Job Opportunities

Are you looking to take your career to new heights with a leader in healthcare? SUNY Downstate Health Sciences University is one of the nation's leading metropolitan medical centers. As the only academic medical center in Brooklyn, we serve a large population that is among the most diverse in the world. We are also highly-ranked by Castle Connolly Medical, a healthcare rating company for consumers, among the top 5 leading U.S. medical schools for training doctors.

Bargaining Unit:

CSEA

Job Summary:

The Department of Facilities Management and Development at SUNY Downstate Health Sciences University is seeking a full-time Plant Utilities Assistant. The successful candidate will:

• Assist in the operation, maintenance, repair of mechanical and electrical equipment providing heat, hot water, ventilation, air conditioning, and electrical distribution in a save and efficient manner.
• Monitor equipment consoles.
• Read, analyze, and follow up on all console readings, charts, and trouble calls.
• Adjust equipment controls to correct malfunction when indicated by observation or in response to a signal.
• Read and records gas, steam, water, and electrical meter readings.
• Fill out plant logs, incident and Quality Assurance Reports.
• Advise supervisor when repairs are required.
• Receive and distributes fuel supplies required for all program locations.

Additional Illustrative Tasks

• Perform preventive maintenance on heating, ventilating, and air-conditioning systems:
  • As instructed, and under the guidance and supervision of qualified personnel, use specific chemicals to treat water used in heating, ventilation, and air-conditioning systems.
  • Clean strainers and coils.
  • Maintain steam traps.
  • Change filters.
  • Regenerate water softeners.
  • Install, removes, washes, and stores window air conditioners.
  • May determine if refrigeration system is low on refrigerant; if so, identifies type and amount of refrigerant needed, and prepares system for charge.
• Perform minor repairs such as replacing worn gaskets, changing belts and tightening joints, and assisting Plant Utilities Engineers 1 in the maintenance and overhaul of boilers and in the repair of stationary equipment.
• Perform semiskilled plumbing, electrical, and refrigeration work, and skilled work in these areas under supervision, or after receiving detailed instructions.
  • Determine if water regulator valves need rebuilding or repair.
  • Thread, solders or glues and installs pipe.
  • Re-pack pumps and valves.
  • Assist in the repair, maintenance, and operation of plant alarm and signal systems.
  • Assist in the monitoring and operation of building management or automation systems, and energy management systems related to the control of clocks, lighting, filtering systems, heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) and boiler energy management systems.
  • Clean mechanical rooms.
  • As assigned, during night shifts, weekends or on holidays, responds to calls concerning mechanical, electrical, or plumbing breakdowns outside of the plant, troubleshoots the problem, and makes necessary repairs or advises the appropriate authority regarding the problem.

• Provide instruction to Facility Operations Assistants 1 (Utilities) and other labor class positions on routine jobs and equipment inspections.

Required Qualifications:

• Open Competitive: 1-year satisfactory hands-on experience in the operation in the operation, maintenance of boilers &/or auxiliary equipment or HVAC equipment in commercial, industrial or institutional facilities.
• HS Diploma or GED & successful completion of four trade courses in any combination of the following trades: Electrical, Refrigeration, Boiler Operations, Plumbing and HVAC:
  • Each trade course must include a minimum of 30 to 45 classroom/lab hours in order to be considered qualifying.
  • Successful completion of 12 college semester credit hours in any combination of the following areas: heating ventilation and air conditioning, electrical circuits, fluid mechanics, technical communications, thermal dynamics, utility refrigeration mechanics, blueprints reading and sketching, physics, boiler and steam systems, plant operations and maintenance, industrial instrumentation and control, industrial safety and environmental air quality.
  • Completion of an approved certificate program in HVAC or related area that is one year in duration;
    • OR Completion of an approved certificate program in HVAC or related area, which is less than one year in duration and post certificate experience that equals one year.

Preferred Qualifications:

Work Schedule:

Variable Days; Variable Hours

Salary Grade/Rank:

Salary Range:

As per civil service guidelines

COVID-19 Vaccination Requirement:

  An approved COVID-19 vaccination.

Executive Order:

Pursuant to Executive Order 161, no State entity, as defined by the Executive Order, is permitted to ask, or mandate, in any form, that an applicant for employment provide his or her current compensation, or any prior compensation history, until such time as the applicant is extended a conditional offer of employment with compensation.  If such information has been requested from you before such time, please contact the Governor’s Office of Employee Relations at (518) 474-6988 or via email at info@goer.ny.gov.

Equal Employment Opportunity Statement:

SUNY Downstate Health Sciences University is an affirmative action, equal opportunity employer and does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, religion, creed, age, disability, sex, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, familial status, pregnancy, predisposing genetic characteristics, military status, domestic violence victim status, criminal conviction, and all other protected classes under federal or state laws.

Women, minorities, veterans, individuals with disabilities and members of underrepresented groups are encouraged to apply.

If you are an individual with a disability and need a reasonable accommodation for any part of the application process, or in order to perform the essential functions of a position, please contact Human Resources at ada@downstate.edu