Instrumentation & Controls Technician

UVA Health•Charlottesville, VA

4d•$58,240 - $62,400•Onsite

About The Position

The Instrumentation & Controls Technician is a multidisciplinary technical professional responsible for installing, configuring, maintaining, diagnosing, repairing, and optimizing building automation systems (BAS). The role combines HVAC systems, direct digital controls (DDC), BAS software, network communications, and systematic troubleshooting. The technician works independently and as part of a team using Johnson Controls Metasys, Automated Logic WebCTRL, and related platforms to support safe, reliable, energy-efficient, and compliant building operations. The Service Team in Facilities Management’s Building Automation Services department provides 24/7 support for HVAC control system failures, BAS network faults, and alarms across research, healthcare, academic, and other mission-critical facilities. The technician services systems controlling temperature, humidity, and pressure in areas such as operating rooms, pharmacies, vivariums, and research laboratories, as well as monitoring systems for medical-grade freezers and cold rooms. Work includes routine service requests, preventive maintenance, emergency response, specialized testing, commissioning support, and annual BSL-3 facility recertification activities. Technicians work throughout the University’s healthcare, research, and academic facilities, including mechanical rooms, rooftops, confined spaces, operating rooms, pharmacies, vivariums, and biosafety-designated laboratories. Clinical and research work requires compliance with site-specific safety, infection-control, and operational protocols, including protective attire where required. Participation in an on-call rotation is part of the role.

Requirements

High school diploma or GED equivalent.
At least two years of progressive, hands-on field experience in BAS service, DDC controls, or HVAC controls in a commercial or institutional environment.
Valid Virginia driver’s license, or ability to obtain one within 30 days of employment.
Ability to work in high-energy and high-risk environments, including mechanical rooms, rooftops, and confined spaces.
Ability to comply with site-specific safety, infection-control, and operational protocols in clinical and research settings, including wearing designated protective attire where required.
Ability to participate in an on-call rotation.

Nice To Haves

Associate of Applied Science degree in Building Automation, HVAC/R Technology, Electronics Technology, or a closely related technical field.
Working knowledge of HVAC systems, including air handling units, variable air volume, chilled water, and heating systems.
Ability to read sequences of operation, control drawings, wiring diagrams, and mechanical drawings.
Demonstrated proficiency with Johnson Controls Metasys and/or Automated Logic WebCTRL, including controller configuration, graphics development, and alarm management.
Experience servicing BAS infrastructure in a university, research laboratory, healthcare, or other complex institutional environment.
Working knowledge of BACnet/IP and BACnet MS/TP network configuration, troubleshooting, and integration.
Experience with CMMS work order management and service documentation systems, such as AiM, IBM Maximo, SAP Plant Maintenance, Fiix, or UpKeep.
Recognized controls-industry certification, such as ISA CCST, Johnson Controls Metasys Certification, Automated Logic WebCTRL Certification, Smart Buildings Academy Building Automation Certification, or a journeyman-level HVAC or electrical license.

Responsibilities

Troubleshoot, diagnose, and repair BAS and DDC systems, including supervisory devices, communications networks, field controllers, controller inputs and outputs, relays, sensors, actuators, and other field control devices.
Service building automation controls supporting air handling units, variable air volume systems, fan coil units, chilled water, hot water and steam distribution, variable frequency drives, and related equipment.
Interpret and apply sequences of operation to verify system operation and control performance.
Provide 24/7 response to BAS service requests, system failures, communications faults, and alarms affecting HVAC systems and mission-critical building operations.
Restore BAS functionality during equipment failures, building-wide outages, supervisory controller failures, and network communication disruptions.
Troubleshoot and service monitoring systems for research laboratories, pharmacies, and medical-grade storage equipment, including ultra-low-temperature freezers, refrigerators, cold rooms, and incubators.
Coordinate emergency response with the System Control Center and communicate findings, corrective actions, and system status to affected stakeholders.
Use BAS platforms to monitor performance, manage alarms, analyze trend data, configure setpoints, and modify control logic.
Create and maintain graphical displays, and upload or download application programs and device configurations.
Install, configure, and calibrate DDC controllers, sensors, and actuators in accordance with design specifications and sequences of operation.
Configure, troubleshoot, and maintain BAS communications networks using BACnet MS/TP, BACnet/IP, Modbus, and LON protocols.
Commission, replace, restore, and reconfigure supervisory devices and field controllers, including hardware addressing, software instance numbers, and IP configuration.
Diagnose BAS communications issues, distinguish BAS faults from enterprise IT infrastructure issues, and coordinate resolution with University IT teams and the System Control Center.
Support commissioning, recommissioning, and operational turnover of BAS-controlled HVAC systems for construction, renovation, and infrastructure projects.
Work with commissioning agents to conduct functional performance testing, verify system operation, and implement required modifications.
Support annual BSL-3 facility recertification through BAS functional verification, HVAC control-system testing, and safe-mode testing.
Communicate professionally with building occupants, research staff, Facilities Management personnel, contractors, and University leadership; consult supervisors and subject matter experts on complex or unfamiliar systems.
Participate in an on-call rotation and perform other duties as assigned to support continuous service for mission-critical and emergency situations.
Locate and interpret as-built drawings, control schematics, riser diagrams, network architecture diagrams, point lists, and sequences of operation.
Document service findings, corrective actions, and calibration records in the University’s Computerized Maintenance Management System (CMMS).