Central Utility Plant Lead

JLL•Round Rock, TX

11h•Onsite

About The Position

JLL empowers you to shape a brighter way . Our people at JLL and JLL Technologies are shaping the future of real estate for a better world by combining world class services, advisory and technology for our clients. We are committed to hiring the best, most talented people and empowering them to thrive, grow meaningful careers and to find a place where they belong. Whether you’ve got deep experience in commercial real estate, skilled trades or technology, or you’re looking to apply your relevant experience to a new industry, join our team as we help shape a brighter way forward. The Central Plant Lead serves as the technical and operational authority for the Central Utility Plant (CUP), providing hands-on leadership, oversight, and accountability for the safe, reliable, and efficient operation of all plant systems. This role bridges plant operations, engineering execution, safety compliance, and client service delivery, while acting as the primary escalation point for plant-related risks, failures, and optimization opportunities. This role is critical to maintaining business continuity, reducing unplanned downtime, and ensuring Central Plant performance aligns with JLL engineering standards, client service level agreements, and all applicable regulatory requirements. Responsibilities The Central Plant Lead is accountable for systems that may include, but are not limited to: Chilled water plants (centrifugal, screw, magnetic bearing chillers) Boilers, heat exchangers, and hydronic systems Cooling towers and condenser water systems Primary/secondary pumping systems and VFDs Building Automation Systems (BAS) and plant controls Electrical interfaces supporting plant operations Chemical treatment programs Make-up water, blowdown, and water quality systems Emergency response coordination for plant failures

Requirements

7-10 years’ experience with various plant equipment infrastructure and building automation systems including programming knowledge, operation, and troubleshooting.
Must have strong background and knowledge in building mechanical, HVAC, and electrical systems.
State licenses are required by local region for HVAC, Universal Technician, or certified boiler operator license preferred.
Knowledge and thorough understanding of all applicable OSHA governed safety requirements.
Must have basic computer skills including all Microsoft applications.
Must be self-motivated and capable of working independently or as a team.
Will be required to lift 50 lbs., climb ladders/scaffolding, bend/twist body, and stand for long periods of time.
This position does not provide visa sponsorship. Candidates must be authorized to work in the United States without employer sponsorship.

Nice To Haves

5-10 years of Chiller and chiller plant experience is preferred.

Responsibilities

Central Plant Operations & Reliability Lead day-to-day operation of the Central Plant, ensuring systems are operated within design intent, manufacturer recommendations, and JLL engineering standards . Direct plant startup, shutdown, load transfers, seasonal changeovers, and abnormal operating conditions. Maintain continuous situational awareness of plant performance, redundancy status, and system constraints. Serve as the technical authority on shift for operational decision-making impacting plant reliability and downstream building loads. Identify early indicators of equipment degradation through trending, alarms, vibration, temperature differentials, and BAS analytics.
Preventive, Predictive & Corrective Maintenance Own execution quality for preventive and predictive maintenance (PM/PdM) on all plant equipment. Validate PM procedures, frequencies, and task content for effectiveness and compliance. Troubleshoot complex mechanical, electrical, and controls issues; determine root cause and corrective actions. Ensure all maintenance activities are properly planned, risk-assessed, and executed to avoid service disruption. Verify post-maintenance testing, return-to-service protocols, and system normalization.
Leadership & Workforce Direction Provide daily leadership to Central Plant Operators and Engineers, including work assignment, prioritization, and technical coaching. Serve as the subject-matter expert (SME) for Central Plant operations, providing technical guidance and escalation support to JLL staff, client stakeholders, and vendors to ensure consistent and compliant plant operations. Set clear expectations around professionalism, documentation, safety, and operational discipline. Participate in performance feedback, training plans, and succession development for plant personnel.
Safety, Compliance & Risk Management Champion a zero-incident safety culture within the Central Plant. Enforce compliance with OSHA, NFPA, EPA, ASHRAE, and local AHJ requirements. Ensure proper execution of: Lockout/Tagout (LOTO) Confined Space Entry Hot Work Chemical handling and storage Lead or support incident investigations, near-miss reporting, and corrective action tracking. Maintain inspection readiness for regulatory and client audits.
CMMS, Documentation & Reporting Ensure accurate, timely, and high-quality documentation within the CMMS (Corrigo). Validate work order closure quality, labor reporting, failure codes, and asset history accuracy. Maintain plant logs, operating procedures, SOPs, MOPs, and EOPs. Support reporting on KPIs such as uptime, PM compliance, backlog, energy use, and incident trends.
Client & Stakeholder Engagement Serve as a trusted technical representative to the client for central plant operations. Communicate plant status, risks, and planned activities clearly and professionally to Facilities Operations Leaders, and client stakeholders. Support client meetings, audits, and reviews related to plant performance and risk posture. Coordinate with internal JLL teams (FM, Projects, EHS, Sustainability) to ensure integrated service delivery.
Energy, Optimization & Continuous Improvement Identify opportunities to improve plant efficiency, reliability, and lifecycle cost performance. Support energy management initiatives, including: Load optimization Sequencing improvements Seasonal tuning Water conservation strategies Contribute to lessons learned, standardization efforts, and best-practice sharing across the account or region.
Capital Planning & Project Support Provide technical input into capital planning, lifecycle replacements, and plant upgrades. Support scope development, constructability reviews, and commissioning activities. Participate in vendor selection, work execution oversight, and post-project validation. Ensure plant modifications maintain redundancy, resilience, and maintainability.