Company Overview
Reporting to the Utility Manager, the HVAC & Utility Mechanical Engineer is responsible for the full operation, preventive maintenance, troubleshooting, and optimization of all cleanroom HVAC, process cooling, and facility mechanical utility systems for 24/7 PV solar cell manufacturing. This role directly sustains cleanroom environmental stability, process cooling reliability, and factory energy efficiency, ensuring consistent production yield and uninterrupted fab operation.
Job Summary
Reporting to the Utility Manager, the HVAC & Utility Mechanical Engineer is responsible for the full operation, preventive maintenance, troubleshooting, and optimization of all cleanroom HVAC, process cooling, and facility mechanical utility systems for 24/7 PV solar cell manufacturing. This role directly sustains cleanroom environmental stability, process cooling reliability, and factory energy efficiency, ensuring consistent production yield and uninterrupted fab operation.
Responsibilities
- 1. Facility Utility System Operation & Monitoring
- Operate, monitor, and adjust central utility systems including centrifugal/screw chillers, cooling towers, process chilled water (PCW) loops, circulating pumps, boilers, AHU air handlers, FFU fan filter units, and supply/exhaust duct & damper systems. Perform daily walkthroughs, equipment startup/shutdown, and load adjustment to maintain stable mechanical utility operation.
- 2. Cleanroom Environmental Control & Yield Assurance
- Continuously track and regulate cleanroom critical parameters including temperature, humidity, room differential pressure, dew point, and cleanliness classification. Adjust HVAC operational setpoints dynamically to prevent environmental drift, process fluctuation, and solar cell yield degradation.
- 3. Preventive Maintenance & System Reliability
- Execute structured PM schedules for all HVAC and cooling utility equipment. Scope includes cooling loop flushing, cooling tower water treatment, filter replacement (pre/medium/HEPA), equipment lubrication, pump bearing inspection, pipeline descaling, and corrosion prevention. Maintain equipment maintenance logs, asset records, and spare part inventory to maximize system uptime.
- 4. Mechanical Troubleshooting & Emergency Response
- Diagnose and resolve utility mechanical faults including chiller high-pressure alarms, pump cavitation, fan malfunction, duct air leakage, and insufficient cooling capacity. Provide after-hours emergency support to restore process cooling and cleanroom ventilation during unplanned events.
- 5. Energy Optimization & Technical Improvement
- Lead utility energy-saving initiatives such as chiller VFD optimization and waste heat recovery projects. Collect and analyze HVAC/utility energy consumption data to drive continuous efficiency improvement. Support system upgrade, capacity expansion, retrofits, and project commissioning & acceptance.
- 6. Safety & Standardized Operation
- Comply with plant safety protocols, LOTO procedures, and mechanical maintenance standards. Conduct routine hazard inspections and maintain standardized SOPs for utility system operation and maintenance. Collaborate with EHS and production teams to ensure stable, safe, and compliant utility performance.
Requirements
- Associate or Bachelor’s degree in Mechanical Engineering, HVAC, Refrigeration, Mechatronics, or a related engineering field.
- Hands-on experience maintaining cleanroom HVAC, PCW process cooling, chiller, and tower systems in PV solar, semiconductor, or high-tech manufacturing is strongly preferred.
- Solid understanding of cleanroom environmental control principles, temperature/humidity/pressure stability standards.
- Familiar with industrial chilled water circulation, central HVAC systems, and mechanical utility PM workflows.
- Strong mechanical troubleshooting skills, able to diagnose and resolve system instability independently.
- Proactive safety mindset, disciplined work ethic, and ability to participate in 24/7 on-call emergency standby.
- Good documentation skills and cross-functional teamwork capabilities.
Join us to be part of an innovative team dedicated to advancing solar technology through expert mechanical engineering!
Pay: $71,762.13 - $86,423.21 per year
Benefits:
- 401(k)
- 401(k) matching
- Dental insurance
- Health insurance
- Life insurance
- Paid time off
- Relocation assistance
- Retirement plan
- Vision insurance
Work Location: In person
