Plant Engineer

Valley Children's Healthcare; Madera (CA); On-site; USD 49,386 - 73,494; Full time

Job summary

A children's healthcare provider in California is seeking a Lead Plant Engineer. This role is responsible for providing technical leadership and oversight for Plant Engineering teams, ensuring efficient operations in maintaining utility systems. Candidates should have a High School Diploma and relevant experience in refrigeration, electrical systems, and safety management. The position offers a compensation range of $35.85 - $53.35 and requires 40 hours weekly, focusing on team development and compliance with best practices.

Qualifications

• Must manage and provide technical leadership for engineering teams.
• Experience in refrigeration, air conditioning, and electrical systems is necessary.
• High School Diploma is required; Associate's Degree is preferred.

Responsibilities

• Oversee maintenance workflows and ensure compliance with standards.
• Provide preventive and corrective maintenance for equipment.
• Support team development through training and mentorship.

Skills

Leadership and direction

Technical guidance

Work assignment prioritization

Mentoring and training

Maintenance workflow oversight

Collaboration with management

Safety policy adherence

Education

High School Diploma

Associate's Degree in related discipline

Program Trade schooling

Tools

Direct Digital Controls (DDC)

Electrical systems

Boiler and steam systems

Refrigeration and air conditioning systems

Fire monitoring systems

Job description

About Us

The Facilities and Plant Engineering Department is a multi-skilled service department dedicated to maintaining the reliability of utility, life safety, and operational systems throughout the Valley Children’s Network. Operating 24/7 with at least one staff member on‑site, we ensure continuous support.

Our utility systems include emergency power, electrical distribution, domestic hot and cold‑water supply, water wells, sewer lift stations, storm water systems, steam boilers, HVAC equipment, medical gas systems, pneumatic tube systems, and de‑ionized water systems.

We manage life safety systems such as fire alarm detection, notification and extinguishing systems, egress illumination, fire compartment systems, and fire‑rated doors. Our team responds to fire incidents and conducts fire drills.

Additionally, we maintain operational systems, including kitchen equipment, refrigerators, ice machines, patient beds, surgical tables, lighting systems, grounds maintenance, hospital fleet vehicle upkeep, key control, and door hardware repairs. Our commitment ensures that all systems function effectively to support the safety and comfort of our patients and staff.

Job Summary

The Lead Plant Engineer provides technical leadership, coordination, and oversight for the Plant Engineering and Utility Engineer teams in support of hospital operations, off‑site facilities, and central plant systems. This position serves as a working lead—performing skilled maintenance duties while also supporting workload distribution, training, quality control, and daily operational oversight. The role is intended to alleviate workload on the Manager of Plant Services and strengthen frontline supervision, ensuring efficient completion of preventive maintenance, rapid response to equipment issues, and improved continuity of operations across hospital and offsite locations.

Qualifications

To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential duty satisfactorily. The requirements listed above are representative of the knowledge, skill, and/or ability required. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

Education

• High School Diploma (required)
• Equivalent Related experience (required)
• Associate’s Degree In related discipline (preferred)
• Program Trade schooling (preferred)

Work Experience

• Refrigeration and air conditioning
• Fire monitoring and life‑safety systems
• Electrical systems and motor controls
• Boiler and steam systems
• Direct Digital Controls (DDC) and pneumatic control systems (required)

Skills and Abilities

• Provide daily leadership, direction, and technical guidance to Plant Engineers and Utility Engineer staff. Lead, schedule, and prioritize work assignments to ensure efficient operations and compliance with organizational standards. Mentor, train, and develop team members to enhance skills, performance, and readiness for increased responsibility.
• Oversee maintenance workflows, ensuring timely completion of preventive and corrective work orders.
• Collaborate with management and other departments to support operational needs, project planning, and resource allocation.
• Ensure adherence to safety policies, regulatory requirements, and best practices across all maintenance activities.
• Participate in hiring, performance evaluations, and continuous improvement initiatives within the department.

Compensation Range

$35.85 - $53.35

Workshift

Varied (United States of America)

Position Exempt

No

FTE %

100

Scheduled Weekly Hours

40

Daily Hours

8