Mechanic (HVAC)

What we do here changes the world. UTHealth Houston is Texas’ resource for healthcare education, innovation, scientific discovery, and excellence in patient care. That’s where you come in.

This Mechanic role performs hands‑on and supervisory maintenance of mechanical and related electrical systems, including pumps, motors, fans, compressors, vacuum systems, and associated piping and controls.

Responsibilities include preventive and corrective maintenance, troubleshooting, inspections, work order completion, cost estimating, and responding to emergency situations to protect facilities and critical operations. This is a designated essential position, requiring availability during normal business hours and emergencies. This position is located in the South Campus.

Once you join us you won't want to leave. It’s because we reward our team for the excellent service they provide. Our total rewards package includes the benefits you’d expect from a top healthcare organization (benefits, insurance, etc.), plus:

• 100% paid medical premiums for our full-time employees
• Generous time off (holidays, preventative leave day, both vacation and sick time – all of which equates to around 37-38 days per year)
• The longer you stay, the more vacation you’ll accrue!
• Longevity Pay (Monthly payments after two years of service)
• Build your future with our awesome retirement/pension plan!

We take care of our employees! As a world-renowned institution, our employees’ wellbeing is important to us. We offer work/life services such as...

• Free financial and legal counseling
• Free mental health counseling services
• Gym membership discounts and access to wellness programs
• Other employee discounts including entertainment, car rentals, cell phones, etc.
• Resources for child and elder care
• Plus many more!

Position Summary

Performs skilled, master-level, supervisory and hands-on maintenance, service, troubleshooting/assessment, and repairs to chilled water, heating water, compressed air, vacuum, and steam systems. The repairs may include, but are not limited to, pumps, fans, air handling units, motors, VFDs, air driers, compressors, valves, traps, piping, and other related mechanical and electrical components.

Position Key Accountabilities

• Performs hands-on and supervisory shop work and/or on-site preventative (scheduled) maintenance, unscheduled maintenance, testing (pre/post), troubleshooting/assessment, disassembly, inspection, service, repair, reporting, cleaning, and reassembly of pumps, steam traps and PRVs, fans, motors, VFDs, air compressors, vacuum systems, and other mechanical equipment and associated electrical systems, piping, and components while following UTHealth Facilities standard safety procedures, codes, and best practices, as required.
• Develops project scope, determines proper tools, and estimates cost of materials, repairs, alterations, and installation of equipment and associated components, as required.
• Reviews plans, schematics, specifications, and other related documentation.
• Receives, generates, and completes work orders, as assigned, for scheduled and unscheduled work; and, prepares and submits reports, as required.
• Responds to critical situations, including emergency situations such as power outages, flooding, leaks, failures to mission critical equipment, and other situations presenting a danger to facilities and occupants, with or without a work order.
• This job classification is designated as essential at the UT Health Science Center at Houston (UTHealth). In case of an emergency, essential positions are those required to sustain clinical services and/or are responsible for the protection of university assets. Personnel in designated essential positions are expected to report to their designated work site during their appointed work schedules, even when the institution has been officially declared to be on restricted access or closed due to adverse conditions.
• Performs other duties as assigned.

Certification/Skills

• Work independently and with others performing basic service/maintenance activities with the ability to accurately take measurements, complete documentation, and reference proper standards and documentation to ensure quality craftsmanship.
• Good interpersonal skills for daily interaction with co-workers and customers.
• Understanding of pressure, temperature, and other operating conditions and the ability to service equipment in an academic and research environment
• Knowledge and understanding of VFDs and motor control centers.
• Basic PC skills.

Minimum Education

High School Diploma or equivalent and equivalent years of experience in related field required

Associate's Degree or trade school diploma (4 or 5 year program) in related field required

Minimum Experience

7 years of mechanical service or related experience required

Extensive experience servicing a broad range of mechanical systems, including but not limited to, steam, chilled water, compressed air, air drier, vacuum, and pumping systems required

Experience repairing the following pump types: centrifugal, booster, circulating, horizontal split case, submersible, vane, and vertical sump required

Experience repairing the following fan types: axial flow, propeller, and centrifugal (straight, forward inclined, and backward inclined) required

May substitute required experience with equivalent years of education beyond the minimum education requirement.

Physical Requirements

Exerts up to 100 pounds of force occasionally and/or up to 50 pounds frequently and/or up to 20 pounds constantly to move objects.

Security Sensitive

This position is a security-sensitive position pursuant to Texas Education Code §51.215 and Texas Government Code §411.094. To the extent that a position requires the holder to research, work on, or have access to critical infrastructure as defined in Texas Business and Commerce Code §117.001(2), the ability to maintain the security or integrity of the infrastructure is a minimum qualification to be hired for and to continue to be employed in that position.

Personnel in such positions, and similarly situated state contractors, will be routinely reviewed to determine whether things such as criminal history or continuous connections to the government or political apparatus of a foreign adversary might prevent the applicant, employee, or contractor from being able to maintain the security or integrity of the infrastructure.

A foreign adversary is a nation listed in 15 C.F.R. §791.4.

Residency Requirement

Employees must permanently reside and work in the State of Texas.