Mechanical Engineer - HVAC Systems

The Mechanical Engineer is responsible for providing engineering and technical support for PVJC's mechanical utility and facility systems supporting PV cell manufacturing.

This position supports the Mechanical Supervisor in maintaining safe, reliable, efficient, and continuous operation of critical mechanical utilities. The Engineer is responsible for system monitoring, troubleshooting, preventive and corrective maintenance support, reliability improvement, engineering analysis, system modifications, project execution, commissioning, and technical documentation.

The Engineer works closely with Mechanical Technicians, Production, Equipment Engineering, EHS, Electrical, Gas & Chemical, WWTP & UPW, Facility Engineering, Project/Construction teams, contractors, and equipment vendors to maintain system performance and support continuous manufacturing operations.

Primary Responsibilities

Facility Management

• Provide engineering and technical support for the operation and maintenance of mechanical utility and facility systems supporting PV cell manufacturing.
• Support systems including chillers, cooling towers, chilled water systems, Process Cooling Water (PCW), boilers, hot water systems, HVAC, MAU/RAU, ventilation, exhaust and scrubber systems, CDA, vacuum systems, pumps, piping, valves, heat exchangers, and associated mechanical equipment.
• Monitor and analyze mechanical utility operating parameters including flow, pressure, temperature, differential pressure, equipment loading, vibration, and other applicable system conditions.
• Monitor equipment status, alarms, utility consumption, system capacity, and production demand through available monitoring and control systems.
• Provide technical guidance to Mechanical Technicians during normal operation, inspection, maintenance, troubleshooting, equipment repair, and system recovery activities.
• Identify abnormal operating conditions and recommend appropriate corrective actions to the Mechanical Supervisor.
• Support response and recovery for mechanical utility interruptions, equipment failures, loss of cooling/heating/ventilation, abnormal pressure or flow, and other production-impacting conditions.
• Analyze system capacity, equipment loading, redundancy, and production demand to identify potential operational or reliability constraints.
• Support system shutdown, startup, isolation, restoration, and production recovery activities.
• Support continuous improvement to ensure mechanical utility systems operate at optimum, reliable, energy-efficient, and safe operating conditions.

Project Management

• Provide engineering support for mechanical system improvement, expansion, modification, capacity, energy-efficiency, and reliability projects.
• Participate in design reviews, construction inspections, installation, testing, commissioning, system turnover, and production shutdown activities.
• Review P&IDs, mechanical drawings, equipment layouts, piping arrangements, equipment specifications, system capacity, control philosophy, and vendor technical submittals.
• Perform engineering evaluations and calculations to verify equipment and system capacity against current and future production requirements.
• Review pump, fan, compressor, chiller, boiler, heat exchanger, piping, and other mechanical equipment selections for suitability and operating requirements.
• Identify technical improvements based on operating experience, equipment performance, recurring failures, and lessons learned.
• Coordinate technical matters with contractors, equipment vendors, OEMs, Project teams, Production, EHS, and other stakeholders.
• Perform field inspections and identify installation deficiencies, punch-list items, workmanship issues, and deviations from approved drawings or specifications.
• Support pressure testing, flushing, cleaning, balancing, equipment functional testing, startup, commissioning, and performance verification where applicable.
• Verify commissioning records, test results, equipment documentation, O&M manuals, and as-built information before recommending system acceptance to the Mechanical Supervisor.

Preventive and Corrective Maintenance

• Develop and improve preventive maintenance requirements for mechanical utility systems and equipment.
• Provide technical support for preventive and corrective maintenance activities.
• Monitor the condition and performance of chillers, cooling towers, boilers, pumps, fans, compressors, heat exchangers, scrubbers, valves, piping, and other critical mechanical equipment.
• Analyze equipment failures, recurring alarms, abnormal vibration, temperature, pressure, flow, leakage, downtime, and maintenance history to identify reliability improvements.
• Troubleshoot mechanical equipment and utility system abnormalities and recommend corrective actions.
• Perform Root Cause Analysis (RCA) for significant equipment failures, utility interruptions, recurring alarms, and production-impacting events.
• Develop Corrective and Preventive Action (CAPA) recommendations and track assigned actions through completion.
• Support equipment inspection, lubrication, alignment, vibration monitoring, filter replacement, belt inspection, functional testing, and other applicable maintenance activities.
• Review equipment operating hours, maintenance history, condition, and failure trends to recommend overhaul, refurbishment, or replacement.
• Identify critical spare parts and consumables required to maintain system reliability.
• Develop technical specifications and recommendations for replacement or upgrade of unreliable, inefficient, or obsolete equipment.

