Digital Control Technician I (Facilities)

The Digital Control Technician I provides technical support for the installation, maintenance, troubleshooting, and operation of building automation and digital control systems across campus facilities. Responsible for monitoring and optimizing HVAC and other building systems, responding to service calls, maintaining Direct Digital Controls (DDC) and Building Automation Systems (BAS), analyzing utility usage, managing work orders through CMMS, and supporting energy conservation efforts. Serves as a key resource for maintaining safe, efficient, and reliable facility operations in administrative, service, research, and laboratory environments. This is an essential position requiring response during emergencies and campus closures.

Position Summary:

Provides skilled work and assistance in the efficient and effective installation, maintenance, and application of digital controls and building automation systems in the monitoring and operation of building equipment used to support and maintain the environment within administrative, service, and research facilities campus-wide.

Position Key Accountabilities:

• Responds to Hot/Cold and other HVAC related calls from internal and external customers and troubleshoots associated systems to determine the cause of the problem.
• Assists with repairs and the installation of pneumatic/DDC controls, valves, and related mechanical equipment. This includes balancing, testing, and calibrating Direct Digital Controls (DDC) and other energy management control system (EMCS)/building automation system (BAS) and associated equipment. Affected equipment and systems include, but are not limited to, HVAC, electrical, lighting, compressors, RO, domestic and lab water, fire, flood doors, sump pumps, vacuum, steam, and exhaust.
• Monitors, adjusts, and troubleshoots building office and laboratory systems and associated equipment using field various instruments/meters and the BAS.
• Sets up and records trends to determine average utility consumption per month, history and totalization logs, which indicates the amount of chilled water/electricity used. Set up equipment schedules in Metasys and modify as needed. Maintains Metasys alarm routing for building groups, animal care, safety, etc.
• Receives, enters, and completes assigned work orders using the computerized maintenance manager system (CMMS) through personal computer (PC) and smartphone applications.
• Participates in monthly Faculty Advisory Council meetings by answering questions and providing updates. Attends monthly Energy Conservation meetings and provide updates and give feedback. Provides weekly written summary of day to day activities to the Director of Controls and Utilities.
• Required to carry a university communication device as assigned and respond to calls during normal business hours.
• This job classification is designated as essential at the UT Health Science Center at Houston. In case of an emergency, essential positions are those required to sustain clinical services and/or are responsible for the protection of university assets. Personnel in designated essential positions are expected to report to their designated work site during their appointed work schedules, even when the institution has been officially declared to be on restricted access or closed due to adverse conditions.
• Performs other duties as assigned.

Certification/Skills:

• None

Minimum Education:

High School Diploma or equivalent required
30 credit hours of industry-related technical school/college preferred

Minimum Experience:

2 years of experience in digital controls operation and maintenance with emphasize on energy management, or minimum attendance of 100 hours in digital control training or energy management training required
2 years of experience in commissioning, installing, and operating direct digital controls and communications network with minimum supervision required

Physical Requirements:

Exerts up to 50 pounds of force occasionally and/or up to 20 pounds frequently and/or up to 10 pounds constantly to move objects.

Security Sensitive:

This position is a security-sensitive position pursuant to Texas Education Code §51.215 and Texas Government Code §411.094. To the extent that a position requires the holder to research, work on, or have access to critical infrastructure as defined in Texas Business and Commerce Code §117.001(2), the ability to maintain the security or integrity of the infrastructure is a minimum qualification to be hired for and to continue to be employed in that position. Personnel in such positions, and similarly situated state contractors, will be routinely reviewed to determine whether things such as criminal history or continuous connections to the government or political apparatus of a foreign adversary might prevent the applicant, employee, or contractor from being able to maintain the security or integrity of the infrastructure. A foreign adversary is a nation listed in 15 C.F.R. §791.4.

Residency Requirement:

Employees must permanently reside and work in the State of Texas.