Central Utility Plant Lead

Description

The Central Plant Lead is the technical and operational authority for the Central Utility Plant (CUP), providing hands‑on leadership, oversight and accountability for safe, reliable and efficient operation of all plant systems. This role connects plant operations, engineering execution, safety compliance and client service, acting as the primary escalation point for risks, failures and optimization opportunities.

Core competencies include leading daily plant operations within design intent and JLL engineering standards, executing startups, shutdowns, load transfers and seasonal changeovers, and maintaining situational awareness of performance and redundancy.

The Lead owns preventive, predictive and corrective maintenance quality, validates procedures, troubleshoots complex issues and ensures risk‑assessed execution and proper return‑to‑service testing.

Leadership responsibilities involve assigning work, prioritizing tasks, coaching operators and engineers, setting expectations for professionalism, documentation and safety, and participating in performance feedback and succession planning.

Safety duties require championing a zero‑incident culture, enforcing OSHA, NFPA, EPA, ASHRAE and local codes, managing lockout/tagout, confined‑space entry, hot work and chemical handling, and leading incident investigations and audit readiness.

The Lead ensures accurate CMMS documentation, validates work‑order closure, maintains plant logs, SOPs, MOPs and EOPs, and reports key performance indicators such as uptime, maintenance compliance, energy use and incident trends.

Acting as the trusted technical representative, the Lead communicates plant status, risks and planned activities to client facilities leaders, supports meetings and audits, and coordinates with internal JLL teams for integrated service delivery.

Continuous improvement efforts focus on energy efficiency, load optimization, sequencing, seasonal tuning and water conservation, while contributing lessons learned and best‑practice sharing across the organization.

The role supports capital planning and project execution by providing technical input, reviewing scopes, participating in vendor selection, overseeing construction and commissioning, and ensuring plant modifications preserve redundancy and resilience.

• Lead day‑to‑day operation of the Central Utility Plant, ensuring reliability and compliance with design intent and JLL standards.
• Direct plant startups, shutdowns, load transfers, seasonal changeovers and respond to abnormal operating conditions.
• Oversee preventive, predictive and corrective maintenance, validate procedures and ensure risk‑assessed execution.
• Provide technical coaching, work assignment and performance development for plant operators and engineers.
• Champion a zero‑incident safety culture; enforce OSHA, NFPA, EPA, ASHRAE and local regulatory requirements.
• Maintain accurate CMMS records, work‑order closure quality, plant logs, SOPs, MOPs and KPI reporting.
• Serve as the trusted technical liaison to clients, communicating plant status, risks and planned activities.
• Identify and implement energy‑efficiency initiatives such as load optimization, sequencing improvements and water conservation.
• Contribute to capital planning, scope development, constructability reviews and commissioning of plant upgrades.

Requirements

Preferred qualifications include 7‑10 years of experience with plant equipment and building automation, strong HVAC, mechanical and electrical knowledge, relevant state licenses (HVAC, Universal Technician or boiler operator), and 5‑10 years of chiller plant experience. Candidates must be able to lift 50 lb, work onsite in Round Rock, TX, and be authorized to work in the United States without sponsorship.

• Require 7‑10 years of plant equipment and building automation experience, strong HVAC/mechanical/electrical knowledge, and relevant state licenses.
• Must be able to lift 50 lb, climb ladders/scaffolding, work onsite in Round Rock, TX, and be authorized to work in the U.S. without sponsorship.

Benefits

JLL offers a comprehensive benefits package (401(k) matching, medical/dental/vision, paid parental leave, PTO, daily pay access) and a supportive culture that prioritizes mental, physical and emotional wellness, with ongoing recruitment for this onsite position.

Training + Development

Interview process

Visa Sponsorship

Security clearance