Key Responsibilities and Required Skills for Operating Engineer

🎯 Role Definition

An Operating Engineer is a skilled facilities and building-systems professional responsible for the safe, reliable, and efficient operation, maintenance, and repair of critical building infrastructure. This role typically supports HVAC systems (chillers, cooling towers, steam, boilers), electrical distribution, building automation systems (BMS/PLC), plumbing, refrigeration, and life-safety equipment. Operating Engineers play a central role in preventive maintenance, emergency response, regulatory compliance, energy optimization, and vendor coordination to ensure occupant comfort and uninterrupted facility operations.

📈 Career Progression

Typical Career Path

Entry Point From:

HVAC Technician / Refrigeration Technician
Maintenance Technician / Mechanic
Apprentice Boiler Operator or Facilities Maintenance Apprentice

Advancement To:

Chief/Lead Operating Engineer
Facilities Manager / Building Engineer Supervisor
Plant Manager / Director of Facilities
Energy Manager / Building Automation Lead

Lateral Moves:

Controls/Automation Technician (BMS/PLC specialist)
Boiler Operator / High-Pressure Steam Specialist
Building Systems Commissioning Engineer

Core Responsibilities

Primary Functions

Operate, monitor, and maintain HVAC central plants including chillers, cooling towers, pumps, condensers, boilers, deaerators, and steam distribution to maintain safe and efficient building climate control and process temperatures.
Perform preventive maintenance tasks on mechanical and electrical systems according to established schedules using CMMS (Maximo, eMaint, Fiix), including lubrication, filter changes, belt and bearing replacement, and alignment checks to maximize equipment uptime.
Diagnose, troubleshoot, and repair HVAC and refrigeration faults — from compressor and expansion valve failures to refrigerant leaks and control valve malfunctions — ensuring prompt restoration of service.
Start up and shut down boilers, fuel systems, and steam equipment safely, adhering to plant-specific procedures, Boiler Operator license requirements, and regulatory constraints.
Read and interpret mechanical drawings, electrical schematics, P&IDs, and building automation graphics to isolate causes, plan repairs, and coordinate system changes.
Maintain and calibrate building automation systems (BMS), PLCs, DDC controllers, sensors, actuators, and control loops to ensure accurate setpoints and energy-efficient operation.
Perform routine electrical maintenance up to authorized voltage levels, including motor control center (MCC) inspection, breaker testing, starter maintenance, and distribution panel checks while following lockout/tagout procedures.
Conduct steam and condensate system maintenance including trap testing, piping insulation integrity checks, valve servicing, and steam leak repairs to reduce energy loss and safety hazards.
Monitor and manage water treatment programs for boilers, cooling towers, and closed-loop systems, coordinating with water treatment vendors and logging chemical dosing and sample results.
Execute emergency response plans for system failures, power outages, HVAC emergencies, flooding, or fire-system activations, acting as primary on-site technical lead until resolved or relieved.
Maintain accurate logbooks, shift reports, and electronic maintenance records documenting system performance, repairs, test results, and safety incidents for audits and trend analysis.
Ensure compliance with federal, state, and local regulations — including NFPA, OSHA, EPA 608 (refrigerant handling), and local boiler codes — and assist with inspections and remediation.
Manage vendor relationships and supervise external contractors for major repairs, overhauls, and capital projects; coordinate lockout/tagout and hot work permits to ensure safe execution.
Participate in capital projects and plant upgrades by providing operational input, performing field verification, and supporting equipment installation, startup, and commissioning.
Perform vibration analysis, motor testing, infrared thermography, and other predictive-maintenance inspections to identify early signs of bearing, alignment, or electrical issues.
Carry out preventive and corrective maintenance on building life-safety systems such as fire pumps, fire suppression interfaces, emergency generators, and smoke control actuators in coordination with safety teams.
Administer and operate backup power systems and generators including scheduled load testing, fuel management, battery maintenance, and transfer-switch inspections to guarantee backup availability.
Implement energy conservation initiatives — optimize sequence-of-operations, adjust setpoints, stage equipment, and recommend upgrades (VFDs, high-efficiency condensers, controls) to reduce utility costs and carbon footprint.
Train and mentor junior operators and maintenance staff on safe operating procedures, troubleshooting techniques, proper tooling, and preventive-maintenance best practices.
Maintain inventory of critical spare parts and consumables, prepare purchase requests, and coordinate parts procurement to minimize downtime during failures.
Perform confined-space entry, hot-work, and permit-required tasks following company safety programs and ensuring proper PPE, monitoring, and rescue readiness.
Assist facility management in budget tracking, maintenance cost reporting, and lifecycle planning for major mechanical and electrical assets to support capital planning decisions.

