Porter

Porter roles at student housing and build-to-rent communities are ground-level in title but foundational in function. The condition of common areas, make-ready units, and amenity spaces shapes how residents feel about where they live, and that perception drives renewals and referrals. At PeakMade Real Estate, this position sits inside a portfolio that spans off-campus student housing, traditional multifamily, and build-to-rent communities across the country, all managed out of Atlanta.

Day-to-Day Responsibilities

The core of this role is keeping the property clean, safe, and presentable. That means daily attention to the leasing office, amenity areas, laundry facilities, and other common spaces, on whatever schedule the property manager sets. When units turn, you'll help prepare them for incoming residents, which in student housing often means tight timelines and high volume during summer turns. You'll track supplies and equipment, respond to resident and management requests with professionalism, and flag anything unusual about the property or residents to the appropriate person. OSHA compliance and safe handling of cleaning chemicals aren't optional here; they're part of the daily routine.

The physical demands are real. This role involves frequent lifting up to 75 pounds, regular bending and stooping, and hands-on work with machinery and equipment. If you've worked in facilities, hospitality, or groundskeeping before, you'll recognize the rhythm quickly.

What This Role Builds

Porters who pay attention to how a property operates, not just their task list, tend to move into maintenance technician roles over time. You start to understand the relationship between unit condition and occupancy, between clean amenities and resident satisfaction scores, between a well-logged punch list and a smooth make-ready. Those are the instincts that property managers notice when they're filling maintenance tech openings. Student housing in particular moves fast during lease-up season, and people who can work under that pressure and still maintain standards get remembered.

PeakMade's company values center on accountability, resident experience, and continuous improvement, which maps well to someone who wants to grow rather than just clock in. The benefits package includes paid parental leave with a year of diapers provided, 17 days of paid time off including two wellbeing days, a 401(k) match, wellness programming, and employee resource groups. There's also a ten-year anniversary trip for long-tenure employees, which signals something about how the company thinks about retention.

• High school diploma or equivalent required
• Basic reading, written communication, and number recognition needed for daily tasks
• Safe handling of cleaning fluids and equipment is a must
• Physical stamina for lifting, bending, and equipment operation throughout the shift

If you're looking for a place to start building a maintenance career inside a company that manages a diverse portfolio, PeakMade's size and variety of community types gives you more exposure than a single-site operator would.