HVAC Technician

cw; San Jose (CA); On-site; USD 65,000 - 90,000; Full time

Job summary

cw is seeking an experienced HVAC Technician to maintain and service complex cooling and heating systems in a high-availability environment, including labs and data spaces. You will perform preventive maintenance, diagnose issues, and work with BAS/BMS controls to ensure reliability.

The role requires five years of experience, a high school diploma or equivalent, and HVAC trade training. You will respond to alarms, document work, and follow safety protocols while coordinating with vendors as

Qualifications

• Five years of commercial HVAC operations, maintenance, service or repair experience.
• High school diploma, GED, or equivalent required.
• HVAC trade school, technical training, or apprenticeship preferred.

Responsibilities

• Perform preventive maintenance, troubleshooting, repairs, and minor installations on commercial HVAC systems.
• Respond to service requests and work orders, ensuring equipment reliability and uptime.
• Complete tasks on schedule and maintain accurate maintenance records.
• Respond to alarms and stabilize operating conditions in critical environments.
• Coordinate with vendors and contractors while ensuring safety and compliance.

Skills

HVAC systems

BAS/BMS platforms

Electrical troubleshooting

Lockout/Tagout

Education

High school diploma or equivalent

HVAC trade school or apprenticeship

Tools

Trane/NTI/Vertiv controls

Job description

Job Title

HVAC Technician

Job Description Summary

Reporting to the Facility Manager, the HVAC Technician works within a facility management organization that provides operations and maintenance services for R&D laboratories, critical data environments, and commercial office space. The technician is responsible for completing assigned tasks safely and effectively while maintaining a constant focus on equipment reliability, system availability, and the critical nature of facility uptime.

Essential Responsibilities

• Perform preventive maintenance, troubleshooting, repairs, adjustments, and minor installations on commercial HVAC systems.
• Respond to service requests and work orders involving hot and cold conditions, HVAC equipment, general plumbing, minor piping repairs, lighting issues, minor leaks, and other facility maintenance needs while demonstrating strong customer service.
• Complete assigned preventive maintenance tasks and work orders accurately and within the required schedule.
• Respond to building system alarms, stabilize operating conditions, protect the critical load, and minimize the risk of equipment or system damage.
• Participate in equipment troubleshooting, incident response, and root cause analysis.
• Assist with equipment and system operational activities, including critical switching, Lockout/Tagout, and establishing safe work areas for specialty contractors.
• Coordinate work activities to minimize risk to personnel, equipment, facility operations, and the critical load.
• Monitor system performance through the Building Automation System or Building Management System and respond appropriately to alarms and abnormal conditions.
• Maintain accurate records of completed work, operating conditions, equipment deficiencies, materials, repair supplies, and inventory.
• Prepare material requisitions for supervisor approval when replacement parts or supplies are required.
• Identify and immediately report potential equipment, system, operational, and safety concerns to management.
• Comply with company policies, environmental requirements, and established safety programs and procedures.

Key Competencies

• Working knowledge of commercial HVAC systems, refrigeration cycles, airflow, hydronic systems, and unit-level electrical and control components.
• Ability to operate, maintain, and troubleshoot equipment such as chillers, boilers, pumps, cooling towers, CRAC and CRAH units, air-handling units, VAV systems, and associated controls.
• Experience using BAS/BMS platforms. Experience with systems such as Trane, Toshiba, Vertiv, Sunbelt controls, Niagara experience is a plus.
• Ability to respond to equipment alarms and use graphical system interfaces to evaluate equipment and system conditions.
• Ability to stabilize system operations while coordinating support from specialized OEM technicians or contractors.
• Ability to perform basic electrical troubleshooting within the authorized scope of the HVAC role, including low-voltage controls and internal HVAC equipment components.
• Understanding of electrical safety, Lockout/Tagout procedures, and safe work practices.
• Ability to use hand tools, power tools, test instruments, and standard maintenance shop equipment safely.
• Ability to read and interpret equipment manuals, specifications, sequence-of-operations documents, technical procedures, safety requirements, and applicable regulations.
• Proficiency with personal computers, computerized maintenance management systems, and Microsoft Office applications.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills, including the ability to communicate effectively with management, clients, vendors, contractors, and other facility personnel.
• Ability to work independently, prioritize tasks, and make sound operational decisions in a critical facility environment.
• Flexibility to work assigned shifts, overtime, weekends, holidays, and on-call rotations based on business and operational requirements.

Education

• High school diploma, GED, or equivalent required.
• Completion of an HVAC trade school, technical training program, community college program, or recognized apprenticeship is preferred.
• Additional manufacturer-specific training in commercial HVAC equipment, controls, chillers, boilers, or BAS/BMS platforms is preferred.

Important Experience

• Minimum of five years of commercial HVAC operations, maintenance, service, or repair experience.
• Experience maintaining and troubleshooting chillers, boilers, CRAC and CRAH units, cooling towers, pumps, air-handling units, VAV systems, and associated mechanical systems is strongly preferred.
• Experience working with BAS/BMS controls is preferred.
• Experience in critical facilities, data centers, R&D laboratories, or other high-availability environments is strongly preferred.
• Experience responding to equipment alarms, system abnormalities, and critical facility incidents is preferred.
• Experience coordinating work with OEM service prov