Cogeneration Plant Supervisor

Union College (NY); City of Schenectady (NY); On-site; USD 52,000 - 58,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Generous vacation, sick, and personal

Healthcare: Medical, Dental, Vision

403(b) Retirement Plan

Tuition Exchange

On-Campus Fitness Facility

Job summary

Union College is seeking a Cogeneration Plant Supervisor to lead and mentor the Facilities Services team. The role oversees steam, chilled water, and power generation while ensuring safety and environmental compliance across the campus.

You will manage operations, maintenance, budgets, and training, with responsibility for on-call coverage and coordinating plant upgrades. A bachelor’s degree in a related field and 5–10+ years of experience are required.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Mechanical, Electrical, or related field (Navy equivalent acceptable).
• 5–10+ years in operations and maintenance as a plant operator or supervisor.
• Valid New York State driver’s license; Stationary Engineer license preferred.

Responsibilities

• Lead staff operating power, heat, and cooling generation; manage schedules and training.
• Oversee steam, chilled water, and plant safety, efficiency, and regulatory compliance.
• Develop and review SOPs; monitor data, logs, and environmental reporting.
• Manage plant budget, forecasting, and long-term maintenance planning.

Skills

Leadership

Communication

Organizational skills

Safety compliance

Team management

Availability for on-call

Education

Bachelor’s degree in Mechanical or Electrical Engineering

Navy equivalent education

Tools

Metasys

Plant Control Systems

Job description

The Cogeneration Plant Supervisor is a key leader, mentor, and rolemodel within the Union College Facilities Services Department. Thisposition is central to ensuring the safe and environmentallycompliant operation of the central plant. The working supervisordirectly manages and actively participates with all operational andmaintenance activities and oversees the downstream steam andchilled water distribution throughout the campus.

Cogeneration Plant Supervisor

Non-exempt, Regularfull-time, In-person. This position is not eligible for relocationassistance or visa sponsorship.

Supervisor

Assistant Director of Facilities

Position Purpose

The Cogeneration Plant Supervisor is a keyleader, mentor, and role model within the Union College FacilitiesServices Department. This position is central to ensuring the safeand environmentally compliant operation of the central plant. Theworking supervisor directly manages and actively participates withall operational and maintenance activities and oversees thedownstream steam and chilled water distribution throughout thecampus. The Supervisor oversees steam, chilled water, and power generationof the plant's operations, field utility distribution, whilefocusing on safety, efficiency, and team management. Their keyresponsibilities include:

• Team Leadership & Management: Guiding the staff who operatethe plant's systems for generating power, heat, and cooling. Thisincludes managing daily schedules, conducting regular teammeetings, providing training, and performing annual performancereviews.
• Operational Oversight: Ensuring the plant is maintained in aclean and organized condition. Responsible for establishing andmanaging all operational data, logs, and reports required for bothinternal review and external environmental regulations.
• Communication & Development: Serving as the main point ofcontact for project updates and schedules. The Supervisor alsoprovides ongoing training to their team to ensure their skills andknowledge of plant equipment are always up to date.
• Budgeting and Forecasting: Responsible for all aspects of theplant's budget, from preparation to ongoing management. Thisincludes creating the plant's operating budget, as well asforecasting expenses for both routine operational needs andlong-term deferred maintenance projects for both the plant and thecampus.

Essential Responsibilities and Duties

Operations

• Monitors plant performance metrics and operations to meetenergy demands.
• Coordinate startup, shutdown, and emergency procedures for allplant systems.
• Assists in the creation, development, and review of standardoperating procedures for plant equipment and ensures testing(water, cooling tower, etc) is compliant.
• Performs required water tests for boiler feed water andcondensate and collaborates with vendors on the care and treatmentof cooling towers.
• Assist in planning, implementing, and overseeing plant upgradesand system modifications.
• Operates 24/7 plant facility utilizing the gas compressor,turbine, Heat Recovery Steam Generator (HRSG), D-type steam boiler,absorption and centrifugal chillers, and cooling towers.

