Chiller Plant Mechanic

Required Skills & Experience

• 5+ years of hands-on experience maintaining and repairing large industrial centrifugal and/or screw chiller plants, ideally 500+ ton equipment
• Advanced troubleshooting experience with high-tonnage chillers and associated mechanical, electrical, and controls systems
• Experience with major chiller OEMs such as Carrier, Trane, York/Johnson Controls, Daikin, or equivalent
• Strong understanding of chilled water hydraulics, condenser water systems, cooling towers, water chemistry, and energy optimization
• Ability to troubleshoot motors, starters, VFDs, MCCs, instrumentation, and controls
• Strong mechanical capabilities including hydraulics, pneumatics, bearings, seals, and precision alignment
• Ability to read and interpret P&IDs, mechanical drawings, electrical schematics, control diagrams, and OEM manuals
• Experience using diagnostic equipment such as multimeters, megohmmeters, vibration analyzers, and refrigerant analyzers
• Experience with CMMS work orders, asset records, equipment history, and maintenance documentation
• High School Diploma/GED
• Valid driver's license
• Ability to obtain EPA Section 608 Universal Certification within 1 year of hire
• Ability to pass required background check, drug screening, respirator medical evaluation, and quantitative fit testing
• Willingness to support a 24/7 utility operation through overtime, weekends, holidays, and on-call rotations

Nice to Have Skills & Experience

• EPA Section 608 Universal certification already obtained
• Journeyman HVAC/R or industrial mechanic license/certification
• Experience with absorption chillers
• Experience with magnetic bearing compressors
• Low-GWP refrigerant conversion experience
• BAS/BMS experience with platforms such as Siemens, Schneider, or Johnson Controls
• Experience with chiller plant optimization sequences
• CMRP, HVAC Excellence, or similar professional credentials
• Leadership or mentoring experience within a multi-skilled utility team
• Technical/vocational training, apprenticeship, military industrial maintenance experience, or degree in Mechanical Engineering Technology/Industrial Maintenance

Job Description

Job Description:

Insight Global is seeking an experienced Chiller Plant Mechanic for a top pharmaceutical facilities client in Groton, CT. This individual will support a critical central utility plant responsible for maintaining uninterrupted cooling for pharmaceutical research, laboratory, manufacturing, and facility operations. The ideal candidate brings 5+ years of hands-on experience with large-tonnage centrifugal and/or screw chillers and can independently diagnose complex mechanical, electrical, and controls-related failures. This role will perform advanced chiller maintenance and repairs, support predictive and preventive maintenance programs, manage refrigerants, troubleshoot BAS/BMS controls, and partner with engineering and OEM vendors on major equipment work. This is an excellent opportunity for an experienced industrial HVAC/chiller professional who enjoys technically challenging equipment and wants to work in a highly regulated, mission-critical environment. Hotbook focus: Prioritize candidates from large commercial/industrial HVAC environments, central utility plants, pharmaceutical/manufacturing facilities, hospitals, universities, or data centers who have personally worked on 500+ ton centrifugal or screw chillers. The combination of large-tonnage chiller experience + advanced troubleshooting + Carrier/Trane/York/Daikin exposure should be the quickest screen.

Day-to-Day:

• Operate, maintain, troubleshoot, and optimize large-capacity centrifugal, screw, and absorption chillers supporting critical pharmaceutical operations
• Diagnose and repair compressors, purge systems, economizers, oil recovery systems, motor starters, VFDs, and instrumentation
• Perform compressor work, tube cleaning/replacement, shaft alignment, bearing and seal replacement, and heat exchanger maintenance
• Handle refrigerant recovery, charging, leak detection, and regulatory documentation
• Maintain chilled water pumps, condenser water pumps, cooling towers, filters, and chemical treatment systems
• Monitor and troubleshoot equipment through BAS/BMS and chiller plant controls
• Conduct predictive maintenance using vibration analysis, infrared thermography, oil analysis, ultrasonic testing, and efficiency metrics such as kW/ton and approach temperatures
• Respond to plant alarms, equipment failures, and cooling-capacity shortfalls while minimizing downtime
• Develop and execute PM procedures, job plans, and LOTO packages
• Maintain CMMS work orders, equipment histories, refrigerant logs, and parts records
• Coordinate with OEM technicians, vendors, and engineers during major overhauls and upgrades
• Mentor mechanics/operators on chiller theory, troubleshooting, and safe work practices
• Drive improvements in plant energy efficiency, MTBF, reliability, and unplanned downtime
• Follow site OSHA, EPA, NFPA, GMP, LOTO, environmental, and safety requirements