What does a maintenance assistant do?

A maintenance assistant contributes to the overall efficiency of a facility’s maintenance team. By handling basic tasks, assistants allow other team members with advanced skills to focus on more complex work orders. As a result, the facilities department can better respond to maintenance requests and handle routine preventive maintenance.

The duties in a maintenance assistant job description help assistants keep schools, office buildings, hospitals, apartment complexes and other buildings pleasant places to live or work. Maintenance assistants also address facilities issues that could pose risks to building occupants, contributing to overall safety.

Maintenance assistant skills and qualifications

Successful maintenance assistants rely on certain skills to complete their duties. Adding the following qualifications to your job description for maintenance assistant positions can help you attract quality candidates:

• Basic understanding of electrical, plumbing, mechanical, heating and cooling building systems
• Familiarity with maintenance tools and equipment, such as voltage testers, plungers, drain snakes, wrenches, drills, saws, screwdrivers, hammers, levels, paint rollers and utility knives
• Basic arithmetic skills to take measurements and calculate material requirements for projects
• Organizational skills to maintain tidy maintenance and storage areas and track service requests
• Computer skills to use email and computerized maintenance management systems (CMMS), such as eMaint, Fiix, Hippo CMMS, Maintenance Connection or UpKeep
• Observation skills to conduct routine inspections and diagnose maintenance issues when making repairs
• Time management skills to complete all assigned service requests and additional tasks during a shift
• Ability to move heavy objects from one place to another and access difficult-to-reach places, such as ceilings and crawlspaces

Maintenance assistant experience requirements

A maintenance assistant is often an entry-level role on a facilities team. As a result, candidates may succeed in the role without any previous work experience. However, you may wish to specify that 1 or more years of experience is required for the maintenance assistant role in your job description, based on your business needs.

For example, if staffing shortages mean your new hire will work independently soon after starting, you may prefer a candidate with some experience. Relevant experience for a maintenance assistant position may include previous work in related fields, such as construction or home improvements.

Maintenance assistant education and training requirements

There are typically no formal education requirements for a maintenance assistant, which makes this a strong fit for skills-based hiring. Employers may prioritize practical abilities such as basic repair skills, familiarity with tools and equipment and an understanding of safety protocols over academic credentials.

While a license isn’t usually required for general maintenance tasks, some states may require a license to work on specific systems, such as electrical wiring or plumbing. If a license is necessary, consider adding it to the qualifications section of your job description for maintenance assistant positions.

Job description samples for similar positions

If this maintenance assistant job description doesn’t fully match your business needs, consider these related positions:

• Groundskeeper
• Janitor
• Maintenance manager
• Maintenance technician