Senior Trades Utility Technician

Commonwealth of VA Careers; Charlottesville (VA); On-site; USD 27,000 - 32,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Health benefits

Dental benefits

Retirement plan

Educational benefits

Job summary

The University of Virginia Facilities Management is seeking a Senior Trades Utility Technician for the Housing Zone in Charlottesville, VA. The role supports a large portfolio of residential and program spaces and emphasizes preventive maintenance, troubleshooting, and hands-on trade work alongside journey-level staff.

Responsibilities include reading blueprints, coordinating material needs, keeping records, and ensuring safety standards.

Qualifications

• Education: High school diploma or equivalent.
• Experience: A minimum of four years in at least one building trade (residential, commercial, higher-education or similar environments preferred).
• Licensure: Valid Driver's License with a clean driving history (2+ years).

Responsibilities

• Support zone mechanics and skilled trades staff with system maintenance, troubleshooting, repairs, and routine building care.
• Perform skilled tasks in one or more trades and semi-skilled tasks in others using proper tools and diagnostics.
• Read and interpret blueprints, drawings, and equipment documentation.
• Identify materials and equipment needed for jobs and help initiate purchase orders.
• Maintain accurate work records including time tickets, job requests, and AIM work orders.
• Follow OSHA and UVA safety requirements and use PPE as directed.
• Provide updates to building occupants and respond to questions in coordination with the supervisor.
• Perform other duties as needed to support Zone operations.

Education

High school diploma or equivalent

Job description

The University of Virginia Facilities Management team is seeking a skilled Senior Trades Utility Technician to join our Housing Zone, which supports Facilities Management's goal of providing consistent, cost-effective, and reliable maintenance to the University community. This position supports the Housing portfolio, encompassing roughly 180 buildings and 3.1 million square feet of residential and program space. These buildings serve more than 7,800 students and span historic houses, modern residence halls, academic spaces, and student support facilities.

This role suits someone who has solid hands‑on skills, enjoys problem solving, and likes being part of a fast‑moving team. Your work has a real impact on students’ daily lives and plays a meaningful part in setting the tone for their UVA experience!

Why Join UVA Facilities Management:

• Year-round stability: full-time, local work with no travel or seasonal layoffs
• Professional development: access to trade credentialing, continuing education, and advancement through UVA training and apprenticeship pathways
• Strong community: a collaborative, service‑minded team that values craftsmanship, communication, and safety
• Great benefits: health, dental, retirement, and educational benefits for you and/or your family
• Meaningful work: every task directly supports students, faculty, and staff across UVA’s residential community

Role Summary:

Senior Trades Utility Technicians help keep Housing’s buildings safe, reliable, and functional by performing a mix of skilled and semi‑skilled work across multiple trades. They play a key role in keeping critical systems running the way they should, responding to issues as they come up, and supporting the broader operations team across a large and varied portfolio. Depending on experience, work may be completed independently or alongside journey‑level mechanics, with plenty of opportunities to grow technical depth over time.

The role supports preventive maintenance, troubleshooting, small repairs, and general building upkeep across residential spaces, student program areas, and support facilities. Technicians also gain hands‑on experience with mechanical, electrical, plumbing, and building systems while developing stronger diagnostic and problem‑solving skills through mentoring and day‑to‑day work in the field.

Responsibilities:

• Support zone mechanics and skilled trades staff with system maintenance, troubleshooting, repairs, and routine building care.
• Perform skilled tasks in one or more trades and semi‑skilled support tasks in others, using proper tools, diagnostic equipment, and work practices.
• Read and interpret blueprints, drawings, and equipment documentation.
• Identify materials and equipment needed for jobs and help initiate purchase orders.
• Maintain accurate work records including time tickets, job requests, and AIM work orders.
• Follow OSHA and University safety requirements and use PPE as directed.
• Provide updates to building occupants and respond to customer questions in coordination with the supervisor.
• Perform other duties as needed to support Zone operations.

Qualifications:

• Education: High school diploma or equivalent
• Experience: A minimum of four years of work experience in at least one building trade. Experience in residential, commercial, higher‑education, or similar environments is preferred.
• Licensure: Valid Driver's License with positive points balance and at least 2 years of driving history.

Selected candidates will be required to complete all required background checks prior to the first day of employment. This position is based in Charlottesville, VA, and must be performed fully on‑site.

Compensation:

The Anticipated Hiring Range for this position is $19.50 - $23.00 per hour ($40,560 - $47,840 Annually). This is a full-time position with UVA benefits .

Physical Demands:

The employee must be able to sit, stand, walk, climb stairs and ladders, crawl, stoop, bend, squat, lift, pull, and use both hands‑on repetitive tasks (including overhead tasks).

This position will remain open until filled.

The University of Virginia is an equal opportunity employer. All interested persons are encouraged to apply, including veterans and individuals with disabilities. Learn more about UVA’s commitment to non-discrimination and equal opportunity employment .