Senior HVAC Maintenance Technician

AstraZeneca•Santa Monica, CA

1d•Onsite

About The Position

The Senior HVAC Maintenance Technician will lead preventive, predictive, and corrective maintenance across various HVAC systems including AHUs, chillers, boilers, heat exchangers, VAVs, exhaust, dehumidifiers, and split systems. This role is crucial for maintaining temperature, humidity, airflow, and pressurization in GMP spaces, ensuring compliance with cleanroom standards like ISO 14644. The technician will also optimize and troubleshoot Building Management Systems (BMS)/Energy Management Systems (EMS)/SCADA systems (Siemens, Allen-Bradley, Johnson Controls), coordinate calibration, and support validation processes. A key aspect of this role involves driving investigations and CAPA using Root Cause Analysis (RCA) methods, maintaining cGMP/GDP records, and championing audit readiness. The position also focuses on improving energy efficiency, planning and executing outages, leading safety culture, mentoring junior technicians, managing spares, and collaborating with various departments like Quality, Manufacturing, Engineering, Validation, and Operations.

Requirements

Technical diploma/apprenticeship in HVAC/Mechanical/Building Services.
6–10+ years in HVAC maintenance.
3–5 years in pharma/biotech or regulated GMP environments.
Cleanroom HVAC experience is essential.
Strong controls/BMS proficiency (PID, trends, data integrity).
Knowledge of ISO cleanroom classifications, airflow visualization/smoke studies, pressurization cascades, aseptic requirements.
Experience with sensor calibration, IQ/OQ/PQ, GDP, CAPA, Change Control.
Advanced troubleshooting skills.
Basics of vibration analysis and thermography.
Proficiency with instrumentation (anemometers, micromanometers, particle counters, data loggers).
Clear communication, teamwork, stakeholder management, decisive under time pressure, meticulous documentation.
Ability to lift 50 lbs, work with ladders/heights/in mechanical spaces, and wear PPE for labs/cleanrooms.
Willingness to participate in after-hours/on-call rotation.

Nice To Haves

Bachelor's in Mechanical/Building is a plus.
Safety training preferred.
Manufacturer training on chillers/controls are a plus.
GxP/cleanroom courses are a plus.

Responsibilities

Lead preventive/predictive/corrective maintenance across AHUs, chillers, boilers, heat exchangers, VAVs, exhaust, dehumidifiers, and split systems, owning temperature, humidity, airflow, and pressurization in GMP spaces.
Ensure cleanroom compliance with ISO 14644: HEPA integrity, airflow patterns, recovery times, and differential pressures; support aseptic areas and gowning zones.
Optimize and troubleshoot BMS/EMS/SCADA (Siemens, Allen-Bradley, Johnson Controls): tune PID loops, rationalize alarms, adjust sequences of operation, and document via change control.
Coordinate calibration (temperature, RH, pressure, flow) and support IQ/OQ/PQ with solid validation documentation.
Drive investigations and CAPA using RCA methods (5-Why, Fishbone) and maintain impeccable cGMP/GDP records and SOPs.
Champion audit readiness (FDA/EU GMP) and keep systems in a validated state.
Improve energy and performance: VFDs, heat recovery, demand-based ventilation, and smart control strategies.
Plan and execute outages/turnarounds/capital projects with contractors, materials, and risk assessments.
Lead safety culture (LOTO, confined space, hot work, arc-flash; EPA 608 refrigerants) and mentor junior techs.
Manage spares and CMMS workflows; partner closely with Quality, Manufacturing, Engineering, Validation, and Operations.