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POSITION DETAILS

Employment based visa sponsorship will NOT be considered for this position.

Position Number:  130510
Classification Title:  HVAC Specialist
Working Title:  Lead HVAC Specialist

Department:  Facility Maintenance
FLSA Status:  Non-Exempt
Salary Range:  $44,030 - $52,836
Pay Basis:  Annually

POSITION OVERVIEW

JOB SUMMARY:

Provides specialized operational support, preventive maintenance, and corrective repairs across campus heating, ventilation, air conditioning, commercial refrigeration, and building automation control systems. Working under Facility Maintenance leadership, this position assists in scheduling and implementing routine and preventive maintenance programs per manufactures' recommendations.
This position evaluates operational processes, diagnoses equipment issues, resolves customer warm/cold calls, and determines corrective actions considering time, cost, and available resources. Additionally, the Lead HVAC Technician provides guidance and training to other in the HVAC-R trade as outlined in this position description, maintains work order records, and serves as backup supervisor in the absence of the primary supervisor. The role operates in a dynamic environment subject to shifting priorities, externally imposed deadlines, and physical demands.

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS:

Completion of an approved apprenticeship program in heating ventilation and/or air conditioning; or a high school diploma and four years of appropriate experience. Appropriate vocational/technical training may substitute at an equivalent rate for the required experience.

POSITION QUALIFICATIONS:

Proficient in Microsoft Office Programs (Excel, Word) and Gmail. Demonstrated ability to read and interpret construction drawings, specifications, wiring diagrams, control schematics, and equipment sequences of operation.
Proven skill in planning and organizing work assignments with well-developed time management capabilities.
Strong interpersonal, written, and oral communication skills with the ability to work effectively in a team environment.

PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS:

Universal Refrigerant Recovery and Recycling Certification per Section 608 of the Clean Air Act.
Five (5) years of professional Journeyman level HVAC experience in commercial, municipal, or institutional facility maintenance, with demonstrated lead or team-coordination experience.

ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS/JOB DUTIES:

• 75% - Serves as backup supervisor in the absence of the primary supervisor for assigned department positions. Performs operation, preventive maintenance, and corrective maintenance on single-zone constant volume, single-zone VAV, multizone, VAV, and dual-duct chilled and hot water HVAC systems. Serves direct expansion systems, variable refrigerant volume direct expansion systems, air- and water-cooled chillers, heating hot water boilers, environmental chambers, ice machines, commercial refrigerators, and water fountains. Addresses customer warm and cold complaints by diagnosing system behavior and initiating precise corrective actions. Operates, troubleshoots, and programs direct digital control (DDC) Siemens Building Automation Systems (BAS) as well as legacy pneumatic control systems. Maintains VFDs, ductwork, damper systems, VAV boxes with hot water and electric reheat coils, chilled/hot water valves, general exhaust fans, supply fans, kitchen hoods, and laboratory exhaust hoods. Uses instruments to measure temperature, relative humidity, dew point, air/water pressure, voltage, amperage, and resistance. Executes filter replacements, coil cleaning, belt/drive replacements, motor adjustments or replacements, bearing lubrications, piping leak repairs, and condensate drain cleaning. Designated as Essential and Emergency Personnel required to report during university closings, severe weather events, unscheduled closures, campus emergencies, and as needed by leadership. Participates in scheduled on-call rotations and maintains rapid-response readiness for after-hours operational failures and critical facility emergencies. Demonstrates composure, a positive can-do attitude, and decisive leadership under high-pressure crisis conditions—directing emergency trade repairs, restoring critical systems, and executing all urgent operational duties as assigned to safeguard university personnel, property, and infrastructure. Serves as a dependable, highly adaptable leader who maintains a positive, enthusiastic attitude when stepping into special projects, emergency response deployments, event setups, or other operational duties as assigned by leadership. Consistently seeks ways to streamline administrative workflows, tool storage, and shop safety practices to ensure the facility department operates at peak efficiency. Maintains shop areas and job sites in a clean, orderly, and safe condition. Safely operates, adjusts, and maintains hand tools, stationary/portable power tools, pneumatic tools, and power-actuated tools. - (Essential)
• 10% - Inspects, maintains, and repairs water, waste water, natural gas, compressed air, water, and vacuum piping systems. Cuts and threads pipe using pipe cutters and threading equipment. Locates and resolves interior and exterior electrical malfunctions using standard testing instruments in compliance with safety standards and local electrical codes. Assists other trades specialists and craftsmen with facility repairs and campus projects as directed by management. Maintains shop areas and job sites in a clean, orderly, and safe condition. Safely operates, adjusts, and maintains hand tools, stationary/portable power tools, pneumatic tools, and powder-actuated tools. Inspects and maintains single-phase and three-phase transformers, circuit breaker panels, disconnect switches, and motor/machinery control wiring, as needed for the HVAC-R equipment. - (Essential)
• 10% - Conducts rigorous preventive maintenance inspections across electrical and mechanical rooms, identifying early signs of component degradation, safety risks, or code non-compliance. Approaches inspections with an inquisitive, solution-driven attitude that anticipates failure points before they impact campus operations. Thoroughly documents inspection findings and proposes proactive, forward-thinking recommendations to leadership that modernize legacy systems, reduce future repair costs, and continuously improve the campus. Demonstrates complete willingness and operational flexibility to assist other trade specialists (electricians, plumbers, carpenters, painters, and locksmiths) during major renovation projects, emergency responses, or peak workload periods. Hands-on participation in cross-disciplinary work, including assisting with building envelope and roof leaks, minor electrical disconnections, mechanical air handler/boiler piping connections, structural door/hardware repairs, and grounds maintenance. Brings an enthusiastic, "one-team" attitude to every cross-trade assignment, breaking down shop silos and utilizing broad trade exposure to spot overall campus facilities issues (e.g., identifying structural or electrical risks while accessing plumbing chases) to ensure complete campus reliability. - (Essential)
• 5% - Maintains shop areas and job sites in a clean, orderly, and safe condition. Prepares material and labor estimates based on blueprints, schematics, drawings, and verbal instructions. Accurately logs time and materials in computerized work order systems (TMA). - (Essential)

