How to hire a hvac controls technician

How to hire a hvac controls technician, step by step

Here's a step-by-step hvac controls technician hiring guide:

• Step 1: Identify your hiring needs
• Step 2: Create an ideal candidate profile
• Step 3: Make a budget
• Step 4: Write a hvac controls technician job description
• Step 5: Post your job
• Step 6: Interview candidates
• Step 7: Send a job offer and onboard your new hvac controls technician
• Step 8: Go through the hiring process checklist

What does a hvac controls technician do?

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1. Identify your hiring needs

   The hvac controls technician hiring process starts by determining what type of worker you actually need. Certain roles might require a full-time employee, whereas part-time workers or contractors can do others.

   Determine employee vs contractor status

   Is the person you're thinking of hiring a US citizen or green card holder?

   Yes

   No

   You should also consider the ideal background you'd like them a hvac controls technician to have before you start to hire. For example, what industry or field would you like them to have experience in, what level of seniority or education does the job require, and how much it'll cost to hire a hvac controls technician that fits the bill.

   The following list breaks down different types of hvac controls technicians and their corresponding salaries.

   Type of Hvac Controls Technician	Description	Hourly rate
   Hvac Controls Technician	Heating, air conditioning, and refrigeration mechanics and installers—often called heating, ventilation, air conditioning, and refrigeration (HVACR) technicians—work on heating, ventilation, cooling, and refrigeration systems that control the temperature and air quality in buildings.	$19-35
   Installer Apprentice	An elevator installer apprentice is a trainee who trains under a skilled elevator installer to install, fix, and maintain elevators, escalators, and other lifts. Elevator installer apprentices must assist in assembling elevator cars as well as connecting electrical wiring to control panels and electric motors... Show more	$13-23
   Mechanical Installer	A mechanical installer uses a set of structures to maintain machinery. The primary responsibilities of this position are assembling, installing, dismantling, troubleshooting, and conducting repairs on machinery... Show more	$13-30

   Show more

2. Create an ideal candidate profile

   Common skills:

   • Mechanical Systems
   • Customer Satisfaction
   • Hand Tools
   • Customer Service
   • Building Automation Systems
   • Systems Software
   • Mechanical Equipment
   • Trane
   • Ventilation
   • Retrofit
   • Service Calls
   • BACnet
   • PLC
   • Bid Proposals

   Check all skills

   Responsibilities:

   • Install motors, pumps, plumbing equipment.
   • Replace and repair pneumatic and electrical valves, controllers, switches, relays, dampers.
   • Provide assistance to new installation of residential condensers and heating units.
   • Provide HVAC/R service with specific responsibility for identifying repair and/or replacement needs.
   • General maintenance to HVAC/R retrofits electrical updates and generator repair and maintenance.
   • Maintain environmental conditions by installing and maintaining both heating and cooling systems such as air conditioners, chillers and refrigeration equipment.

   More hvac controls technician duties

3. Make a budget

   Including a salary range in the hvac controls technician job description is a good way to get more applicants. A hvac controls technician salary can be affected by several factors, such as the location of the job, the level of experience, education, certifications, and the employer's prestige.

   For example, the average salary for a hvac controls technician in Maine may be lower than in Alaska, and an entry-level engineer typically earns less than a senior-level hvac controls technician. Additionally, a hvac controls technician with lots of experience in the field may command a higher salary as a result.

   Average hvac controls technician salary

   $54,632yearly

   $26.27 hourly rate

   ---

   Entry-level hvac controls technician salary

   $40,000 yearly salary

   Updated December 16, 2025

   Average hvac controls technician salary by state

   Rank	State	Avg. salary	Hourly rate
   1	California	$82,113	$39
   2	Massachusetts	$75,449	$36
   3	Connecticut	$75,240	$36
   4	District of Columbia	$73,103	$35
   5	Washington	$69,055	$33
   6	North Dakota	$67,559	$32
   7	Pennsylvania	$63,612	$31
   8	Minnesota	$63,483	$31
   9	Illinois	$63,252	$30
   10	Maryland	$62,519	$30
   11	Nevada	$62,262	$30
   12	Virginia	$61,284	$29
   13	Colorado	$60,341	$29
   14	Arizona	$58,918	$28
   15	Louisiana	$55,868	$27
   16	Iowa	$55,254	$27
   17	South Carolina	$52,439	$25
   18	Florida	$51,515	$25
   19	Kansas	$51,078	$25
   20	Texas	$49,237	$24

   Average hvac controls technician salary by company

   Company

   Rank	Company	Average salary	Hourly rate	Job openings
   1	Jacobs Engineering Group	$74,075	$35.61
   2	Carrier	$68,896	$33.12	63
   3	Siemens	$66,867	$32.15	8
   4	Sierra Lobo	$66,026	$31.74	1
   5	Ameresco	$65,208	$31.35	14
   6	TechFlow	$64,792	$31.15	20
   7	Johnson Controls	$62,684	$30.14	417
   8	EMCOR Group	$60,936	$29.30	223
   9	Liberty Mutual Insurance	$59,848	$28.77
   10	GPAC	$57,066	$27.44
   11	Trane	$56,945	$27.38	229
   12	Bassett Mechanical	$55,945	$26.90	3
   13	Comfort Systems USA	$55,605	$26.73	20
   14	Dynamat	$55,221	$26.55
   15	Sunbelt Rentals	$55,112	$26.50	35
   16	Honeywell	$54,766	$26.33	13
   17	Provisional Educational Services, Incorporated	$53,900	$25.91
   18	Jacobs Enterprises	$53,899	$25.91	108
   19	Climate Control, Inc.	$53,840	$25.88	2
   20	Engineered Cooling Services	$53,624	$25.78	23

4. Writing a hvac controls technician job description

   A hvac controls technician job description should include a summary of the role, required skills, and a list of responsibilities. It's also good to include a salary range and the first name of the hiring manager. Below, you can find an example of a hvac controls technician job description:

   Hvac controls technician job description example

   Driven by a high-caliber workforce, Ameresco is a leading clean technology integrator and renewable asset developer, owner and operator. Our comprehensive services include energy efficiency, infrastructure upgrades, asset sustainability and renewable energy solutions throughout North America and Europe. Our renewable energy assets and customer projects have delivered a cumulative carbon offset equivalent to over 60 million metric tons of carbon dioxide since going public in 2010.
   
