Senior HVAC Technician

Job Description

Keep Champlain College's campus comfortable, safe, and running smoothly! We're seeking an experienced HVAC Technician to join our Physical Plant team in Burlington, Vermont. In this hands-on role, you'll install, inspect, maintain, and repair the heating, ventilation, and air conditioning systems that serve our residence halls, academic buildings, and administrative spaces.

Reporting to the Assistant Director of Facilities, and working in coordination with the Physical Plant Director, you'll work with minimal supervision and take real ownership of campus-wide HVAC systems. You'll draw on your trade expertise and familiarity with automated direct digital control (DDC) systems to diagnose problems, test equipment, and keep systems operating efficiently through Vermont's demanding seasons.

The ideal candidate is a skilled, self-directed tradesperson who takes pride in quality work, communicates well with colleagues and campus community members, and is comfortable shifting between planned maintenance and urgent repairs. You may also have the opportunity to guide a helper assigned to assist with your work.

Key Responsibilities

HVAC Installation, Repair & Maintenance

• Install, inspect, operate, and repair heating, ventilation, and cooling equipment and machinery across campus
• Lubricate and service compressors, motors, and other moving parts to keep equipment in good working order
• Locate and repair leaks, then retest systems to confirm proper operation

System Testing & Performance

• Test the efficiency of systems using calibration and testing instruments, and make adjustments as needed
• Test large systems before placing them in operation, running them for several hours and adjusting thermostats and valves to ensure proper control
• Inspect and operate units to confirm all are functioning properly

Controls & Technical Expertise

• Interpret DDC programming in conjunction with installed equipment
• Use hand tools, power tools, and testing equipment safely and effectively

Team Support

• Provide guidance to a helper when one is assigned to assist with your work
• Perform other related duties as assigned

Requirements

• High school diploma or equivalent; trade or vocational school graduation
• 10+ years of related HVAC experience
• Completion of an approved apprenticeship or equivalent on-the-job training
• Appropriate licenses, certifications, or advanced training for the HVAC trade
• Familiarity with automated DDC systems
• Clean driver's license (subject to a Motor Vehicle Record check)
• Ability to work with minimal supervision and manage your own priorities
• Depth perception, field of vision, and color vision sufficient for fitting and installing parts

Working Arrangements

• Full-time, on-campus position based at our main campus in Burlington, Vermont
• Hours: 8am - 4pm; overtime may be required (if critical work is underway)
• Medium physical work: regularly lift, carry, push, or pull tools, equipment, and materials
• Frequently climb, balance, stoop, kneel, and crouch to reach pipes, wiring, and equipment
• Work is primarily indoors, with exposure to noise, vibration from operating machinery, and wet and cold conditions
• Exposure to extreme weather in both summer and the winter seasons

Compensation & Benefits

• Hourly Wage: $34.00 - $38.00 per hour
• Comprehensive Benefits Package:
  • Health Coverage: Medical, dental, and vision insurance with HSA and FSA options
  • Paid Time Off: 16 holidays, 4 weeks of vacation, 2 weeks sick time and 2 days of personal leave
  • Retirement: 403(b) plan with 3% employer matching contribution
  • Education: Tuition benefits for employees and family members
  • Wellness: Gym discount and Wellness programs with up to $300 annual incentives
  • Welfare: Short-term and long-term disability coverage, plus life insurance
  • Other Perks: Employee Assistance Program (EAP) with counseling services, access to employee discounts and local/national benefit programs

Application Instructions:

To apply, please follow the link below and submit the following application materials:

• Resume/CV
• Cover Letter addressing the desired qualifications and how your experiences contribute to the academic excellence and inclusive community at Champlain College.

The College seeks candidates who can enhance its mission through their work, life experiences, service, teaching, or research. Please include specific examples of how you would contribute to these efforts in your Cover Letter.

To streamline our hiring process and ensure fairness for all candidates, we manage all recruitment communications through our online application system. Please do not call regarding your application status. We'll reach out directly if we'd like to schedule an interview.

The successful completion of a criminal background check is required as a condition of employment.

Champlain College does not discriminate on the basis of race, creed, color, national origin, place of birth, ancestry, religion, age, sexual orientation, sex, gender identity, veteran or military service status, HIV -positive status, qualified disability, or on the basis of any other status protected by law, and does not discriminate in the administration of its education and admission policies, scholarship and loan programs, employment practices or co-curricular and other College-administered programs. Champlain College will make reasonable accommodations for otherwise qualified students, applicants for admission or employment, or employees.

Champlain College is committed to fostering an inclusive and welcoming community. We believe that bringing together individuals with different backgrounds, perspectives, and experiences enriches education and strengthens our community. At Champlain, all members are valued as individuals and respected for their unique contributions.

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About Us

Founded in 1878, Champlain College is a small, private, not-for-profit college in Burlington, Vermont overlooking Lake Champlain and the Adirondack mountains. Its career-driven approach to higher education prepares students for professional life from their very first semester. For the fifth year in a row, Champlain was named a "Most Innovative School" in the North by U.S. News & World Report's "America's Best Colleges" 2020 regional rankings and ranked #9 on The Princeton Review's "2025 Top Schools for Game Design."