Utility Plant Lead

Position: Central Utility Plant Lead
This job is with JLL, an inclusive employer and a member of my Gwork – the largest global platform for the LGBTQ+ business community. Please do not contact the recruiter directly.

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Central Plant Lead - JLL
What this job involves:
Step into a senior leadership role as Central Plant Lead where you'll serve as the primary technical authority for our Central Utility Plant operations. This position combines hands-on operational leadership with strategic oversight of mission-critical building systems that support business continuity. You'll bridge plant operations, engineering execution, and maintenance strategy while acting as the primary escalation point for plant-related issues and performance optimization.

This role offers the opportunity to lead a technical team, drive reliability improvements, and contribute to JLL's engineering excellence standards in a dynamic, high-impact environment.
What your day-to-day will look like:
Lead daily Central Plant operations with full accountability for operational uptime, system reliability, and lifecycle performance of chilled water systems, boilers, cooling towers, and pumping systems
Direct plant start-ups, shutdowns, seasonal changeovers, and load transfers while serving as the technical decision-maker during abnormal conditions and system incidents
Own execution quality of preventive, predictive, and corrective maintenance programs while performing advanced troubleshooting and leading root-cause analysis following equipment failures
Provide leadership and technical direction to Central Plant Operators and Engineering staff, establishing clear expectations for safety, documentation, and operational discipline
Utilize BAS analytics, trending data, and performance metrics to identify degradation trends, optimize efficiency, and proactively mitigate potential failures
Champion zero-incident safety culture while ensuring compliance with OSHA, NFPA, EPA requirements including LOTO, confined space entry, and chemical handling protocols
Maintain accurate CMMS documentation, plant logs, and SOPs while supporting KPI reporting on uptime performance, energy use, and reliability trends.

Required Qualifications:

High school diploma or equivalent required
7+ years of progressive experience operating or maintaining central plant or critical mechanical systems
2-3+ years in a senior engineer, lead technician, or supervisory plant operations role
Advanced knowledge of chilled water systems, plant sequencing, HVAC thermodynamics, and reliability-centered maintenance principles

Experience with BAS platforms, data-driven diagnostics, and ability to interpret mechanical/electrical one-lines, P&IDs, and control sequences
Strong leadership skills with ability to provide after-hours on-call technical support and escalation management.

Preferred Qualifications:

Associate's or Bachelor's degree in Mechanical Engineering, HVAC, Facilities Management, or related field
Licensed or certified HVAC/Mechanical professional with Universal EPA Certification
NFPA/OSHA safety training and operator certifications related to boilers or central plant systems

Experience with critical environment operations, risk-based decision-making, and capital planning support.

Location:

Round Rock, TX

Work Shift:

7:30am-4:30pm, Monday through Friday.
This position does not provide visa sponsorship.  Candidates must be authorized to work in the United States without sponsorship.

Location:

On-site
-Round Rock, TX If this job description resonates with you, we encourage you to apply, even if you don't meet all the requirements.  We're interested in getting to know you and what you…