Plumber or Senior Plumber Assistant

The University of Virginia Facilities Management team is seeking a skilled Plumber or Senior Plumber Assistant to join our Housing Zone, supporting Facilities Management's goal of providing consistent, cost-effective, and reliable maintenance to the University community.

This position supports the Housing portfolio, encompassing roughly 180 buildings and 3.1 million square feet of residential and program space. These buildings serve thousands of students and span historic houses, modern residence halls, and student support facilities. The successful candidate will primarily support UVA's first-year residence halls, helping maintain the buildings and essential systems that serve students during their first year on Grounds.

This role is a great fit for someone who enjoys hands-on work, solving problems, and being part of a fast-moving team. Your work has a real impact on students' daily lives and plays a meaningful part in shaping their UVA experience.

This position will be filled at either the Plumber or Senior Assistant Plumber level based on the selected candidate's qualifications, licensure, and experience.

Why Join UVA Facilities Management:

- Year-round stability: Full-time, local work with no travel or seasonal layoffs.
- Professional development: Access to trade credentialing, continuing education, and advancement through UVA training and apprenticeship pathways.
- Strong community: A collaborative, service-minded team that values craftsmanship, communication, and safety.
- Great benefits: Health, dental, retirement, and educational benefits for you and/or your family.
- Meaningful work: Every task directly supports students, faculty, and staff across UVA's residential community.

Position Summary:

Plumbers and Senior Plumber Assistants play an important role in keeping UVA's residential facilities safe, reliable, and functional. Both positions support the installation, maintenance, troubleshooting, and repair of plumbing and associated mechanical systems throughout the Housing portfolio.

Plumbers perform journey-level work with minimal supervision, independently diagnosing and repairing plumbing systems, completing installations, and providing technical guidance to assistants and apprentices.

Senior Plumber Assistants perform skilled plumbing maintenance and repairs independently within their demonstrated abilities or alongside licensed Plumbers on more complex assignments. They support preventive maintenance, troubleshooting, repairs, and small installations while continuing to develop their technical knowledge and skills through hands-on experience and mentorship.

Both positions work within a collaborative, multi-trade maintenance team, providing opportunities to develop additional skills in HVAC, electrical, carpentry, and general building systems.

Key Responsibilities:

- Install, maintain, troubleshoot, and repair plumbing systems and equipment, including domestic water, sanitary and storm drainage, fixtures, valves, pumps, and associated mechanical components.
- Perform preventive maintenance and inspections to identify potential problems, improve system reliability, and reduce unplanned equipment failures.
- Diagnose plumbing issues and complete repairs in occupied residential buildings while minimizing disruptions to students and building operations.
- Respond to maintenance work orders, service requests, and urgent plumbing issues in a timely and professional manner.
- Read and interpret blueprints, equipment documentation, and technical specifications.
- Identify materials, equipment, and labor requirements necessary to complete assigned work.
- Maintain accurate documentation, including labor, materials, and work order updates within UVA's maintenance management system (AIM).
- Communicate effectively with residents, customers, supervisors, and other trades regarding work progress, scheduling, and service interruptions.
- Follow applicable plumbing codes, OSHA regulations, University safety requirements, and proper use of personal protective equipment.
- Serve as a primary resource for plumbing-related issues within the assigned Housing area while participating in cross-training opportunities that strengthen the team's capabilities across multiple building trades.
- Participate in emergency response, snow and ice removal, and standby or callback rotations as assigned.
- Perform other duties necessary to support Housing Zone operations.

Additional Responsibilities for Plumber:

- Independently perform journey-level plumbing installations, repairs, and advanced troubleshooting with minimal supervision.
- Diagnose complex plumbing system failures and determine appropriate corrective actions.
- Estimate labor, materials, and time necessary for maintenance repairs and small projects.
- Provide technical guidance and mentorship to Senior Plumbing Assistants, apprentices, and other maintenance staff.
- Ensure installations, repairs, and modifications comply with applicable plumbing codes, regulations, and University standards.
- Coordinate with other skilled trades, supervisors, and contractors when work involves multiple building systems.

Required Qualifications for Senior Plumber Assistant:

- Education: High school diploma or equivalent.
- Experience: Minimum of four (4) years of experience in plumbing or a related building trade.
- Licensure: Valid driver's license.
- Skills: Demonstrated ability to perform skilled maintenance tasks, use trade-specific tools and equipment, and troubleshoot common plumbing problems.

Required Qualifications for Plumber:

- Education: High school diploma or equivalent.
- Experience: Minimum of four (4) years of experience in the plumbing trade.
- Licensure: Valid Journeyman or Master Plumber license and valid driver's license.
- Skills: Demonstrated ability to independently troubleshoot, install, maintain, and repair plumbing systems and equipment.

Preferred Qualifications:

- Backflow Prevention Device Tester Certification.
- Experience maintaining plumbing systems in commercial, institutional, multifamily residential, or higher-education facilities.
- Experience with preventive maintenance programs and computerized maintenance management systems.
- Experience working collaboratively with other skilled trades.

For this position, the selected candidate must complete the required background checks prior to their start date.

Compensation:

- Senior Plumber Assistant:  $21.00 to $25.00 per hour ($43,680 to $52,000 Annually)
- Plumber: $24.50 to $29.00.00 per hour ($50,960 to $60,320 Annually)

The selected candidate's starting compensation will be determined by qualifications, relevant experience, licensure, and the level at which the position is filled.

Employees new to the University may be eligible for a $2,500 sign-on bonus , subject to current University policy and approval.

This is a full-time position with UVA benefits . Employee benefits package highlights include:

- 22 days of paid time off, increasing with service; 13+ paid holidays each year, in addition to paid time off; Parental and Community Service Leave
- Health plan with options to meet healthcare and financial needs
- Retirement through the Virginia Retirement System
- Tuition and professional development benefits
- Employee wellness program featuring activities to earn up to $500/year

Physical Demands :

Requires regular walking, standing, kneeling, crawling, squatting, and climbing ladders or stairs, lifting and carrying of various weights. Repetitive motion for grasping, pulling, pushing, and operating hand and power tools; work may occur in a variety of indoor and outdoor conditions and environments.

To Apply :

Apply online , search for requisition R0088471 . Internal applicants may search and apply for jobs on the UVA Internal Careers website . Complete the application, and upload the following Required materials:

- Resume

Applications that do not contain all required documents or partial applications will not receive full consideration.

This position will remain open until filled.

Questions regarding the application process should be directed to Marcus Rozier, Academic Recruiter at [email protected] .

The University of Virginia is an equal opportunity employer. All interested persons are encouraged to apply, including veterans and individuals with disabilities. Learn more about UVA’s commitment to non-discrimination and equal opportunity employment .