Safety and Compliance

• Support Mechanical operations in accordance with applicable local, state, and federal safety requirements, PVJC EHS requirements, and applicable codes and industry standards.
• Follow and support implementation of LOTO, confined space, line-breaking, hot work, work-at-height, permit-to-work, PPE, and other applicable safe work practices.
• Support inspection and maintenance requirements for boilers, air receivers, pressure systems, mechanical equipment, and associated safety devices.
• Verify pressure relief devices, equipment guards, emergency stops, alarms, interlocks, and other mechanical safety features are maintained as required.
• Ensure technical modifications do not compromise equipment safeguards, design pressure, operating limits, accessibility, or maintainability.
• Participate in risk assessments, Management of Change (MOC), incident investigations, emergency response, and corrective action activities.
• Provide technical support during major utility leaks, mechanical equipment failures, loss of cooling/heating/ventilation, and other emergency conditions.
• Identify and immediately escalate unsafe equipment conditions, temporary repairs, abnormal operating conditions, or potentially production-impacting risks.

Energy and Utility Management

• Monitor and analyze electricity, natural gas, compressed air, chilled water, cooling water, heating, and other mechanical utility consumption.
• Analyze mechanical system efficiency and identify abnormal energy consumption, equipment degradation, or inefficient operating conditions.
• Support optimization of chillers, cooling towers, boilers, HVAC, CDA, pumps, fans, and other mechanical utility equipment based on production demand.
• Identify opportunities to reduce energy consumption, compressed air leakage, water consumption, heat loss, pressure loss, and operating costs.
• Evaluate equipment sequencing, operating setpoints, variable-speed operation, temperature settings, pressure settings, and other energy optimization opportunities.
• Support energy-saving projects and verify performance improvements following implementation.
• Support Facility sustainability, energy conservation, and utility cost-reduction initiatives.

Documentation and Reporting

• Maintain accurate technical records for mechanical utility operations, maintenance activities, inspections, equipment performance, alarms, failures, and abnormal conditions.
• Maintain and update P&IDs, mechanical drawings, equipment lists, valve lists, operating parameters, control sequences, equipment manuals, and as-built information.
• Develop and update Mechanical SOPs, operating procedures, troubleshooting guides, shutdown/startup procedures, emergency procedures, and maintenance instructions.
• Prepare technical reports on equipment failures, utility interruptions, system performance, maintenance findings, reliability improvements, and project activities.
• Collect and analyze data required for Mechanical KPIs and provide recommendations when performance does not meet established requirements.
• Monitor and trend key mechanical parameters including temperature, pressure, flow, differential pressure, vibration, equipment loading, operating hours, and energy consumption.
• Maintain equipment maintenance history and support development of equipment lifecycle and replacement plans.
• Maintain accurate technical documentation for system modifications and support Management of Change (MOC) requirements.
• Ensure engineering drawings and operational documentation are updated following equipment or system modifications.

Vendor and Contractor Management

• Provide technical coordination with Mechanical contractors, equipment vendors, OEMs, service providers, and utility-related suppliers.
• Review technical proposals, equipment specifications, repair recommendations, service reports, and vendor submittals.
• Monitor contractor work and verify compliance with PVJC safety, QA/QC, engineering, and technical requirements.
• Coordinate technical activities including equipment maintenance, repair, overhaul, alignment, balancing, testing, commissioning, and system modifications.
• Review vendor recommendations and evaluate proposed repairs, replacements, or modifications before implementation.
• Verify completed contractor work and support inspection, testing, commissioning, and return-to-service activities.
• Review contractor and OEM service reports and ensure identified deficiencies and recommendations are properly addressed.

