Building Automation System Controls Mission Critical Service 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.

Upchurch is a 50+ year building engineering firm delivering mechanical, electrical, plumbing, and controls services across the southeastern United States. Through our Data Center Mission Critical (DC|MC) business unit, Upchurch provides specialized operations and maintenance services focused on uptime, reliability, operational visibility, and lifecycle performance of data center infrastructure.

This role supports colocation, hyperscale, enterprise, and edge data centers by executing disciplined preventive, corrective, commissioning-support, and condition-based activities on mission-critical controls, BAS/BMS, EPMS, DCIM-adjacent, and integrated building automation systems.

Role Summary

The Controls – Mission Critical Services Technician is responsible for maintaining, troubleshooting, validating, and supporting controls systems that directly impact data center uptime, system visibility, alarming, sequencing, and operational reliability. This role works across BAS/BMS platforms, EPMS interfaces, control panels, sensors, actuators, networked controllers, graphics, alarm points, sequence-of-operation logic, and integration points between mechanical, electrical, and facility operations systems.

Unlike traditional controls service roles, this position operates in high-availability data center environments where procedural compliance, redundancy awareness, change control, documentation accuracy, and live-site discipline are mandatory. Controls technicians must understand that improper setpoint changes, failed sensors, communication loss, overridden points, or incorrect alarm logic can create significant operational risk.

Technicians perform scheduled preventive maintenance, corrective maintenance, troubleshooting, point-to-point verification, alarm validation, controls readiness checks, commissioning support, and emergency response activities while adhering to approved Methods of Procedure (MOPs), Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs), Emergency Operating Procedures (EOPs), safety requirements, and change-management standards.

Key Responsibilities

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

• BAS/BMS controllers and field panels.

• EPMS and power-monitoring interface points.

• DCIM-adjacent monitoring and integration points.

• Control panels, relays, terminal blocks, low-voltage wiring, and communication modules.

• Temperature, humidity, differential pressure, static pressure, airflow, leak detection, and equipment status sensors.

• Dampers, actuators, valves, VFD control interfaces, and controlled devices.

• CRAH/CRAC, AHU/RTU, fan wall, chilled water, pump, cooling tower, adiabatic, and liquid-cooling control interfaces.

• UPS, generator, ATS/STS, switchgear, PDU, RPP, and electrical monitoring points where applicable.

• Alarm points, trend logs, graphics, setpoints, schedules, and sequence-of-operation logic.

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

• Maintain awareness of redundancy, upstream/downstream impacts, stacked risk, and potential consequences of controls changes.

• Support alarm response, degraded performance investigations, sensor failures, communication loss, control-loop instability, and emergency service calls per SLA.

• Perform point-to-point verification, sensor validation, command/feedback checks, trend review, and controls readiness inspections.

• Support startup, functional testing, integrated systems testing, and turnover activities as assigned.

• Document work performed, readings, screenshots, trends, deficiencies, alarms, corrective actions, and system conditions accurately.

• Follow strict safety protocols, including LOTO, PPE, low-voltage electrical safety, site access rules, tool control, and live-site restrictions.

• Participate in scheduled maintenance windows, on-call rotations, after-hours response, and outage-support activities.

• Complete required company, data center, controls, OEM, and mission-critical training through Upchurch University LMS DC|MC program, third-party partners, and OEM programs.

Level Differentiation & Expectations

Level I – Foundational Controls Mission Critical Technician

Primary Focus: Safety, observation, documentation, basic controls support, and supervised execution:

Typical Experience

• 0–2 years controls, BAS/BMS, low-voltage, HVAC controls, electrical, or data center support experience.

• Entry into data center, mission-critical, controls, commissioning, or critical facility environments.

Level II – Integrated Controls Mission Critical Technician

Primary Focus: Independent PM execution, routine troubleshooting, point verification, and controlled field work:

Typical Experience

• 2–5 years controls, BAS/BMS, building automation, low-voltage, HVAC controls, electrical controls, commissioning, or critical facility experience.

• Prior data center, industrial, hospital, manufacturing, central plant, or mission-critical facility exposure preferred.

Level III – Senior Controls Mission Critical Technician

Primary Focus: Advanced troubleshooting, system ownership, sequence understanding, reliability, and field leadership

Typical Experience

• 5+ years controls, BAS/BMS, building automation, HVAC controls, electrical controls, commissioning, or mission-critical experience.

• Strong data center, critical facility, industrial, healthcare, central plant, or high-availability operations background preferred.

Level IV – Lead/Commissioning Controls Mission Critical Technician

Primary Focus: Technical authority, team leadership, commissioning support, standards, and operational reliability

Typical Experience

• 7+ years controls, BAS/BMS, building automation, HVAC controls, electrical controls, commissioning, or mission-critical experience.

• Strong mission-critical, data center, central plant, industrial, healthcare, or high-availability operations background.

• Demonstrated ability to lead technical work, mentor technicians, coordinate with customers, and support commissioning or integrated systems activities.

Qualifications

• High school diploma or equivalent; technical, vocational, controls, HVAC, electrical, or automation training preferred.

• Ability to read and interpret:

  • Controls drawings

  • Points lists

  • BAS/BMS graphics

  • Alarm summaries

  • Trend logs

  • Sequences of operation

  • Electrical one-lines and panel schedules, as applicable

  • Low-voltage wiring diagrams

  • OEM documentation

  • MOPs, SOPs, and EOPs

• Familiarity with basic electrical and low-voltage safety practices.

• Valid driver’s license.

• Ability to work in live critical environments.

• Ability to follow strict procedural, access, and documentation requirements.

• Willingness to travel to support the service region.

• Willingness to work nights, weekends, maintenance windows, and on-call rotations as needed.

Preferred / Differentiators

• BAS/BMS experience with platforms such as Distech, Niagara, Tridium, Schneider, Siemens, Johnson Controls, Automated Logic, Honeywell, or similar systems.

• EPMS, DCIM, or power-monitoring familiarity.

• Data center controls, critical facility, hospital, industrial, central plant, or high-availability operations experience.

• Experience with point-to-point verification, sensor calibration, alarm validation, and trend analysis.

• Experience supporting CRAH/CRAC, AHU/RTU, fan wall, chilled water, pump, cooling tower, adiabatic, liquid-cooling, UPS, generator, ATS/STS, switchgear, PDU, or RPP monitoring/control interfaces.

• Experience with BACnet, Modbus, MSTP, IP networking fundamentals, controller addressing, and communication troubleshooting.

• OEM controls training or certifications.

• OSHA 10 / 30

• NFPA 70E awareness or qualified-worker training, where applicable.

• Commissioning, startup, integrated systems testing, or turnover support experience.

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

Benefits:

• Competitive pay 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.