Manager of Mechanical Maintenance

University of Texas at Austin • Austin, TX

5d • Onsite

About The Position

Under the supervision of the Associate Director of Plant Maintenance, the Manager of Mechanical Maintenance provides leadership, guidance, and development for maintenance personnel and programs serving the Power Plant and Chilling Stations. The role focuses on preserving district energy assets, improving equipment reliability, reducing downtime, and supporting reliable operations across power generation, chilling, and distribution systems.

The manager oversees condition-based, predictive, and preventive maintenance programs; develops maintenance standards and long-range plans; reports on program effectiveness; and serves as a technical resource and mentor. The position also supports safety, quality, environmental compliance, strategic planning, and capital construction projects, including review of drawings and specifications for alignment with UEM standards.

The role requires driving University vehicles, carrying a University cell phone during work and on-call hours, and responding to plant needs outside scheduled hours, including weekends and holidays. Work may involve varied weather and temperature conditions, electrical and mechanical hazards, confined or elevated spaces, noise, dust, extended shifts, and operation of job-related equipment. The position is scheduled for 40 hours per week, Monday through Friday, 6:30 a.m. to 3:00 p.m., with participation in an on-call program and the possibility of extended shifts.

The position is based in Austin, Texas, and is expected to continue. The stated salary is $120,000. UT Austin offers benefits including health coverage, voluntary insurance options, paid vacation, sick time and holidays, retirement programs, flexible spending accounts, training and conference opportunities, tuition assistance, employee discounts, and access to university libraries, museums, and transit.

Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree in Engineering or a similar discipline and four years of experience in equipment reliability; alternatively, four additional years of experience in electricity, steam, chilled-water generation, and distribution systems may be credited in lieu of an engineering degree.
• At least four years of experience in a supervisory or leadership capacity.
• Ability to communicate principles of condition-based maintenance in vibration and oil analysis.
• Ability to foster a safe and cooperative work environment.
• Experience in decision-making, budget management, and environmental stewardship.
• Proven leadership record and ability to create an environment of employee involvement and continuous improvement.
• Class C operator’s driver’s license; selected applicant must provide a current three-year driving record from their state of residence. A non-Texas resident must obtain a Texas driver’s license within 30 days of becoming a Texas resident.
• Maintain an acceptable driving record as required by UT System Policy UTS157.
• Must be authorized to work in the United States on a full-time basis without sponsorship.
• Finalist is subject to criminal-history and three-year driving-record background checks.
• Ability to meet the stated physical and work-environment demands, which may include lifting up to 50 pounds, elevated or confined-space work, and occasional ladder or scaffold work.

Nice To Haves

• Advanced degree in Engineering.
• Five years of experience in energy management, engineering, power plant or similar operations administration, supervision, and operations.
• Experience using multiple condition-based maintenance programs and methods.
• Communication skills to motivate and influence others and work effectively with varied groups and cultures.
• Experience with environmental compliance programs.
• Experience operating and maintaining a combustion-turbine-based power plant and managing a District Energy System.

Responsibilities

• Oversee and guide maintenance actions at the power plant and chilling stations to reduce equipment downtime and apply maintenance strategies based on asset criticality.
• Review and support users of maintenance programs and develop new programs as needed.
• Administer and develop a comprehensive condition-based maintenance program for power plant and chilling station assets.
• Train employees to gather information on vibration, oil analysis, vessel integrity, and other relevant condition-monitoring areas.
• Lead predictive and preventive maintenance programs in cooperation with department supervisors; report program metrics and recommend improvements.
• Provide input to safety and quality programs and assist with other plant programs as assigned.
• Provide direct support to maintenance departments in the power plant, chilling stations, and distribution systems.
• Guide departments in developing goals and long-range plans for reliable operations; communicate with varied groups and serve as a technical resource and mentor.
• Support UEM and University core values, mission, policies, and procedures.
• Provide construction-management oversight as needed for large capital projects and serve as a UEM subject-matter expert for campus and department infrastructure and building-system projects.
• Review drawings and specifications for major construction projects to ensure adherence to UEM standards, and provide input to specifications to improve reliability and maintenance.
• Support strategic planning, preventive-maintenance development, and internal documentation practices for the power plant and chilling stations.
• Develop and maintain utility preventive-maintenance standards and coordinate major asset maintenance scheduling and execution with departmental and campus stakeholders.
• Recommend and investigate training programs, assess personnel skills, and interview applicants and make hiring recommendations in cooperation with maintenance supervisors.
• Handle confidential and sensitive information; drive University vehicles and maintain an acceptable driving record.
• Carry a University cell phone during work and on-call hours, participate in the on-call program, and respond to events outside scheduled hours, including weekends and holidays.
• Attend staff meetings, safety training or meetings, and plant operations and maintenance training courses.
• Perform other related functions as assigned.

Benefits

• Competitive health benefits, with employee premiums covered at 100% and family premiums at 50%.
• Voluntary vision, dental, life, and disability insurance options.
• Paid vacation, sick time, and holidays.
• Teachers Retirement System of Texas defined-benefit retirement plan with employer matching funds.
• Additional voluntary retirement programs: Tax Sheltered Annuity 403(b) and Deferred Compensation 457(b).
• Flexible spending account options for medical and childcare expenses.
• Free LinkedIn Learning training access and professional conference opportunities.
• Tuition assistance.
• Employee discount program, including athletic tickets.
• Free access to UT Austin libraries and museums with staff ID.
• Free rides on UT shuttle and Austin CapMetro buses with staff ID.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Manager