Chief Engineer
About the job
- A bachelor's degree, preferably in management, business administration, communications, hospitality, or a related field; commensurate experience may substitute for a formal degree.
- At least 3 years of leadership experience in retail, food and beverage, hospitality, multi-family, or a similar customer-service-centered environment.
- At least 1 year of successful multi-department leadership experience; retail, food and beverage, multi-family, or hospitality-focused experience is strongly preferred.
- Experience handling team member relationship issues and retention, engagement, succession planning, performance management, and/or growth and development initiatives.
- A track record of scheduling, training, and developing non-exempt employees to maintain service levels and company standards.
- A record of operational and financial success through customer focus, management of controllable expenses, team performance, effective decision-making, and solutions-oriented work.
- Ability to communicate verbally and in writing clearly and professionally with team members at varying levels and external partners.
- Ability to manage cross-functional relationships, competing priorities, time, and resources in a fast-paced, changing environment.
- Ability to stand, sit, or walk for extended periods and to move, lift, carry, push, pull, and place objects weighing up to 50 pounds without assistance.
- CPR certification, or ability to obtain certification within one week of the start date; certification is paid for by the company.
- Legally authorized to work in the United States and at least 18 years old.
- Establish the property’s engineering structure by implementing back-end and access systems, programming back-of-house and storage spaces, creating a base inventory and timely ordering system, and developing maintenance standard operating procedures and a preventative maintenance plan.
- Develop and execute building-specific engineering reporting and a skilled, proactive maintenance strategy.
- Ensure the property is current on required inspections and licensing.
- Own onsite engineering operations and collaborate with onsite property teams to develop and implement practices that optimize asset health and aesthetics, work-order completion and timeliness, the internal turn process, occupancy and retention, and resident, guest, and team member experience.
- Provide input for operational and capital expenditure budgets and adhere to the established budget while maintaining service quality and asset maintenance.
- Manage vendors’ service quality, compliance with company policies, timely invoice submission, and payment.
- Support talent acquisition efforts for engineering roles at the property.
- Oversee, support, and train team members on company and property standard operating procedures and programs.
- Ensure the property maintains a consistently high service level and meets company brand standards.
- A bachelor's degree in management, business administration, communications, hospitality, or a related field is preferred; commensurate experience may substitute for a formal degree.
- Retail, food and beverage, multi-family, or hospitality-focused experience is strongly preferred.
About the company
Placemakr runs an online booking platform that lets customers make reservations across various sectors, such as restaurants, hotels, or appointments. The platform provides a clean, modern web interface with a prominent Book Now button to simplify the reservation flow for users. Businesses use the platform to manage bookings and are charged a fee model (flat rate or per-booking revenue), integrating the service into their operations to attract and handle customers efficiently. What sets Placemakr apart is its broad market focus and easy-to-use design that works across many industries, rather than targeting a single niche. The goal is to streamline the booking process for both customers and businesses, helping venues and service providers attract more reservations and manage them smoothly.
Company Size
201-500
Company Stage
Late Stage VC
Total Funding
$188.9M
Headquarters
Washington DC, District of Columbia
Founded
2017
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Simplify's Take
What believers are saying
- The July 2026 $292 million Guard lodging award validates Placemakr's cost advantage.
- Phoenix opened in October 2025, proving the brand still expands into new markets.
- Management keeps adding properties, including Reno, Huntsville, and San Antonio in 2025.
What critics are saying
- PlaceMKR's Texas trademark case survived dismissal in August 2025, raising rebrand costs.
- The federal lodging contract concentrates revenue around one politically driven Washington, D.C. deployment.
- Apartment-style hospitality relies on developer partnerships, so a slow downturn could choke inventory.
What makes Placemakr unique
- Placemakr turns luxury apartments into flexible hotel inventory for developers and travelers.
- Its Hosted by Placemakr model extends into smaller buildings with 24/7 virtual support.
- The company now operates across Texas, Nevada, Arizona, and Washington, D.C.
