Central Plant Lead

JLL empowers you to shape a brighter way .   Our people at JLL are shaping the future of real estate for a better world by combining world class services, advisory and technology for our clients. We are committed to hiring the best, most talented people and empowering them to thrive, grow meaningful careers and to find a place where they belong.  Whether you’ve got deep experience in commercial real estate, skilled trades or technology, or you’re looking to apply your relevant experience to a new industry, join our team as we help shape a brighter way forward.    Central Plant Lead- JLL What this job involves: As a Central Plant Lead at JLL, you'll serve as the technical and operational authority for the Central Utility Plant (CUP), providing hands-on leadership and accountability for the safe, reliable, and efficient operation of all plant systems. This role places you at the center of mission-critical infrastructure—chilled water plants, boilers, cooling towers, and building automation systems—where your expertise directly ensures business continuity and reduces unplanned downtime. You'll bridge plant operations, engineering execution, safety compliance, and client service delivery while acting as the primary escalation point for plant-related risks, failures, and optimization opportunities. At JLL, we are collectively shaping a brighter way—for our clients, ourselves and our fellow employees—and in this position, you'll lead by example, mentoring operators and engineers while maintaining continuous situational awareness of plant performance and system constraints. What your day-to-day will look like: • Lead day-to-day operation of the Central Plant including chillers, boilers, cooling towers, pumping systems, and building automation systems, ensuring all equipment operates within design intent and manufacturer recommendations • Direct critical plant activities such as startups, shutdowns, load transfers, seasonal changeovers, and abnormal operating conditions while serving as the technical authority for operational decision-making • Own execution quality for preventive and predictive maintenance programs, troubleshooting complex mechanical, electrical, and controls issues to determine root cause and implement corrective actions • Provide daily leadership and technical coaching to Central Plant Operators and Engineers, including work assignment, prioritization, after-hours on-call oversight, and performance development • Champion a zero-incident safety culture by enforcing compliance with OSHA, NFPA, EPA, and ASHRAE standards, including proper execution of lockout/tagout, confined space entry, and hot work protocols • Serve as the trusted technical representative to clients, communicating plant status, risks, and planned activities clearly to stakeholders while supporting audits and performance reviews • Identify and implement plant efficiency improvements through load optimization, sequencing enhancements, and energy management initiatives that reduce lifecycle costs and support sustainability goals Required qualifications: •HS diploma or GED • 7+ years of progressive experience in central plant or critical mechanical systems operations with deep knowledge of chillers, boilers, hydronic systems, and building automation platforms • 2–3+ years in a lead, senior engineer, or supervisory role within a plant environment, demonstrating hands-on leadership and technical decision-making authority • Strong expertise in preventive and predictive maintenance execution, including troubleshooting complex issues across mechanical, electrical, and controls systems • Proven ability to lead and develop technical teams in a 24/7 operational environment, including after-hours escalation support and emergency response coordination • Valid stationary engineer license, boiler operator license, or equivalent certification as required by local jurisdiction • Comprehensive understanding of