Maintenance Technician III (Essex House & The Merrick)

This role runs on a specific combination of technical depth and interpersonal steadiness. The Maintenance Technician III at Essex House and The Merrick (Prometheus Real Estate Group, Portland) calls on hands-on repair skills across major and minor mechanical systems, the organizational discipline to manage apartment turns from start to finish, and enough leadership experience to support and guide the broader maintenance team.

What the Work Actually Requires

At this level, you're not just completing work orders. You're handling the full scope of apartment turnovers, troubleshooting mechanical issues that a Technician I or II would escalate, and coordinating with outside vendors when specialized work is needed. You'll also carry some administrative load: logging maintenance activity, tracking schedules, keeping the operation moving. On-call availability is part of the job, with standby pay and on-call premium pay included in your compensation.

The resident-facing side of this role carries real weight. Prometheus uses the term "Neighbors" intentionally. You're expected to treat resident interactions as a core function, not a side task. How you communicate when someone has a plumbing issue at 8 p.m. matters as much as whether you fix it correctly.

Minimum requirements include:

• High school diploma or GED
• At least three certificates from relevant maintenance training programs (BOMA, IREM, or vocational equivalents)
• Three to four years of apartment maintenance experience
• At least one year of supervisory experience, if applicable to your background
• Ability to lift up to 50 lbs. occasionally; comfort working outdoors in varying conditions
• Basic computer proficiency and working knowledge of building materials and tools

What Sets Strong Candidates Apart

The technicians who thrive at this level can diagnose before they repair. They don't need a supervisor to tell them which vendor to call or when a repair has gone beyond what's in-house. They're also organized enough to track turns and administrative tasks without letting either slip. If you've worked in Class A or B multifamily and managed your own punch list workflow, that background transfers directly here.

Portland's multifamily market has seen consistent pressure on maintenance staffing, which means experienced techs with vendor coordination skills and supervisory exposure are genuinely hard to find. Prometheus appears to invest in retention: the compensation package here is notable, with fully company-paid medical, vision, and dental (including eligible dependents), a 401(k) with employer match, tuition reimbursement, and tenure-based housing discounts. The hourly range of $30 to $32 reflects the senior scope of this role.