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Benefits
Health Insurance
Dental Insurance
Vision Insurance
Life Insurance
401(k) Retirement Plan
401(k) Company Match
Unlimited Paid Time Off
Phone/Internet Stipend
Stock Options
Performance Bonus
Growth & Insights and Company News
6 month growth
0%1 year growth
0%2 year growth
1%Trump admin. signs $292 million housing deal for deployed troops in DC. Washington DC - President Donald Trump's administration recently awarded a massive contract for the construction of long-term housing for National Guard troops deployed in the nation's capitol. The National Guard and the U.S. General Services Administration (GSA) announced Friday that Placemakr, a real estate company that specializes in building short-term housing, has been tapped to spearhead the project, according to NBC4 Washington. This will move troops from hotels into secure housing. The company is tasked with constructing "up to 2,000 apartment-style lodging units" as part of what the government described as "the largest interagency lodging acquisition in National Guard history." The GSA claims the contract will cost the government half as much as the hotels. After winning reelection, President Trump aggressively targeted DC leadership, pushing claims that the city is rampant with violent crime and left in disrepair. Troops were deployed to the city in September 2025 after Trump signed Executive Order 14252, which aims to make DC "safe, beautiful, and prosperous by preventing crime, punishing criminals." To date, around 5,150 troops - comprised of 599 DC National Guard and 4,403 service members from 21 other states, Puerto Rico, and the Virgin Islands - remain in the city. The new deal has faced criticism, as it does not include an end date for the contract, and the Trump administration has given no indication as to when the deployment will end. The Congressional Budget Office has estimated the deployment is costing the government $3 million daily, per reports by The Hill, while lawmakers estimated that taxpayers are paying nearly $1.65 million to help foot the bill. Last-minute offer: Up to 50% offNow's your chance to book your next beach getaway. Take advantage of this last-minute offer with up to 50% off through Palladium Rewards using the promo code PROMO!Palladium Hotel Group | Sponsored
National Guard will spend $290 million on apartments for Washington troops. Originally a mission for 800 National Guardsmen, there are now 4,750 troops are assigned to the Washington, D.C., mobilization. A new housing contract runs for three years. Published Jul 24, 2026 11:32 AM EDT Get Task & Purpose in your inbox Thousands of National Guardsmen mobilized to Washington, D.C., will soon be living in apartment units under a $290 million rental contract the guard calls a "long-term housing solution," officials announced. National Guard Bureau officials announced Friday it had signed a $292 million contract with corporate lodging company Placemakr to provide 2,000 apartment-style units for Guardsmen mobilized in Washington, D.C., according to a Friday press release. National Guard Bureau officials told Task & Purpose that it is a three-year contract. In August 2025, President Donald Trump announced the mobilization of 800 local National Guardsmen to Washington D.C. to bolster local law enforcement. That number has slowly crept up over the last year as Republican governors have added troops from their states to the mission. As of Monday, 4,755 National Guardsmen from 15 states were assigned to the guard's Joint Task Force-District of Columbia. The majority of those troops without local housing had been staying at hotels throughout the region, officials said. It's been unclear just how long the D.C. guard mobilization will last but contracts with local vendors to supply services, like daily meals, have been indicators for how officials plan for the evolving mission, which is about to hit one year in August. With the latest housing contract for thousands of apartments, officials described it as a "long-term housing solution." Placemakr advertises its rental services as "apartment meet hotel" with fully furnished units available for short or long term stays. The company offers rentals in major cities like New York City, Austin, Texas, and Atlanta, Georgia. There are four Placemakr housing complexes in Washington and one in Arlington, Virginia. Rents for a studio or 1 bedroom apartments at the property in D.C.'s Navy Yard neighborhood can run from $1,800 to $2,800 per month. The contract was signed with the U.S. General Services Administration, which does procurement for the entire federal government and offers pre-negotiated contracts for goods and services to federal agencies. According to contract documents, GSA has a deal with Placemakr for a variety of apartments with amenities similar to other luxury complexes in the area. Placemakr offers small single-room studios as small as 277 square feet to five-bedroom, 1,000 square foot units. The apartments include weekly housekeeping, Wi-Fi, smart TVs, in-room or on-site washers and dryers, gyms, full kitchens or partial kitchenettes. National Guard officials also said that the apartments would give troops "more stable living conditions, improved privacy and quality of life and access to secure parking and consolidated support services." "The contract is the largest interagency lodging acquisition in National Guard history, providing a long-term housing solution to improve troop readiness, quality of life and operational security while reducing costs to taxpayers, all key issues given the scale and scope of the D.C. mission," officials said. Update: 7/24/2026; This article was updated with confirmation from the National Guard Bureau that the contract is for three years. Task & Purpose Video Each week on Tuesdays and Fridays our team will bring you analysis of military tech, tactics, and doctrine.
Placemakr launches first Arizona pop-up property. Placemakr has entered the Arizona market with the launch of a new pop-up property in downtown Phoenix. Developed by GMH, the property brings Placemakr's signature hospitality-meets-residential experience to a location surrounded by major business and entertainment hubs. The Phoenix pop-up features 120 units across studio, one-bedroom and two-bedroom units in a larger complex of 769 units. During this limited-time pop-up, guests can enjoy the property's full set of amenities, including the pool, outdoor terrace, fitness center and coworking spaces, while staying close to the Phoenix Convention Center, Footprint Center and Chase Field. "We're excited to be making our debut in Phoenix and continuing to grow across the Southwest," said Jason Fudin, CEO/cofounder, Placemakr. "It's a great market with a lot of energy, and this building gives us a chance to deliver the kind of flexible, hospitality-style experience our guests are looking for in a city that really blends business and leisure travel. GMH has a history of building amenity rich buildings near bustling university hubs and this project is just another example of their talented execution." This announcement marks the latest addition to Placemakr's growing portfolio, alongside other recent launches in San Antonio, Pittsburgh and Salt Lake City.
WASHINGTON, D.C. - Placemakr, a flexible-use hospitality and multifamily platform, today announced its entrance into the Arizona market with the launch of a new pop-up property in downtown Phoenix.
Placemakr has secured $65 million in funding from investors including Highland Capital Partners and Harbert Growth Partners. The funds will be used for property acquisitions and developer partnerships in the U.S. Timothy Franzen, former president of Graduate Hotels, joins as chief development officer. Placemakr, which rebranded from WhyHotel, has raised over $350 million to date and recently launched new properties in Nashville, TN, and Columbia, MD.