Building Engineer | North Central Baltimore

About the Role

Anticipated Start Date: Early January 2027

Salary Range: $28.00–$33.00 per hour, based on experience

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 the Towson-to-Catonsville area. The territory may include additional nearby areas as needed.

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

• Navigate commercial HVAC systems, including rooftop units, split systems, VAV systems, and more.
• Perform basic thermostat troubleshooting, including programming, set points, and sensor issues.
• Identify system components, isolate problems, and determine when vendor support is needed.

Electrical

• Perform low- and line-voltage work only; no high-voltage work.
• Replace light bulbs, ballasts, LED drivers, small fan motors, and exhaust fans.
• Safely isolate circuits before performing work, following a lockout/tagout mindset.
• Perform whole-fixture replacements, including LED modifications.
• Identify equipment power sources and understand how to safely de-energize equipment.

Plumbing

• Identify and repair common restroom fixtures, including faucets, toilets, urinals, and floor drains.
• Repair or replace drain traps, supply lines, flush valves, and diaphragms.
• Perform water fountain repairs.
• Focus on repairs and replacements rather than new plumbing installations.
• Understand fire life safety sprinkler systems, including isolation valves and wet versus dry pipe systems.
• Source parts from distributors and know where to obtain the materials needed for repairs.

Life Safety Systems

• Maintain working knowledge of fire alarms, sprinkler systems, fire extinguishers, and fire pumps (no hands-on repairs).
• Know how to operate isolation valves and identify system status.
• Understand what triggers alarms and distinguish nuisance alarms from actual events.
• Recognize when not to touch a system and when to contact a licensed vendor.

Carpentry / General Maintenance

• Perform basic drywall repairs, including patching holes and installing backer board.
• Understand basic framing and how walls are constructed.
• Operate power tools, including drills, chop saws, and wood saws.

Work Order Systems

• Use digital work order platforms to receive, acknowledge, complete, and document work orders.
• Log time and labor accurately.
• Independently prioritize work orders based on urgency and building needs.

Qualifications

Experience Background

• Roving commercial building engineering experience is highly preferred.
• Commercial property management maintenance experience across any portfolio type.
• Multi-site facility maintenance experience in multi-tenant, retail, office, or mixed-use properties.

Minimum Qualifications

• 2+ years of commercial maintenance experience preferred.
• Experience across multiple trades, including plumbing, electrical, HVAC, and carpentry.
• Clean driving record (non-negotiable, as company vehicles are used daily).
• Comfortable using a smartphone for email, work order applications, navigation, and photo documentation.
• Availability for an on-call rotation: typically two weeks on call, followed by a rotating break based on team size (usually 8–12 weeks off).

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience with a work order management system (any platform).
• Understanding of demising walls, fire ratings, and commercial building codes.
• Familiarity with life safety systems, including fire alarms, sprinkler systems, and fire pumps.

About the company

J. Thomas Property Services specializes in small commercial 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.