Team Collaboration

• Work closely with the Mechanical Supervisor and Mechanical Technicians to support safe and reliable daily operation.
• Provide technical guidance and training to Technicians on mechanical equipment operation, troubleshooting, inspection, and maintenance activities.
• Support development of team technical competency through SOPs, troubleshooting guides, technical training, and lessons learned.
• Work closely with Production, Equipment Engineering, EHS, Electrical, Gas & Chemical, WWTP & UPW, Facility Engineering, and Project teams to address mechanical utility requirements.
• Communicate abnormal system conditions, equipment reliability concerns, capacity limitations, and potential production impacts promptly to the Mechanical Supervisor.
• Support production shutdown, startup, commissioning, maintenance, and emergency recovery activities.
• Promote safety, teamwork, ownership, technical discipline, effective communication, and continuous improvement.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Mechanical Engineering, Facility Engineering, Building Services Engineering, or related engineering discipline.
• 1-3+ years of experience in mechanical utilities, industrial facilities, semiconductor, PV cell, electronics, pharmaceutical, battery, or other high-tech manufacturing environment preferred.
• Knowledge of industrial HVAC, chilled water, cooling towers, boilers, PCW, CDA, vacuum, exhaust, scrubbers, pumps, piping, and related mechanical systems.
• Knowledge of pumps, fans, compressors, heat exchangers, valves, piping systems, pressure systems, and mechanical instrumentation.
• Ability to read and interpret P&IDs, mechanical drawings, equipment specifications, control diagrams, and technical documentation.
• Understanding of mechanical engineering principles including fluid flow, pressure, temperature, heat transfer, equipment capacity, and system resistance.
• Strong analytical, troubleshooting, root cause analysis, organizational, and problem-solving skills.
• Familiarity with applicable industrial safety requirements, mechanical codes, and facility operating practices.
• Ability to analyze operating data and translate findings into practical equipment or system improvements.
• Strong communication and interpersonal skills.

Preferred Skills

• Semiconductor, PV cell, electronics, pharmaceutical, battery, or other high-tech manufacturing facility experience.
• Experience with chillers, cooling towers, boilers, HVAC, MAU/RAU, CDA, vacuum, exhaust, scrubber, and PCW systems.
• Experience with industrial pumps, fans, compressors, heat exchangers, and mechanical distribution systems.
• Knowledge of BMS/FMCS/SCADA monitoring, trending, alarms, and equipment control systems.
• Experience with equipment reliability, vibration monitoring, alignment, condition monitoring, and predictive maintenance.
• Familiarity with applicable OSHA, ASME, NFPA, mechanical/building codes, and industrial safety requirements.
• Experience with MOC, RCA, CAPA, commissioning, QA/QC, and system turnover.
• Experience with mechanical testing including pressure testing, flushing, balancing, functional testing, and performance verification.
• Experience with energy efficiency, utility optimization, and cost-reduction projects.
• Proficiency with Microsoft Excel and engineering/data analysis tools.
• Ability to adapt to changing technologies and production requirements.
• Willingness to continuously learn and develop technical skills.

Working Conditions

• Combination of office, mechanical utility, boiler/chiller, rooftop, cleanroom, and manufacturing environments.
• Work may involve rotating equipment, pressurized systems, hot surfaces, elevated areas, noise, and industrial process environments with appropriate engineering controls and PPE.
• Frequent field inspection, troubleshooting, equipment evaluation, and contractor coordination activities are required.
• May require work outside regular hours to address production-impacting issues, shutdowns, commissioning, or emergency conditions.
• Supports a 24/7 manufacturing operation and may be required to participate in an on-call rotation.

Compensation and Benefits

CS Powertech offers a competitive salary plus fully comprehensive benefits and performance bonus package based on an annual objective achievement. Our generous benefits package includes a 401(k) Retirement Plan, medical/dental/life/disability program, PTO and sick days. This is a full-time position.

CS Powertech is an Equal Opportunity Employer (EOE). Qualified applicants are considered for employment without regard to age, race, color, religion, sex, national origin, sexual orientation, disability, or veteran status.