Part-Time Maintenance Technician

Cottonwood Residential is filling a part-time maintenance technician position at 5 Row Apartments in Charlottesville, VA. This is a hands-on, physical role with a real schedule requirement: you'll need to be available for weekends and participate in an on-call rotation for after-hours emergencies. If that doesn't fit your life right now, this one isn't for you.

Day-to-day, you're handling the full range of residential repairs: plumbing, electrical, general carpentry, and anything else that comes up across the units and grounds. HVAC troubleshooting will come up regularly, so comfort there matters. You won't be doing just punch list work or light turns. You need real diagnostic ability and the confidence to work independently on common apartment repair calls.

The after-hours piece deserves honest attention. On-call rotations in apartment maintenance mean your phone rings when something breaks at 10pm. You'll have support from the Service Manager, but you're the one showing up. That's the tradeoff for a role that otherwise offers flexibility in hours.

What you'll need

• Valid driver's license
• Ability to lift up to 50 lbs and handle sustained physical activity, including climbing, kneeling, crawling, and working in tight spaces
• Strong HVAC troubleshooting experience
• EPA Type II or Universal certification (preferred)
• CPO certification (a plus)
• Weekend and on-call availability

Strong candidates for this kind of role know how to triage. When four work orders come in on a Saturday morning, the technician who can assess, prioritize, and move efficiently through them without constant direction is the one who lasts. That instinct comes from experience, not training.

Part-time maintenance roles at apartment communities can be a solid entry point toward full-time service tech or lead tech positions, especially if you build a track record with a company that operates multiple properties. Cottonwood runs a broad portfolio, which means internal mobility is a realistic path if you perform.