   Grounded in our C.A.R.I.N.G. values and guided by our Environmental, Social and Governance practices, we are proud of our engaging workplace with a host of competitive benefits and wellness programs. Our teams work collaboratively to deliver best-in-class solutions with a relentless focus on customer satisfaction. In pursuit of energizing a sustainable world, our people and purpose set Ameresco apart.
   
   Help shape the future of energy by working for an award-winning team, honored to be recognized by agencies including Best and Brightest Companies to Work for in the Nation and Forbes for our company culture, industry leadership, and client projects. Ameresco is fueled by a dynamic team that embraces diversity, career development opportunities, and -- most importantly - employees driven by doing well by doing good.
   
   Perform DDC control start-up on various types of mechanical systems based on DDC control drawings, project plans, specifications, and other contract documents. Ability to analyze building control and HVAC system performance at an individual building level. Ensure project documentation is accurate and complete. Provide field project-management support as required.
   Key Responsibilities:
   Control program use, including: Trend Logs, Zones, Alarms, Reports, Job Back-ups, Graphics, minor DDC code modifications;
   Checkout of DDC control components;
   Startup of Control Systems for projects;
   Commissioning of Control and HVAC Systems;
   Record and Update drawings;
   Execute field changes and as-builds;
   Troubleshoot component and equipment problems;
   Training (Owner and peer);
   Assist Project Manager with field tasks/coordination;
   Panel Construction;
   Field Documentation (As Build drawings, Check-out sheets);
   Manage time to complete assignments on time and within budget;
   Work with Service Department on trouble calls; and
   Perform other duties as required.
   
   Minimum Experience:
   2 years experience with HVAC and mechanical systems and field experience
   Tridium N4 Certification plus 2 years field programming experience;
   
   Additional Experience:
   Mechanical and electrical system troubleshooting experience
   Computer programming experience
   2 or 4 year technical or engineering degree a plus, or equivalent experience;
   
   AMERESCO challenges the brightest, most talented and creative individuals in the industry by providing an environment that embraces initiative, diversity, and achievement along with comprehensive rewards, including people-oriented insurance, investment, and incentive plans.
   
   Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action Employer/Women/Minorities/Veteran/Disability.

   Copy this example

   

5. Post your job

   There are various strategies that you can use to find the right hvac controls technician for your business:

   • Consider promoting from within or recruiting from your existing workforce.
   • Ask for referrals from friends, family members, and current employees.
   • Attend job fairs at local colleges to find candidates who meet your education requirements.
   • Use social media platforms like LinkedIn, Facebook, and Twitter to reach potential job candidates.

   Post your job online:

   • Post your hvac controls technician job on Zippia to find and recruit hvac controls technician candidates who meet your exact specifications.
   • Use field-specific websites.
   • Post a job on free websites.

6. Interview candidates

   Your first interview with hvac controls technician candidates should focus on their interest in the role and background experience. As the hiring process goes on, you can learn more about how they'd fit into the company culture in later rounds of interviews.

   You should also ask about candidates' unique skills and talents to see if they match the ideal candidate profile you developed earlier. Candidates good enough for the next step can complete the technical interview.

   The right interview questions can help you assess a candidate's hard skills, behavioral intelligence, and soft skills.

7. Send a job offer and onboard your new hvac controls technician

   Once you've found the hvac controls technician candidate you'd like to hire, it's time to write an offer letter. This should include an explicit job offer that includes the salary and the details of any other perks. Qualified candidates might be looking at multiple positions, so your offer must be competitive if you like the candidate. Also, be prepared for a negotiation stage, as candidates may way want to tweak the details of your initial offer. Once you've settled on these details, you can draft a contract to formalize your agreement.

   It's also important to follow up with applicants who do not get the job with an email letting them know that the position is filled.

   Once that's done, you can draft an onboarding schedule for the new hvac controls technician. Human Resources should complete Employee Action Forms and ensure that onboarding paperwork is completed, including I-9s, benefits enrollment, federal and state tax forms, etc. They should also ensure that new employee files are created for internal recordkeeping.

8. Go through the hiring process checklist

   • Determine employee type (full-time, part-time, contractor, etc.)
   • Submit a job requisition form to the HR department
   • Define job responsibilities and requirements
   • Establish budget and timeline
   • Determine hiring decision makers for the role
   • Write job description
   • Post job on job boards, company website, etc.
   • Promote the job internally
   • Process applications through applicant tracking system
   • Review resumes and cover letters
   • Shortlist candidates for screening
   • Hold phone/virtual interview screening with first round of candidates
   • Conduct in-person interviews with top candidates from first round
   • Score candidates based on weighted criteria (e.g., experience, education, background, cultural fit, skill set, etc.)
   • Conduct background checks on top candidates
   • Check references of top candidates
   • Consult with HR and hiring decision makers on job offer specifics
   • Extend offer to top candidate(s)
   • Receive formal job offer acceptance and signed employment contract
   • Inform other candidates that the position has been filled
   • Set and communicate onboarding schedule to new hire(s)
   • Complete new hire paperwork (i9, benefits enrollment, tax forms, etc.)

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