Chiller/Boiler Specialist

About the Role

Travis County’s Facilities Management Department is seeking a skilled HVAC professional to assist with maintaining and repairing climate control systems in County buildings. This role focuses on maintaining complex mechanical infrastructure and optimizing efficiency via modern Building Automation Systems (BAS) and direct digital controls (DDC), along with refrigerant monitors and refrigerant logging. The position involves routine maintenance and repair of chilled water cooling systems (air and water cooled chillers and cooling towers) and hot water/steam heating systems, including related equipment. This classification is distinguished by the ability to perform skilled journey-level HVAC work on large chiller water refrigeration systems and boilers.

This role may require work in secure facilities and a flexible work schedule to meet departmental needs.

Responsibilities

• Performs routine maintenance and repair on chilled water cooling systems and hot water/steam heating systems, including related equipment.
• Conducts daily, weekly, and monthly inspection, testing, certification, maintenance, and repairs on large chilled water and heating systems.
• Maintains refrigerant logs and monitors for assigned systems.
• Inspects and corrects settings for control and safety devices associated with chillers and boilers.
• Opens and inspects chillers, condensers, cooling towers, belts, valves, back-flow preventers, and motors.
• Opens, inspects, and cleans assigned boilers; operates and bleeds feed equipment to ensure proper operation; chemically tests system water; checks motors, pumps, and couplings prior to winter startup.
• Checks steam lines and gas pressure to boilers; provides summer shutdown of heating systems.
• Monitors expiration dates for boiler certifications and schedules inspections.
• Provides technical quality assurance evaluations for contractor work on assigned systems.
• Serves as crew leader and provides on-the-job training for mechanics on chiller/boiler systems.
• Researches and estimates time and materials needed; records time and materials used.
• Requests tools, equipment, supplies, and materials required for assigned tasks.
• Monitors expenditure of supplies and controls inventory of equipment and tools.
• Performs other job-related duties as assigned.

Requirements

• Associate's degree in a technical field and five (5) years of experience in chiller and boiler maintenance, including two (2) years of experience in maintenance of large chiller units; or any equivalent combination of education and experience.
• Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Universal Certification.
• Valid Texas Driver’s License.
• Must pass a criminal background check for CJIS clearance, including fingerprint clearance.

Preferred Qualifications

• Chiller Mechanic Certification by at least one major chiller manufacturer.

Skills

Knowledge of:

• HVAC codes, related terminology, practices, and procedures.
• Standard HVAC maintenance and repair methods, materials, tools, and equipment.
• Centrifugal/screw chillers, hot water and steam boiler systems, and associated systems.
• Proper procedures for working with and containing freons.
• Preventive maintenance schedules and procedures for major chiller/heating systems.
• Remote and other DDC systems to monitor system operations.
• Chilled water expansion systems.
• Federal, State, Local, and County applicable laws, guidelines, rules, and regulations.
• Computer equipment, including word processing, spreadsheets, databases, and software packages.
• Business letter writing, grammar, punctuation, and report preparation.

Skill in:

• Operating and using standard HVAC tools and equipment.
• Installing and maintaining HVAC work.
• Reading and interpreting schematics and blueprints.
• Applying proper and applicable safety practices, procedures, and regulations.
• Working with others, including as part of a team.
• Explaining complicated problems in simple, non-technical language.
• Calculating estimates of time, labor, and quantities of materials needed.
• Diagnosing problems to repair or replace.
• Verbal and written communication.

Ability to:

• Understand and precisely follow both verbal and written instructions and communicate concisely and effectively.
• Work efficiently, both independently and as part of a team.
• Reason and make judgments and decisions.
• Manage time well, perform multiple tasks, and organize diverse activities.
• Establish and maintain effective working relationships with departmental clientele, County employees, officials, representatives of outside agencies, and the general public.

Work Environment

• Physical requirements include lifting/carrying up to 50 pounds, visual acuity, speech and hearing, hand and eye coordination, and manual dexterity necessary to operate tools and equipment.
• Subject to standing, walking, sitting, repetitive motion, reaching, climbing stairs, bending, stooping, kneeling, crouching, crawling, pushing, pulling, driving, handling, and use of vision and depth perception.
• May involve contact with hazardous waste, foul odors, animal/human fecal matter, insects, rodents, toxic or hazardous chemicals, dirt, dust, fumes, smoke, loud noises, and high voltage.
• Requires work indoors and outdoors in all types of weather, including excessive heat and cold.
• May require working at heights from ladders and scaffolds.
• Employees may be assigned to business continuity efforts outside of normal job functions.

Schedule

Monday–Friday, 7:00 AM – 4:00 PM. This position may require working evenings, overnight, and holiday shifts as needed.

Department: Facilities Management
Location: 700 Lavaca St, Austin, TX 78701