BAS Controls Mission Critical Service Technician

About the Role

Upchurch, a 50+ year building engineering firm, is expanding its Data Center Mission Critical (DC|MC) business unit. This unit provides specialized operations and maintenance services for colocation, hyperscale, enterprise, and edge data centers, focusing on uptime, reliability, operational visibility, and lifecycle performance. The Controls – Mission Critical Services Technician role supports these 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.

This position requires strict adherence to procedural compliance, redundancy awareness, change control, documentation accuracy, and live-site discipline. Technicians must understand the significant operational risks associated with improper setpoint changes, sensor failures, communication loss, overridden points, or incorrect alarm logic.

Key Responsibilities

• Perform preventive and corrective maintenance on data center controls and automation systems, including:
• 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 Methods of Procedure (MOPs), Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs), Emergency Operating Procedures (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 Service Level Agreements (SLAs).
• 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 Lockout/Tagout (LOTO), Personal Protective Equipment (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, Original Equipment Manufacturer (OEM), and mission-critical training through Upchurch University LMS DC|MC program, third-party partners, and OEM programs.

Requirements & Tech Stack

Experience Levels

• Level I – Foundational:
• 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:
• 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:
• 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:
• 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.