Mechanical Superintendent – Cooling Tower Rehabilitation

Kaiva Services•Bluffdale, UT

13d•Onsite

About The Position

The Mechanical Superintendent oversees field construction for cooling tower rehabilitation projects, delivering safe, high-quality repairs and upgrades to towers serving live, mission-critical facilities. The work spans structural, mechanical and water-distribution scopes, including tower framing and casing, fill and drift eliminators, hot-water distribution, fans and drive trains, basins, and condenser water piping. The Superintendent leads trade coordination, plans work around owner outage windows, and supports startup, testing and turnover so towers return to service on schedule and at design thermal performance. The position may be based in Salt Lake City, Utah, Reno, Nevada, or in a traveling role supporting project sites across the region. Work takes place outdoors on active industrial and data center sites, including in tower cells and basins, and may involve challenging weather and extended stays away from home. Night, weekend and extended shifts may be required to meet outage windows. A background check and drug screening are required.

Requirements

Bachelor's degree or at least 7 years of related experience in industrial, mission-critical or heavy commercial mechanical construction, or an equivalent combination of education and experience.
OSHA 30-Hour Construction certification is required.
Training or demonstrated competency in confined space entry, fall protection, lockout/tagout and rigging or lift planning.
Extensive experience managing cooling tower and condenser water systems, including tower structures, fill and drift eliminators, distribution systems, mechanical drive equipment and related piping.
Ability to assess existing conditions in deteriorated towers, including wood rot, corrosion, concrete spalling and FRP damage, and adjust scope and sequencing accordingly.
Strong understanding of mechanical and structural coordination, rigging and crane operations, and complex trade sequencing on occupied, operating sites.
Proven ability to lead mechanical subcontractors and self-perform crews, drive schedule performance and maintain budget objectives.
Experience supporting startup, testing and turnover of critical mechanical equipment, including fan and gearbox alignment and vibration verification.
In-depth knowledge of construction safety practices, especially confined space, lockout/tagout, fall protection and over-water work; quality control procedures; and industry standards, including CTI.
Extensive knowledge of established construction practices, procedures and techniques, and applicable local, state and federal building and mechanical codes.
Familiarity with a wide range of equipment and tools and proficiency in skilled construction and repair tasks.
Strong computer skills and proficiency in MS Excel, MS Word and MS Outlook.
Advanced understanding of construction scheduling, sequencing and cost control.
Knowledge of general survey and layout practices.
Ability to communicate effectively with project teams, customers, plant operators, subcontractors, vendors, inspectors and employees at all levels, individually and in small groups.
Ability to effectively lead and manage teams.
Thorough, detail-oriented and organized, with the ability to prioritize and multitask.
Ability to proactively plan and identify risks to meet or exceed deadlines while meeting safety, productivity, sustainability and quality goals.
Ability to solve practical problems and handle varied situations where only limited standardization exists.
Ability to maintain confidentiality and professionalism in the workplace.
Ability to read, understand and red-line work orders, budgets, change orders, safety standards, plans, specifications, shop drawings, submittals and manufacturer's literature.
Ability to read and comprehend complex instructions, correspondence, memos, blueprints, contract documents, specifications and CPM schedules.
Strong customer service skills.
Ability to travel to project sites as required.
Ability to wear required PPE, including a respirator when needed, and enter confined spaces.
Ability to lift up to 50 pounds and stand, walk, bend and kneel for extended periods.

Nice To Haves

At least 3 years supervising cooling tower construction, repair or rehabilitation, including field-erected or factory-assembled towers, is strongly preferred.
Current First Aid/CPR certification is preferred.
Familiarity with Cooling Technology Institute (CTI) standards and thermal performance testing is a plus.

Responsibilities

Provide direction and leadership on all mechanical and structural scopes of cooling tower rehabilitation projects.
Manage safety, quality, schedule, production, logistics and coordination from mobilization through turnover.
Plan and sequence work around owner outage windows, cell-by-cell shutdowns and live plant operations to keep cooling capacity available.
Coordinate demolition and replacement of tower components, including structural framing, casing, fill, drift eliminators, louvers, distribution decks, nozzles and stairs or ladders.
Oversee removal and installation of fans, gearboxes, motors, drive shafts and couplings, including alignment, vibration checks and VFD tie-ins with electrical trades.
Direct basin repairs, coatings, and condenser water piping, valve and header replacements.
Develop and enforce critical lift plans, confined space permits, lockout/tagout procedures and fall protection plans for work at height and over water.
Coordinate with the owner's water treatment and operations staff on draining, cleaning, disinfection and Legionella controls before and after work.
Represent the company in meetings and interface with owners, engineers, inspectors and other project stakeholders.
Coordinate and direct subcontractors, vendors and self-performed crafts.
Work with the project team to establish goals and develop accountability.
Manage craft productivity, efficient use of materials and equipment, and contractual performance of the project.
Verify that subcontractors complete assigned scopes of work to specification.
Support startup, functional testing, thermal performance testing and turnover documentation.
Document existing conditions, hidden damage and changed conditions promptly to support change orders.
Stay informed about industry changes, materials such as FRP structures and new fill media, and best practices.
Ensure installations meet quality, manufacturer and mechanical code standards.
Maintain regular, timely and predictable attendance.