What To Look For In A Building Maintenance Engineer

A building maintenance engineer should be well-versed in a number of contracting specialties. To find the ideal candidate for your facility, you'll want to look at several factors to ensure you are hiring the best person for the job. Here are a few qualifications you should look for in your next candidate.

Electrician Certification

Your ideal candidate should have extensive knowledge about electrical systems and wiring. Whether your facility is experiencing issues with an HVAC system, power outages or system failures, electrical knowledge can help to diagnose these issues quickly. Look for a candidate who has attended electrician trade school and has served an apprenticeship. A journeyman certification is a plus, as it indicates that the candidate has proficiency in the field and could move on to become a master electrician. While this may mean you might have to pay a higher wage for your building engineer, it will also mean that you won't have to hire an electrical contractor to diagnose specific issues in your building.

Project Management Experience

While it's not a standard requirement, finding a candidate who has some experience with project management or helping to coordinate construction projects can be a benefit. Your candidate will be able to coordinate services between facility staff and contractors to tackle remodeling and renovation projects in your building, ensuring each aspect of the project is completed on-time and under budget.

CFC Certification

CFC certification gives your maintenance engineer the approval by the EPA to handle refrigerants. This is a must if your building engineer will be handling your heating and cooling system. Be sure that your candidate's CFC certification is up to date, and ask to see his or her certification card.

Open Availability

System failures and facility emergencies can happen at any time of day or night. Your building engineer should be available 24/7 to assist with and direct repair services to restore your facility's operations quickly and efficiently. Look for a candidate who is willing to put in overtime if needed and who doesn't have an issue with night and weekend shifts.

Ultimately, the perfect candidate for your building depends on your facility's unique needs. Talk to your candidates to learn about their experience, and then take them on a tour of your facility as part of the interview. Ask questions about any issues they see and how they would work to fix them. You'll get a good idea of whether or not applicants can think on their feet to solve problems in your building. Choose the candidate who has the best experience and who can tell you exactly how to fix any issues observed in your facility.

For more information about the qualifications for electricians and engineers, contact an organization such as the HVAC Technical Institute.


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