Maintenance

• Oversee preventive and corrective maintenance for a wide rangeof plant equipment including boilers, chillers, the HRSG, turbine,generators, cooling towers, and air compressors.
• Diagnoses problems and abnormal conditions (such as leaks orunusual noise) by utilizing resources, collecting data, andinterpreting P&IDs to develop effective repair plans.
• Coordinates plant shutdowns and vendor services for keyequipment, including the gas compressor, turbine, andchillers.
• Manages all maintenance tracking and scheduling using the workorder system (Performo).

Environmental, Health, Safety, and Administration

• Ensures Compliance: Manages all environmental and safetyprograms to guarantee the plant meets all federal, state, and localregulations. This includes monitoring air emissions, chemicalcontrols, and all required permits.
• Promotes Safety: Leads the effort to maintain an accident-freeworkplace. The Supervisor sets the example for proper safetypractices, including the use of protective gear and followingprocedures to prevent injury.
• Manages Emergencies: Is responsible for responding to all plantemergencies and ensuring the team follows the established responseplan to protect people and property.
• Position may require working varied shifts including nights,weekends, and holiday coverage, as well as covering open shifts, asneeded.
• Complies with department and college policies andprocedures.

Qualifications

• Education: A Bachelor’s degree (in Mechanical,Electrical, or related field) or Navy equivalent education andexperience is required.
• Experience: 5-10+ years experience of operations andmaintenance experience as a Plant Operator with relevantunderstanding of high-pressure steam boilers, steam generators,power generation equipment (turbines preferred), and utilitydistribution required. Experience with aligning, switching,isolating, and paralleling electrical equipment and systemsutilizing 13.2kV and 480V is preferred.
• Skills: Knowledge of control systems and operatingmechanical systems conforming to SOP’s as developed for the plant.Good organizational, communication, and interpersonal skills arerequired. Computer skills, including MS Word, Excel, Adobe, GooglePlatform programs, Metasys (preferred), and Plant Control Systemsfor operation of physical plants preferred.
• Leadership: Provide staff with leadership and ensureaccountability and safety are followed within college procedures aswell as safety within the plant. Train, lead, and elevate staff toensure safe operations of the plant.
• Availability: Ability to respond to on-campusemergencies, inspect, evaluate, and deploy staff and contractorsfor corrective measures.
• Licenses: Valid New York State Driver’s license isrequired. License as a Stationary Engineer and/or valid Navy orplant operator is preferred.

Compensation

The hourly range for this position is $38.00-$42.00.

Exceptfor roles with a set rate of pay, the wage/salary of the finalistselected for this role will be set based on a variety of factors,including but not limited to departmental budgets, qualifications,experience, education, licenses, specialty, and training. Thestated hiring rate/range represents the College’s good faith andreasonable estimate of the rate/range of possible compensation at the time of posting.

Location

Schenectady, NY

We know some job seekers may not apply for career opportunitiesunless they meet every qualification in the position descriptionincluding the preferred qualifications. We are most interested inhiring the best staff and faculty colleagues, and recognize that asuccessful candidate may come from a less traditional career path.We encourage you to apply, even if you don’t believe you meet everyone of our preferred qualifications.

We offer exceptional benefits including

• Generous Vacation, Sick, and Personal Time
• Winter Recess Break in Addition to Paid Holidays (in accordancewith policy)
• Healthcare: Medical (PPO & HDHP), Dental, and VisionInsurance (Flexible Spending and Dependent Care Accounts)
• Free On-Campus Fitness Facility Access and Discounts forOn-Campus Wellness Programs
• Pre and Post Tax participation in a 403(b) Retirement Plan
• Salary Continuation Program in the event of Disability
• Tuition Exchange

Background Checks

In accordance with our background check policy , finalists for hire will undergo a background check that includes education, employment, and criminal convictions.

E-Verify Participation

Union College participates inE-Verify and will provide the federal government with your Form I-9 information to confirm that you are authorized to work in the United States. Learn more about E-Verify and your Right to Work (Derecho a Trabajar).