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McKenney's

Builds heating, cooling and plumbing systems

HVAC Startup Technician

Full-TimeUpdated on 10/23/2026
No salary listed
Senior
Bachelor's
Charlotte, NC, USA
In PersonTravel up to 25% of the time; extensive local and occasional out-of-town travel to job sites and customer locations.
Building TradesHVAC & Building Systems

About the job

Requirements
  • A minimum of 5 years of commercial HVAC mechanical equipment startup or service experience is required.
  • A high school diploma or GED is required.
  • A Technical School degree in HVAC/R or a similar field is required.
  • The candidate must be able and available to travel up to 25% of the time.
  • A valid Georgia driver's license and clean driving record are required; employees must maintain insurability during employment.
  • CFC certification is required.
  • The candidate must have strong reasoning, math, science, and technical skills.
  • The candidate must have good computer skills.
  • The candidate must have working knowledge of major HVAC equipment, including large multi-fan air handling units, cooling towers, and chillers.
  • The candidate must be able to effectively run a startup crew.
  • The candidate must be able to handle multiple priorities.
  • The work requires walking or standing most of the time and lifting loads up to 50 pounds.
  • The candidate must follow basic safety precautions in construction-related environments.
Responsibilities
  • Complete project reviews with the commissioning officer before starting a project.
  • Manage and perform startup activities across a variety of project types and sizes.
  • Document all pre-functional activities in paperless commissioning documentation systems.
  • Maintain a current action item list in paperless commissioning documentation systems.
  • Communicate job status with the project management team daily and report issues that may impede job progress or schedule.
  • Assist the commissioning project management team with equipment and system startup scheduling.
  • Maintain startup crew manpower loading as needed to maintain the project schedule.
  • Assist the commissioning project management team in communicating technical details to vendors or factory representatives to repair equipment manufacturers' defects.
  • Mentor commissioning group apprentices in their assigned duties.
  • Troubleshoot system problems, provide solutions, and manage problem resolution through the commissioning project management team.
  • Assist Test and Balance and manufacturers' representatives in resolving issues that affect the performance of systems within the team's responsibility or scope of work.
  • Supervise other startup technicians and apprentices as applicable.
  • Coordinate with other trades to keep the construction schedule on track.
  • Assist senior-level commissioning technicians with commissioning activities as applicable.
  • Perform startup activities and system performance evaluations on new construction and existing building projects, including documenting pre-functional activities and maintaining action item lists.
  • Participate in point-to-point system checkout and functional system testing, and resolve operational deficiencies identified during the process.
  • Work at job sites and customer locations, including extensive local and occasional out-of-town travel.
Desired Qualifications
  • Experience in the construction industry, preferably with a mechanical contractor, Test and Balance contractor, or direct digital controls contractor.
  • At least 2 years of experience managing mechanical-related work.
  • Experience servicing boilers and chillers.
  • Knowledge of pneumatic and direct digital controls.
  • Experience commissioning new construction and existing building projects.
  • MCAA 40-hour foreman training.
  • OSHA 30 training.
  • Ability to work independently or as part of a team.
  • Ability to respond quickly to changing customer demands.
  • Ability to use time productively, maximize efficiency, and meet work goals.
  • Ability to take on additional responsibilities and determine and manage priorities with minimal guidance.

About the company

McKenney's designs, installs and maintains heating, cooling and plumbing systems for commercial buildings across the southeastern United States. Its work spans building construction and occupied facilities, with systems used in hospitals, offices, schools and industrial plants. The company combines engineering with field installation and commissioning, the process of testing that equipment operates as designed before it is handed over. Customers hire it for construction projects, equipment upgrades and service work, while its automation team connects building controls so owners can monitor operations and energy use. Founded in 1948, McKenney's is headquartered in Atlanta, Georgia.

Company Size

1,001-5,000

Company Stage

N/A

Total Funding

N/A

Headquarters

Atlanta, GA

Founded

1948

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Simplify's Take

What believers are saying

  • Engineers get structured training: McKenney's project engineer program covers preconstruction, coordination, fabrication and field installation.
  • Compliance creates repeat work: McKenney's schedules annual backflow testing and sends reports required by local municipalities.
  • Support extends beyond construction: McKenney's maintains energy projects throughout the customer's savings guarantee period.

What critics are saying

  • Charlotte technicians face physical demands: McKenney's service role includes climbing, lifting and occasional out-of-town travel.
  • Co-ops face academic tradeoffs: Atlanta's building services program requires two full-time rotations and warns of delayed graduation.
  • Fabrication faces productivity targets: McKenney's pipe manufacturing director role calls for annual 2% productivity improvements.

What makes McKenney's unique

  • Fabrication crosses trades: McKenney's preassembles mechanical, electrical and plumbing systems for construction projects.
  • Ownership stays local: McKenney's describes its business as locally owned and operated.
  • Partners get early engineering: McKenney's develops energy-saving project scopes and budgets for energy service companies.

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