Mission Critical HVAC / Mechanical Services Technician

Company Overview

Upchurch is a rapidly growing, full-service building engineering company providing mechanical, plumbing, HVAC, and electrical services across the southeastern United States. Founded in 1970 and headquartered in Horn Lake, MS, Upchurch has grown through both organic expansion and strategic acquisitions, establishing a strong reputation for quality, reliability, and service excellence. We offer end-to-end solutions—from design and installation to ongoing maintenance and emergency support—helping clients maximize building performance, energy efficiency, and equipment lifespan.

Position Summary

The Mission Critical HVAC / Mechanical Services Technician is responsible for maintaining, troubleshooting, and servicing mechanical and HVAC systems that directly support data center uptime and reliability. Unlike traditional comfort-cooling roles, this position operates in high-availability environments where procedural compliance, redundancy awareness, and precision execution are mandatory.

Technicians perform scheduled preventive maintenance (PM), corrective maintenance (CM), and emergency response activities on mission-critical cooling based on SLAs of 2-8 hours and mechanical systems while adhering to strict Method of Procedure (MOP), safety, and change-management standards.

Key Responsibilities

• Perform preventive and corrective maintenance on data center mechanical systems, including but not limited to:

• CRAH / CRAC units

• Chilled water systems

• Pumps, valves, strainers, and heat exchangers

• Cooling towers, adiabatic systems, and fluid loops

• DX, split, and supplemental cooling systems

• Execute work through our field management system using approved MOPs, SOPs, and change-management processes.

• Maintain system redundancy and awareness of upstream/downstream impacts.

• Respond to alarms, degraded performance, and emergency service calls per SLA.

• Document all work, readings, inspections, and system conditions accurately.

• Follow strict safety protocols (LOTO, PPE, site rules, confined space, etc.).

• Participate in on-call rotations and scheduled maintenance windows.

• Complete required overall company and data center specific training via Upchurch University LMS DC|MC program.

Level Differentiation & Expectations

Level I – Foundational Mission Critical Technician

Primary Focus: Execution, safety, learning

• Performs PM and basic CM tasks under supervision.

• Supports inspections, filter changes, belt replacements, lubrication, and visual checks.

• Learns data center environments, redundancy concepts, and uptime risk.

• Accurately records readings and follows procedures step-by-step.

• Escalates abnormal conditions promptly.

• Developing familiarity with:

• CRAH/CRAC fundamentals

• Chilled water basics

• Data center etiquette and live-site work

Typical Experience

• 0–2 years HVAC/mechanical experience

• Entry into data center or critical environments

Level II – Intermediate Mission Critical Technician

Primary Focus: Independent execution, troubleshooting

• Independently performs PM and CM on assigned systems.

• Troubleshoots alarms, performance degradation, and control issues.

• Executes approved MOPs with limited oversight.

• Coordinates with controls, electrical, and operations teams.

• Identifies early failure indicators and recommends corrective actions.

• Begins system-level ownership of specific assets (e.g. CRAH, pumps).

• Supports outage planning and maintenance window execution.

Typical Experience

• 2–5 years HVAC/mechanical experience

• Prior data center, industrial, or critical facility exposure preferred

Level III – Senior / Lead Mission Critical Technician

Primary Focus: System ownership, leadership, reliability

• Serves as technical authority for assigned mechanical systems.

• Leads execution of complex MOPs, outages, and recovery procedures.

• Performs advanced diagnostics and root-cause analysis.

• Reviews and improves SOPs, PM scopes, and maintenance strategies.

• Mentors Level I and II technicians.

• Interfaces directly with client operations and service management.

• Supports condition-based and predictive maintenance programs.

• Identifies risk, reliability gaps, and lifecycle improvement opportunities.

Typical Experience

• 5+ years HVAC/mechanical experience

• Strong mission-critical or data center background

Qualifications

• High school diploma or equivalent; technical/vocational training preferred

• EPA Section 608 Certification (Universal or applicable type)

• Ability to read:

  • P&IDs

  • Mechanical schedules

  • OEM documentation

  • MOPs and SOPs

• Valid driver’s license

• Ability to work in live critical environments

Preferred / Differentiators

• CRAH / CRAC experience

• Chilled water plant exposure

• BAS/BMS familiarity

• OEM certifications

• OSHA 10 / 30

• Experience in data centers, hospitals, or industrial facilities

Physical & Work Environment

• Lift up to 50 lbs

• Work in raised-floor environments, rooftops, and equipment rooms

• Exposure to noise, airflow, and operational equipment

• Ability to work nights, weekends, and on-call rotations

Career Progression

Upchurch intentionally designed this role as a progressive technician pathway, supported by:

• Upchurch University mission-critical curriculum

• OEM training and certification

• Defined advancement from Level I → II → III

• Expansion into:

  • Lead Technician

  • SME (Cooling, Pumps, Liquid Cooling)

  • Service Manager

  • Integrated Systems Operations roles

Benefits:

• Competitive salary based on experience.

• Health, dental, and vision insurance.

• Paid time off and holiday pay.

• Opportunities for professional development and certification assistance.

Equal Employment Opportunity:

Upchurch Companies provides equal employment opportunities to all employees and applicants. We prohibit discrimination and harassment of any type based on race, color, religion, age, sex, national origin, disability status, genetics, protected veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, or any other characteristic protected by federal, state, or local laws.