Mechanical Superintendent – Cooling Tower Rehabilitation

Kaiva Services is looking for a Mechanical Superintendent – Cooling Tower Rehabilitation

Position summary

The Mechanical Superintendent oversees all field construction on cooling tower rehabilitation projects, delivering safe, high-quality repairs and upgrades to towers that often serve live, mission-critical facilities. The role covers structural, mechanical and water-distribution scopes: tower framing and casing, fill and drift eliminators, hot-water distribution, fans and drive trains, basins and condenser water piping. The Superintendent leads trade coordination, plans work around owner outage windows, and supports startup, testing and turnover so towers return to service on schedule and at design thermal performance.

Location

This position can be based in Salt Lake City, UT, Reno, NV, or in a traveling role supporting project sites across the region.

Experience / training

• Bachelor's degree or 7+ years of related experience on industrial, mission-critical or heavy commercial mechanical construction; or an equivalent combination of education and experience.
• 3+ years supervising cooling tower construction, repair or rehabilitation (field-erected or factory-assembled towers) strongly preferred.
• OSHA 30-Hour Construction required; current First Aid/CPR preferred.
• Training or demonstrated competency in confined space entry, fall protection, lockout/tagout and rigging/lift planning.
• Familiarity with Cooling Technology Institute (CTI) standards and thermal performance testing is a plus.

Duties, responsibilities and expectations

Other duties may be assigned to meet business needs.

• Provide direction and leadership on all mechanical and structural scopes of cooling tower rehabilitation projects.
• Manage safety, quality, schedule, production, logistics and coordination from mobilization through turnover.
• Plan and sequence work around owner outage windows, cell-by-cell shutdowns and live plant operations to keep cooling capacity available.
• Coordinate demolition and replacement of tower components: structural framing, casing, fill, drift eliminators, louvers, distribution decks, nozzles and stairs/ladders.
• Oversee removal and installation of fans, gearboxes, motors, drive shafts and couplings, including alignment, vibration checks and VFD tie-ins with electrical trades.
• Direct basin repairs, coatings, and condenser water piping, valve and header replacements.
• Develop and enforce critical lift plans, confined space permits, LOTO procedures and fall protection plans for work at height and over water.
• Coordinate with the owner's water treatment and operations staff on draining, cleaning, disinfection and Legionella controls before and after work.
• Represent the company in meetings and interface with owners, engineers, inspectors and all project stakeholders.
• Coordinate and direct all subcontractors, vendors and self-performed crafts.
• Work with the project team to establish goals and develop accountability.
• Assume responsibility for craft productivity, efficient use of materials and equipment, and contractual performance of the project.
• Verify that subcontractors complete their assigned scope of work to specification.
• Support startup, functional testing, thermal performance testing and turnover documentation.
• Document existing conditions, hidden damage and changed conditions promptly to support change orders.
• Seek to learn changes in the industry, materials (such as FRP structures and new fill media) and best practices.

Critical skills

• Extensive experience managing cooling tower and condenser water systems, including tower structures, fill and drift eliminators, distribution systems, mechanical drive equipment and related piping.
• Ability to assess existing conditions in deteriorated towers (wood rot, corrosion, concrete spalling, FRP damage) and adjust scope and sequencing accordingly.
• Strong understanding of mechanical and structural coordination, rigging and crane operations, and complex trade sequencing on occupied, operating sites.
• Proven ability to lead mechanical subcontractors and self-perform crews, drive schedule performance and maintain budget objectives.
• Experience supporting startup, testing and turnover of critical mechanical equipment, including fan/gearbox alignment and vibration verification.
• In-depth knowledge of construction safety practices, especially confined space, LOTO, fall protection and over-water work; quality control procedures; and industry standards, including CTI.
• Extensive knowledge of established construction practices, procedures and techniques, and applicable local, state and federal building and mechanical codes.
• Familiarity with a wide range of equipment and tools and proficiency in skilled construction and repair tasks.
• Strong computer skills; proficient in MS Excel, MS Word and MS Outlook.
• Advanced understanding of construction scheduling and sequencing, and cost control.
• Knowledge of general survey and layout practices.
• Ensure all installations meet quality, manufacturer and mechanical code standards.
• Ability to communicate effectively with the project team, customers, plant operators, subcontractors, vendors, inspectors and employees at all levels, in one-on-one and small group settings.
• Ability to effectively lead and manage teams.
• Thorough and attentive to detail; extremely organized and able to prioritize and multitask.
• Ability to proactively plan and identify risks to meet or exceed deadlines while meeting safety, productivity, sustainability and quality goals.
• Ability to solve practical problems and deal with a variety of abstract variables in situations where only limited standardization exists.
• Ability to maintain confidentiality and professionalism in the workplace.
• Ability to read, understand and red-line work orders, budgets, change orders, safety standards, plans, specifications, shop drawings, submittals and manufacturer's literature.
• Ability to read and comprehend complex instructions, correspondence, memos, blueprints, contract documents, specifications and CPM schedules.
• Strong customer service skills.
• Regular, timely and predictable attendance is required for this position.

Working conditions and physical requirements

• Work is performed outdoors on active industrial and data center sites, in heat, cold, wind, wet and humid conditions, including inside tower cells and basins.
• Regular climbing of ladders, stairs and scaffolding, and work at heights of 50 feet or more using fall protection.
• Must be able to wear required PPE, including a respirator when needed, and enter confined spaces.
• Ability to lift up to 50 pounds and to stand, walk, bend and kneel for extended periods.
• Night, weekend and extended shifts may be required to meet outage windows.
• Travel to project sites as required; traveling role may require extended stays away from home.

Other duties as needed

Background check and drug screening required