Lead HVAC Controls Technician

Welcome to San Diego International Airport, where our core purpose is to create an exceptional experience for both our community and visitors from around the world. It extends beyond just flights; we embody the vibrant spirit of San Diego itself—sunny, welcoming, and full of life. We are committed to attracting, fostering, and empowering a team of talented individuals who can deliver our strategic goals:

• Advance Airport Development
• Transform the Customer Experience
• Optimize Ongoing Business
• Cultivate Our Culture

Here, culture starts with each of us. Our workplace is shaped by mindsets that guide how we show up for one another: believing the best in people, collaboration, empathy, listening, and thoughtful decision‑making. If you are ready to contribute to a team that values meaningful impact and enjoys the journey along the way, we invite you to apply today and help us connect our community to the world.

• Location: Facilities Management Department (FMD) Administration Building, located on San Diego International Airport campus’s north end and sits adjacent to the rental car facility, providing one‑of‑a‑kind views of our runway, along with several outdoor terraces and courtyards for employees to engage with nature.
• Salary: The hiring salary for Lead HVAC Controls Technician is $101,795. The full pay range for Lead HVAC Controls Technician is $82,912-$112,230.
• Benefits: You will enjoy 14 paid holidays, 18–33 days of vacation (PTO), parental and child care benefits, salary continuance for family & parental leave, tuition reimbursement, retirement plan options that include a choice between our comprehensive pension plan or a 401(a) defined contribution plan, with the option to add a 457(b) deferred compensation plan. You can also take advantage of our annual employer‑funded Lifestyle Spending Account, designed to support your personal development and growth activities—and much more!
• Wellness: Take advantage of multiple on‑site gyms with regular fitness classes, outdoor working areas, fitness discounts for all levels and goals, monthly fruit deliveries, rewards for volunteer time, financial wellness advisors, and a campus with easy access to some of San Diego's best walking trails.

The Facilities Management department is looking for a Lead HVAC Controls Technician with a solutions‑driven focus on maintaining, troubleshooting, and improving the airport’s large‑scale mechanical systems to ensure a comfortable, safe, and reliable environment for millions of travelers. This role is both technical and highly collaborative—guiding daily operations, supporting construction and tenant improvement projects, and serving as a key liaison with contractors, engineers, and internal teams.

This position works within a large and complex commercial plant, contributing to ongoing system upgrades and construction projects while overseeing fieldwork and ensuring quality standards are met. It plays a highly visible and impactful role in airport operations, balancing hands‑on technical expertise with patience, tact, and diplomatic communication.

The ideal candidate will bring strong mechanical and troubleshooting skills, confidence in navigating building automation systems, and the ability to lead projects from start to finish. They will demonstrate steady judgment in a fast‑paced, customer‑centered environment, earning trust through clear communication, collaboration, and consistent delivery.

The role shapes the design, reliability, and long‑term performance of the systems that will support the airport’s next generation of operations, standing out through its scale, impact, and visibility in shaping the passenger experience across one of the region’s most essential public spaces.

• HVAC Operations Oversight: Leads and coordinates HVAC Technicians and contractors performing installation, maintenance, troubleshooting, and repair across complex airport systems and the central plant.
• Preventive and Predictive Maintenance: Ensures routine inspections, testing, and servicing of refrigeration units, heating and ventilation systems, air‑conditioning equipment, and building…