Secondary Functions

Support ad-hoc operational data requests and provide system performance metrics (runtime hours, efficiency, alarms) to facilities management and energy teams.
Contribute input to the facility's maintenance strategy and roadmap: recommend reliability-centered maintenance, predictive-monitoring technologies, and capital improvements.
Collaborate with business units and tenants to translate comfort and operational needs into clear technical requirements and prioritized work orders.
Participate in daily shift handovers, weekly planning meetings, and agile-style continuous improvement initiatives to reduce reactive work and improve MTTR.
Assist with periodic training and drills for emergency response, fire systems, and severe-weather preparedness to ensure coordinated building readiness.
Support sustainability and ESG reporting by providing measured energy and water consumption data and documenting efficiency improvement actions.

Required Skills & Competencies

Hard Skills (Technical)

Certified Boiler Operator or equivalent high-pressure boiler experience; knowledge of boiler controls, combustion tuning, and safety interlocks.
Proficient with HVAC systems: centrifugal and screw chillers, air-handling units (AHUs), VAV systems, cooling towers, pumps, and chill water piping.
Building Automation Systems (BAS/BMS) and PLC experience — configuration, trend analysis, alarm tuning, and sequence-of-operations optimization (Johnson Controls, Honeywell, Trane, Siemens).
Proficiency with CMMS platforms (IBM Maximo, eMaint, Fiix, Hippo) for work order management, preventive schedules, and spare-parts tracking.
Electrical skills: motor starters, MCCs, control wiring, single- and three-phase systems up to authorized voltage; familiarity with NFPA 70 and lockout/tagout.
Refrigeration diagnostics and EPA 608 certification for refrigerant handling and leak reporting.
Experience with predictive-maintenance tools: vibration analysis, infrared thermography, oil analysis, and motor testing.
Water treatment and chemistry knowledge for cooling towers and boiler systems; experience with chemical dosing and blowdown control.
Emergency generator operation and maintenance, including transfer switches, fuel systems, and battery systems.
Ability to read mechanical drawings, P&IDs, electrical schematics, and manufacturer manuals.
Knowledge of local building codes, NFPA standards, OSHA regulations, and environmental permitting related to fuel and emissions.
Basic welding, brazing, and piping repair skills for quick field fixes and temporary repairs.

Soft Skills

Strong troubleshooting mindset with systematic fault-isolation and root-cause analysis abilities.
Clear verbal and written communication for shift reports, vendor coordination, and procedural documentation.
Situational awareness and sound decision-making during emergencies and high-pressure system failures.
Team orientation and ability to mentor junior staff while collaborating with cross-functional stakeholders.
Time management and prioritization skills to balance reactive repairs with preventive maintenance programs.
Customer-service focus to respond to tenant comfort issues while balancing equipment preservation and energy goals.
Initiative and continuous-improvement orientation: proposes reliability and efficiency improvements and follows through on implementation.

Education & Experience

Educational Background

Minimum Education:

High school diploma or GED with relevant trade school coursework or apprenticeship in HVAC, mechanical, or electrical disciplines.

Preferred Education:

Associate degree or technical diploma in HVAC, Mechanical Technology, Industrial Maintenance, or Electrical Technology.
Additional coursework/certifications in controls, refrigeration, or plant operations.

Relevant Fields of Study:

HVAC / Refrigeration Technology
Mechanical or Electrical Technology
Industrial Maintenance / Plant Operations
Facilities Management / Building Systems

Experience Requirements

Typical Experience Range: 3–10+ years of hands-on mechanical and building systems experience; 5+ years preferred for senior or lead operating engineer roles.

Preferred:

Proven experience operating central plant equipment in commercial, healthcare, educational, or industrial facilities.
Licensed Boiler Operator in jurisdictions that require certification; EPA 608 Refrigerant Certification; OSHA 30-Hour preferred.
Demonstrated track record of preventive-maintenance program execution, CMMS usage, and successful emergency response.
Experience with energy-efficiency projects, BMS optimization, and vendor/contractor coordination.