PHYSICAL DEMANDS:

• Physical Requirements: Frequent heavy or intense physical requirements. May be combined with exposure to a number of disagreeable environmental elements, such as heat, cold, noise, dust, dirt, chemicals, etc. Injury may require professional treatment or hospitalization.
• Impact of Deadlines: Externally imposed deadlines set and revised beyond one’s control. Interruptions influence priorities. Difficult to anticipate nature or volume of work with certainty beyond a few days.
• Standing: Daily
• Walking: Daily
• Sitting: Daily
• Reaching with hands and arms: Daily
• Climbing or balancing: Daily
• Stooping: Daily
• Use of hands to handle objects: Daily
• Lifting up to 10lbs: Daily
• Lifting up to 25lbs: Daily
• Lifting over 25lbs: Daily
• Talking as express or exchange of ideas verbally: Daily
• Hearing as perceive sound by ear: Daily
• Vision as distinguish colors & depth: Daily

Special Requirements or Considerations of the Job:  

• This position requires a criminal background screening.
• This position requires fingerprinting.
• This position is eligible for veterans’ preference.
• This position requires a valid driver's license.

Special Instructions to Applicants:  Candidates must apply online through the University of West Florida website: https://careers.uwf.edu.

Applicants are required to attach a resume, cover letter and contact information for three references.
An opportunity to upload these documents will be provided during the application process. For assistance, please contact Human Resources at 850.474.2694 or email jobs@uwf.edu.

This position allows eligible veterans and their spouses to claim Veterans’ Preference pursuant to Section 295.07, F.S.; applicants claiming preference are responsible for providing required documentation on or before the posting deadline date as such documentation is required for eligibility determination. Supporting documentation, in addition to the DD214, may be required based on eligibility criteria. For information on obtaining a DD214, visit http://www.archives.gov/veterans/military-service-records/ or call 1.866.272.6272.

At the conclusion of this search, if a non-preference eligible applicant is appointed to the position and you are a preference-eligible applicant and believe that you were not afforded employment preference in accordance with applicable Florida law and regulation, a written complaint requesting an investigation may be submitted to the Florida Department of Veterans’ Affairs, Division of Benefits and Assistance, 9500 Bay Pines Blvd., Room 214, St. Petersburg, Florida 33708. Such a complaint should be filed within 60 calendar days from the date that the notice the position has been filled is received by the applicant pursuant to Sections 120.569 and 120.57, F.S.

Prior to filing a complaint, it is the responsibility of the preference-eligible applicant to contact the designated Human Resources or other contact person at least one time after 45 days have passed from the final date for submitting an application or the interview date, whichever is later in time, if the applicant has not received notice of a hiring decision.

ADDITIONAL POSTING DETAILS

Number of Vacancies: 1
Work Hours:  7:00 - 3:30
FTE:  1.0
Closing Date:  11/29/2026