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What is a building maintenance engineer and how to become one

Updated January 8, 2025
4 min read

Building maintenance engineers take care of large building complexes such as corporations, retail centers, schools, hospitals, and many more. They are responsible for keeping the buildings in good condition, making sure they are safe to use. They repair defects, replace damaged equipment, keep the spaces clean, and make sure the areas are ready to accommodate whatever activities they were assigned.

You will need to excel in facility management if you want to be successful in this position. You will need great organizational skills and the ability to manage a team of maintenance workers performing tasks under your watch. You will need good communication skills and an affinity for teamwork to carry out your tasks with the best results.

You might need a degree in building management, and relevant technical knowledge will also be important. Problem-solving will be on the menu every day, so make sure you are good at it. Getting certified is also an option to prove your expertise and increase your chances of standing out from other candidates.

ScoreBuilding Maintenance EngineerUS Average
Salary
3.7

Avg. Salary $47,450

Avg. Salary $59,228

Stability level
7.6

Growth rate 5%

Growth rate 0.3%

Diversity
5.3
Race

American Indian and Alaska Native 1.14%

Asian 4.30%

Black or African American 9.57%

Hispanic or Latino 22.70%

Unknown 4.20%

White 58.10%

Gender

female 3.53%

male 96.47%

Age - 49
Race

American Indian and Alaska Native 3.00%

Asian 7.00%

Black or African American 14.00%

Hispanic or Latino 19.00%

White 57.00%

Gender

female 47.00%

male 53.00%

Age - 49
Stress level
7.6

Stress level is high

7.1 - high

Complexity level
6.3

Complexity level is intermediate

7 - challenging

Work life balance
6.1

Work life balance is fair

6.4 - fair

Building maintenance engineer career paths

Key steps to become a building maintenance engineer

  1. Explore building maintenance engineer education requirements

    Most common building maintenance engineer degrees

    High School Diploma

    27.9 %

    Associate

    27.1 %

    Bachelor's

    20.5 %
  2. Start to develop specific building maintenance engineer skills

    SkillsPercentages
    HVAC12.20%
    Plumbing11.92%
    Preventive Maintenance9.74%
    Ladders8.66%
    Snow Removal7.80%
  3. Complete relevant building maintenance engineer training and internships

    Accountants spend an average of 1-3 months on post-employment, on-the-job training. New building maintenance engineers learn the skills and techniques required for their job and employer during this time. The chart below shows how long it takes to gain competency as a building maintenance engineer based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics data and data from real building maintenance engineer resumes.
  4. Research building maintenance engineer duties and responsibilities

    • Create python script to automate the deployment process which deploys the application and restarts the servers.
    • Perform preventive maintenance and repair electrical equipment, plumbing, air-condition and refrigeration.
    • Create a plan maintenance system to stay on top of HVAC, energy management and mechanical systems and component repairs.
    • Complete engineering & life-safety systems and procedures training and certifications to ensure adherence to OSHA and other compliance and quality standards.
  5. Prepare your building maintenance engineer resume

    When your background is strong enough, you can start writing your building maintenance engineer resume.

    You can use Zippia's AI resume builder to make the resume writing process easier while also making sure that you include key information that hiring managers expect to see on a building maintenance engineer resume. You'll find resume tips and examples of skills, responsibilities, and summaries, all provided by Zippi, your career sidekick.

    Choose from 10+ customizable building maintenance engineer resume templates

    Build a professional building maintenance engineer resume in minutes. Browse through our resume examples to identify the best way to word your resume. Then choose from 10+ resume templates to create your building maintenance engineer resume.
    Building Maintenance Engineer Resume
    Building Maintenance Engineer Resume
    Building Maintenance Engineer Resume
    Building Maintenance Engineer Resume
    Building Maintenance Engineer Resume
    Building Maintenance Engineer Resume
    Building Maintenance Engineer Resume
    Building Maintenance Engineer Resume
    Building Maintenance Engineer Resume
  6. Apply for building maintenance engineer jobs

    Now it's time to start searching for a building maintenance engineer job. Consider the tips below for a successful job search:

    1. Browse job boards for relevant postings
    2. Consult your professional network
    3. Reach out to companies you're interested in working for directly
    4. Watch out for job scams

How did you land your first building maintenance engineer job

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Average building maintenance engineer salary

The average building maintenance engineer salary in the United States is $47,450 per year or $23 per hour. Building maintenance engineer salaries range between $35,000 and $64,000 per year.

Average building maintenance engineer salary
$47,450 Yearly
$22.81 hourly

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How do building maintenance engineers rate their job?

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Building maintenance engineer reviews

profile
A zippia user wrote a review on Apr 2022
Pros

Being able to use my skills in hvacr, electical and plumbing

Cons

Working for and with unqualified people.


profile
A zippia user wrote a review on Apr 2020
Pros

Flexibility

Cons

I have more to offer than n various task. My resume spells out my duties.


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A zippia user wrote a review on Dec 2019
Pros

Class A service to tenants and completed accurate building maintenance service work.

Cons

Confusion, lack of communication and short cuts


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Updated January 8, 2025

Zippia Research Team
Zippia Team

Editorial Staff

The Zippia Research Team has spent countless hours reviewing resumes, job postings, and government data to determine what goes into getting a job in each phase of life. Professional writers and data scientists comprise the Zippia Research Team.

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