Hydronics Systems Operations Manager

miamioh.edu; Oxford (OH); On-site; USD 70,000 - 90,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Supportive work environment

Career advancement opportunities

Job summary

A public university in Ohio is seeking a qualified individual to manage hydronic systems, ensuring operational reliability and compliance with safety standards. You will supervise technical staff, develop maintenance programs, and provide essential support during emergencies. The ideal candidate has extensive experience in a university setting and holds relevant certifications. This position offers a dynamic work environment focused on energy efficiency and operational excellence.

Qualifications

• 5+ years of experience managing a complex hydronic system.
• Direct experience in a university or similar large-campus environment.
• Experience managing a unionized technical staff.

Responsibilities

• Develop and implement preventative maintenance programs.
• Monitor equipment to ensure operational reliability.
• Provide technical support during emergencies.

Skills

Technical leadership

Communication

Complex hydronic system management

Budget management

Safety compliance

Education

Bachelor’s degree in a related field

Related associate’s degree

EPA 608 Universal Refrigerant license

Professional certification (CEM, EMP, CEP)

Tools

Computerized maintenance management software (CMMS)

Job description

* **System Operations & Maintenance:** Is responsible for developing, implementing, and documenting preventative and predictive maintenance programs for chillers, pumps, process controls, and piping within the plant and throughout the distribution system. Provides continual automated monitoring of all equipment to ensure reliable operation. Purchases and maintains parts inventories.* **Emergency Response & System Integrity:** Provides expert technical support during any campus emergency and/or power failure event as needed on a 24-hour, 7-day-a-week basis. Is responsible for scheduling routine equipment and system shutdowns and developing written standard operating procedures for production, storage, distribution, and emergency recovery situations.* **Project Management & Design Review:** Reviews the design and installation of thermal distribution equipment and revenue metering in new construction and renovated buildings. Develops and maintains written standards for new equipment and installation requirements. Coordinates with project managers and regional campus staff on new service installations and utility shutdowns.* **Strategic Planning & Financial Management:** Drives campus energy efficiency goals by predicting and monitoring fluctuating customer demands and electric utility pricing. Sets operating schedules for plant operations and thermal water storage to reduce energy consumption and control peak demand. Develops short- and long-term plans for campus-wide thermal distribution service to achieve cost savings while meeting future campus needs.* **Safety & Compliance:** Monitors the use of personal protective equipment and procedures to ensure all maintenance and testing operations are conducted in a safe manner. Coordinates and documents safety training for key university employees to maintain high operational standards**.****Supervision & Leadership:** **Provides direct supervision and technical leadership** to university hydronics systems technicians. Oversees unit operations, sets priorities, reviews completed jobs, and manages the annual operating and capital improvement budgets for the thermal utility systems.* Bachelor’s degree in a related field plus a minimum of five (5) years of full-time experience managing, installing, maintaining, and/or operating a complex hydronic system; **(OR)*** Related associate’s degree plus a minimum of eight (8) years of full-time experience managing, installing, maintaining, and/or operating a complex hydronic system; **(OR)*** A minimum of ten (10) years of full-time, verifiable experience managing, installing, maintaining, and/or operating a complex hydronic system.* Bachelor’s degree in Engineering plus a minimum of five (5) years of full-time experience programming, installing, maintaining, and/or operating a complex hydronic system.* Direct experience managing a complex hydronic system in a university, hospital, or similar large-campus environment.* Experience managing a unionized technical staff.* An EPA 608 Universal Refrigerant license.* Professional certification such as Certified Energy Manager (CEM), Energy Management Professional (EMP), or Certified Energy Procurement Professional (CEP).* **Specific Knowledge:** Deep working knowledge of large-scale thermal water production and distribution systems, including centrifugal chillers, cooling towers, pumps, heat exchangers, and geothermal well fields. Strong understanding of water treatment principles for closed and open-loop systems.* **Technical Understanding:** Proven ability to read and interpret complex piping and instrumentation diagrams (P&IDs), mechanical drawings, and control schematics for planning and troubleshooting purposes.* **Leadership & Communication:** Demonstrated ability to communicate effectively, both written and orally, at all levels within the organization and with third-party vendors. Must be able to lead a technical team and respond quickly and effectively during time-sensitive situations.* **Managerial Complexity:** Must be able to successfully handle a wide range of complex technical and managerial tasks with frequent independent interpretation and decision-making. Strong budgeting, administrative, and long-range capital planning abilities are required.* **Physical Requirements:** Physical effort requires considerable walking and standing, with some lifting of materials weighing 25 to 50 pounds. Periodically, assignments may entail dealing with modestly unpleasant physical situations.* **Computer Skills:** Must be proficient in the use of business application software and experienced in the use of a computerized maintenance management software (CMMS)**Miami University Values Statement** is a scholarly community whose members believe that a liberal education is grounded in qualities of character as well as of intellect. We respect the dignity of other persons, the rights and property of others, and the right of others to hold and express disparate beliefs. We believe in honesty, integrity, and the importance of moral conduct. We defend the freedom of inquiry that is the heart of learning and combine that freedom with the exercise of judgment and the acceptance of personal responsibility.Miami University is a major public university with a small college feel. Creating environments for learning excellence and providing career opportunities in Oxford, Hamilton, Middletown, West Chester and Luxembourg, our faculty, staff, and student employees are the fuel that drives Miami!We rank first nationally among public universities for best teaching by U.S. News & World Report. Our opportunities for growth and advancement are not limited to students in the classroom. Our faculty, staff, and student employees are highly valued for their contribution toward the Miami experience.Miami’s main campus is located in Oxford, Ohio, 35 miles north of Cincinnati. A true college town, Oxford features a wide variety of shops and restaurants within walking distance of the main campus. Our regional campuses are located in Hamilton, Middletown, and the Voice of America Learning Center in West Chester, Ohio.For faculty and staff, Miami offers a great work environment and . We invite you to experience Miami and see how you can support the .