Senior Refrigeration & Industrial Services Technician

Volpi Foods; St. Louis (MO); On-site; USD 90,000 - 120,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Medical insurance

Dental insurance

Vision insurance

Job summary

Volpi Foods, America's oldest family-owned producer of hand-crafted Italian meats, seeks a Senior Refrigeration & Industrial Services Technician to maintain and optimize refrigeration, HVAC, boilers, and related systems across four facilities. You will lead technical diagnostics, coordinate contractors, and drive reliability for aging rooms and production.

Applicants should have 15+ years of hands-on refrigeration experience, EPA 608 Universal Certification, and strong electrical/controls skills

Qualifications

• Minimum 15 years of hands-on experience maintaining and repairing industrial and commercial refrigeration systems.
• Extensive experience with CFC, HCFC, and HFC refrigerants and refrigerant management programs.
• Current EPA Section 608 Universal Certification.
• Strong troubleshooting with electrical systems, industrial controls, motors, starters, contactors, VFDs, instrumentation, and control circuits.
• Read electrical schematics, wiring diagrams, P&IDs, and mechanical drawings.
• Mastery of refrigeration pipe fabrication, soldering, and brazing techniques.
• Experience supporting manufacturing or food-processing equipment and process-critical refrigeration systems.
• Ability to independently diagnose and perform complex repairs with limited oversight.
• Experience coordinating and directing third-party contractors and specialty service providers.

Responsibilities

• Perform hands-on maintenance, troubleshooting, repair, and optimization of HVAC equipment, chillers, evaporators, condensers, compressors, boilers, hot water systems, refrigeration equipment, and related utility systems.
• Perform field diagnostics, equipment rebuilds, component replacement, emergency repairs, and preventive maintenance activities.
• Maintain and repair dozens of packaged refrigeration and environmental control systems supporting Volpi aging rooms and production processes.
• Diagnose and repair electrical, electromechanical, and controls-related issues including sensors, relays, contactors, VFDs, motors, PLC interfaces, and control circuits.
• Serve as the company's lead technical expert for industrial refrigeration and utility infrastructure.
• Perform refrigerant recovery, leak detection, charging, evacuation, pressure testing, and system commissioning activities.
• Execute advanced soldering and brazing of refrigeration piping, copper tubing, and system components to industry standards.
• Create, maintain, and update all EPA-required refrigerant management documentation and compliance records.
• Ensure compliance with EPA, OSHA, and applicable regulations.
• Manage and coordinate outside contractors performing refrigeration, HVAC, utilities, boiler, and industrial services work.
• Develop preventive maintenance plans and drive equipment reliability improvements.
• Support capital projects, utility upgrades, and equipment installations.
• Maintain on-call responsibility and off-shift availability beyond normal business hours, including nights, weekends, holidays, and other off-shift periods as required to support business continuity and food safety requirements.

Skills

Refrigeration maintenance

Electrical troubleshooting

Industrial controls

VFDs & motors

Soldering & brazing

P&IDs reading

Contractor coordination

Education

EPA 608 Universal Certification

Tools

PLC interfaces

Job description

Volpi Foods is America's oldest family-owned manufacturer of hand-crafted, authentic Italian meat products. Experience the delicious variety of traditional Italian meats crafted by three generations of accomplished salumieri. Exclusive family recipes, spice combinations and curing methods give Volpi Italian meat products their distinctive Old World flavor.

• Do you LOVE good food?

Position Summary

The Senior Refrigeration & Industrial Services Technician is a senior-level, hands-on technical position responsible for maintaining, troubleshooting, repairing, and optimizing refrigeration, HVAC, boiler, hot water, utility, electrical controls, and process-support systems across Volpi's four facilities. The primary focus is direct technical work supporting production operations, aging processes, plant utilities, and process equipment reliability.

Key Responsibilities

• Perform hands-on maintenance, troubleshooting, repair, and optimization of HVAC equipment, chillers, evaporators, condensers, compressors, boilers, hot water systems, refrigeration equipment, and related utility systems.
• Perform field diagnostics, equipment rebuilds, component replacement, emergency repairs, and preventive maintenance activities.
• Maintain and repair dozens of packaged refrigeration and environmental control systems supporting Volpi aging rooms and production processes.
• Diagnose and repair electrical, electromechanical, and controls-related issues including sensors, relays, contactors, VFDs, motors, PLC interfaces, and control circuits.
• Serve as the company's lead technical expert for industrial refrigeration and utility infrastructure.
• Perform refrigerant recovery, leak detection, charging, evacuation, pressure testing, and system commissioning activities.
• Execute advanced soldering and brazing of refrigeration piping, copper tubing, and system components to industry standards.
• Create, maintain, and update all EPA-required refrigerant management documentation and compliance records.
• Ensure compliance with EPA, OSHA, and applicable regulations.
• Manage and coordinate outside contractors performing refrigeration, HVAC, utilities, boiler, and industrial services work.
• Develop preventive maintenance plans and drive equipment reliability improvements.
• Support capital projects, utility upgrades, and equipment installations.
• Maintain on-call responsibility and off-shift availability beyond normal business hours, including nights, weekends, holidays, and other off-shift periods as required to support business continuity and food safety requirements.

Required Qualifications

• Minimum 15 years of hands-on experience maintaining and repairing industrial and commercial refrigeration systems.
• Extensive experience working with CFC, HCFC, and HFC refrigerants and refrigerant management programs.
• Current EPA Section 608 Universal Certification (required).
• Strong troubleshooting expertise with electrical systems, industrial controls, motors, starters, contactors, VFDs, instrumentation, and control circuits.
• Demonstrated ability to read electrical schematics, wiring diagrams, P&IDs, and mechanical drawings.
• Mastery of refrigeration pipe fabrication, soldering, and brazing techniques.
• Experience supporting manufacturing or food-processing equipment and process-critical refrigeration systems.
• Ability to independently diagnose and perform complex repairs with limited oversight.
• Experience coordinating and directing third-party contractors and specialty service providers.

Preferred Certifications

• RETA CIRO or CIRT Certification
• Boiler Operator or Stationary Engineer Certification
• NFPA 70E Electrical Safety Training
• Manufacturer training on industrial controls, PLCs, VFDs, or refrigeration systems

Preferred Industry Experience

• Food manufacturing, food processing, meat processing, or specialty food production operations.
• Cured meat, aging-room, environmental-control, or temperature- and humidity-controlled processing environments.
• High-volume preventive maintenance, troubleshooting, and repair of aging refrigeration and process equipment.

Additional Requirements

• Regularly stand, walk, climb ladders, ascend and descend stairs, and work from elevated platforms.
• Frequently lift, carry, push, and pull materials, tools, and equipment weighing up to 50 pounds, with occasional heavier lifting using proper equipment and assistance.
• Work in hot, cold, humid, confined, and production environments, including refrigeration machinery rooms, aging rooms, rooftops, and mechanical spaces.
• Wear required personal protective equipment and comply with all food safety, GMP, and workplace safety requirements at all times.
• Travel throughout the work week between St. Louis-area locations, including travel to the Union, Missouri facility along with various supply-house pickups, at times on short notice during critical support. Maintain reliable transportation and a clean driving record.

What benefits do we offer?

• Comprehensive Medical, Dental, Vision, Life Insurance, Disability and Accident plans.