BUILDING AUTOMATION SPECIALIST

ABOUT US:

Scripps Research is a nonprofit biomedical institute ranked as one of the most influential in the world for its impact on innovation. We celebrated our 100-year legacy in 2024. This significant milestone marks a century of seminal discoveries in immunology, infectious diseases (such as COVID-19, flu, HIV), neuroscience, heart disease, cancer, and more. Located in La Jolla, California, the institute houses six research departments, multiple Nobel laureates, a top-ranked graduate school and a leading postdoctoral training program. Scripps Research encompasses two elite and highly innovative institutes, the Calibr-Skaggs Institute for Innovative Medicines and Scripps Research Translational Institute, which merge foundational studies in biology, chemistry and computer science with translational science to produce pioneering drugs and advances in digital and precision medicine. Together, we cultivate new scientific leaders and expand the frontiers of knowledge to deliver medical breakthroughs impacting human health around the globe. If you have a passion for making a difference, this could be your opportunity to join our transformative team.

POSITION TITL E : Building Automation Specialist

POSITION SUMMARY:

The Building Automation Specialist performs installation, programming, maintenance, troubleshooting, and repair of the building automation, direct digital control, and environmental monitoring systems that serve laboratory, vivarium, and general campus HVAC and mechanical equipment throughout the institute. Serves as the technical resource to the Mechanical Shop for controls diagnostics, system optimization, and energy performance.

RESPONSIBILITIES AND DUTIES:

• Operate, administer, and maintain the institute's building management system (BMS) and direct digital control (DDC) systems, including controllers, network devices, operator workstations, graphics, point databases, trend logs, schedules, and alarm configurations; • Write, modify, test, and document control sequences and programs for air handling units, exhaust and supply fans, variable air volume terminals, fume hoods, chillers, boilers, pumps, heat exchangers, and variable frequency drive systems; • Install, terminate, calibrate, and replace field control devices, including DDC controllers, sensors, transmitters, actuators, control valves, dampers, relays, transducers, and pneumatic components; verify proper operation following installation or replacement; • Troubleshoot system malfunctions to determine whether the cause is controls, mechanical, electrical, or network related; respond to emergency calls and coordinate corrective action with HVAC Mechanics, electricians, and outside vendors; • Monitor and maintain critical environments, including laboratory and vivarium space pressurization relationships, fume hood and biosafety cabinet airflow, cold rooms, warm rooms, temperature- and humidity-sensitive instrument and equipment areas; • Configure, test, and maintain environmental monitoring and alarm notification for critical research equipment and spaces; investigate alarm events and document findings and corrective action; • Analyze system trend data to diagnose comfort complaints, identify equipment faults and failing devices, verify sequence performance, and recommend energy conservation and operational improvements; • Perform and document controls-related preventive maintenance, sensor calibration, control loop tuning, and functional performance testing; support retro-commissioning of existing building systems; • Support capital and renovation projects by reviewing controls submittals, drawings, sequences of operation, and points lists; witness contractor start-up and commissioning; verify proper integration into the campus BMS prior to acceptance; • Maintain accurate documentation, including as-built sequences, point naming conventions, network architecture, wiring diagrams, program backups, and system change logs; • Interpret blueprints, control drawings, schematics, layouts or other specifications to determine installation, modification, or repair requirements; • Interact with TSRI personnel, contractors and vendors to evaluate, plan and coordinate work. Estimate labor and material costs for work requests. May order supplies; • Perform routine work orders and preventative maintenance tasks, as assigned; • Details of established essential functions for this position will be addressed/discussed during the interview process.