Utilities Technical Coordinator

Cornell University; Town of Ithaca (NY); On-site; USD 70,000 - 95,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Healthcare benefits

Educational benefits

Job summary

Cornell University’s Utilities Production and Energy & Sustainability teams in Ithaca manage steam, electricity and chilled water. The Utilities Technical Coordinator develops and implements business processes, writes SOPs, and maintains the quality management framework to support efficient operations.

This role requires strong technical writing, attention to detail, and the ability to learn complex utility systems. Collaboration with staff and cross-functional teams is essential.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree or higher in communication, engineering technology, or related field.
• At least 3 years’ experience in training, technical document development, or Quality Management Systems.
• Ability to learn utility systems and read technical drawings/manuals.
• Excellent technical writing and concise information organization.
• Strong presentation skills and comfort with public speaking.

Responsibilities

• Develop, write, update, audit, co-facilitate and train on plant-wide Instructions and SOP programs.
• Administer the Utility Quality Management System (UMS).
• Support KPI development and facility tours.

Skills

Technical writing

Public speaking

Reading technical drawings

Training material development

Quality Management Systems

Data organization

Attention to detail

Collaboration

MS Office proficiency

Education

Bachelor’s degree in communication, engineering technology, or related field

Tools

MS Office Suite

Job description

Energy & Sustainability is comprised of four interactive teams: Campus Sustainability Office, Energy Management and Utilities Distribution, Utilities Production, and Utilities Planning and Renewalwhich work together to achieve our obligations and seize opportunities to reduce our environmental footprint while providing vital utilities services to the Ithaca campus.

The Utilities section of Energy and Sustainability operates the Universityenergy infrastructure system on a 24-hour, 365 day per year basis. Production facilities include a combined cycle gas turbine plant, a hydroelectric plant, a water filtration plant, and multiple chilled water plants.

This job provides the opportunity to work in a team environment with staff who take great pride in producing steam, electricity and chilled water for Cornell University. The Utilities Production group maintains and operates state-of-the-art utility equipment such as steam package boilers, steam turbines, air compressors, pumps, and centrifugal chillers, and oversees the design and construction of new systems. From Combined Heat and Power (CHP) to hydroelectric generation, the Central Energy Plant (CEP) does it all. This is rewarding work that supports the university’s mission of teaching, research, and outreach.

The Utilities Technical Coordinator plays a critical role in developing and implementing business processes that improve workflow and enable efficient management. Successful candidates enjoy working in an environment with clear instructions, well defined rules, and organized information. They are self-driven and can learn details about utility systems and equipment by reading manuals, contacting the manufacturer, field inspection, and collaborating with other staff. Skills for success in this role require strong technical writing skills, excellent attention to detail, and the ability to organize information concisely. The Utilities Technical Coordinator will develop, write, update, audit, co-facilitate, and train on plant wide Instructions, Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) program, safety program, Lock-Tag-Verify (LTV) program, qualification programs, tabletop exercises, CEP long-range training program, operations bulletins, newsletters, information archiving, data collection, change management processes, and action item lists. The Utilities Technical Coordinator will administer the Utility Quality Management System (UMS), help develop KPIs, and support and lead facility tours.

While position responsibilities vary, every member of our community is expected to foster a culture of belonging and a healthy work environment by communicating across differences; being cooperative, collaborative, open, and welcoming; showing respect, compassion, and empathy; engaging and supporting others regardless of background or perspective; speaking up when others are being excluded or treated inappropriately; and supporting work/life integration of oneself and others.

Success Factors

• Strive to develop and implement best practices.
• Identify opportunities in challenges and show initiative.
• Reach out in a timely and responsive manner to resolve problems.
• Anticipate and adapt to changing priorities and additional demands.
• Demonstrate active listening skills.
• Express thoughts clearly, both verbally and in writing.
• Share knowledge and information.
• Apply analytical thinking, data and metrics to synthesize complex information.
• Anticipate, embrace, promote and implement change.
• Balance short-term gains with long-term vision.
• Be open and receptive to new information, ideas and approaches.
• Support ideas, solutions and changes to processes to ensure high-quality outcomes.

We are a value based organization where all employees are accountable for supporting the organization’s values of truth, respect, excellence, teamwork, and integrity. Facilities and Campus Services employees are required to attend staff development trainings and participate in the performance evaluation process.

We Require These Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in communication, engineering technology, or related field
• At least 3 years’ experience working as a trainer, with technical document development, or with Quality Management Systems in an industrial setting, or equivalent combination
• Technical competence to learn new utility systems and equipment
• Ability to read and understand technical drawings and manuals
• Excellent technical writer. Organizes information in a concise and understandable way
• Strong presentation skills and comfortable with public speaking
• Works independently with moderate supervision
• Proficient with MS Office Suite
• Experience modeling values that support inclusion, belonging, and wellbeing.
• Ability to cultivate and develop inclusive working relationships with students, faculty, staff, and community members.

You will be a top candidate with our preferred qualifications:

• Experience working in a utility plant producing steam, electricity, or chilled water.
• Experience developing training materials and writing programmatic instructions from scratch
• Experience with graphic/video editing

Rewards And Benefits

• This position is based in Ithaca, New York.
• Cornell receives national recognition as an award-winning workplace for our health, wellbeing, sustainability, and diversity initiatives.
• Our benefits programs include comprehensive health care options, generous retirement contributions, access to wellness programs, and employee discounts with local and national retail brands. We invite you to follow this link to get more information about our benefits: Understand Your Benefits | Working at Cornell.
• Our leave provisions include health and personal leave, three weeks of vacation and 13 holidays: Martin Luther King, Jr. Day, Memorial Day, Juneteenth, Independence Day, Labor Day, Thanksgiving and the day after, and an end of the year winter break from December 25-January 1. To offer greater flexibility for observing faiths and traditions we also offer two additional floating holidays. Learn more about our generous leave provisions: Holiday and Accrued Time Off | Working at Cornell
• Cornell's impressive educational benefits include tuition-free Extramural Study and Employee Degree Program, tuition aid for external education, and Cornell Children's Tuition Assistance Program. Learn more about our extensive educational benefits: Education Benefits | Working at Cornell
• Follow this link to learn more about the Total Rewards of Working at Cornell: Total Rewards | Working at Cornell.