strong communication, accountability, and efficient project execution.