Industrial Refrigeration Technician at West Coast Personnel

• An excellent opportunity exists for an experienced Industrial Refrigeration Technician to join a technically focused team working across industrial refrigeration installations, maintenance, servicing and breakdown support.
• This is a hands-on position suited to a technically strong individual who is comfortable working in industrial environments and diagnosing mechanical, electrical and refrigeration-related faults.
• The successful candidate will work on compressors, pumps, motors, valves, evaporators, condensers, controls and associated refrigeration equipment, with a strong focus on plant reliability, preventative maintenance and quality workmanship.

Key Responsibilities

• Perform planned and preventative maintenance on industrial refrigeration systems.
• Diagnose and repair mechanical, electrical and refrigeration faults.
• Inspect plant and equipment to identify potential failures before breakdowns occur.
• Service and maintain compressors, pumps, motors, valves, evaporators, condensers and associated equipment.
• Assist with installation and commissioning of new refrigeration systems and equipment.
• Attend to breakdowns and emergency call-outs where required.
• Perform pressure, temperature and operational checks on refrigeration systems.
• Assist with refrigerant leak detection and corrective maintenance.
• Work safely with industrial refrigerants, including ammonia systems where applicable.
• Read and interpret technical drawings, P&IDs, wiring diagrams and equipment manuals.
• Carry out electrical fault-finding on motors, control panels, sensors and related equipment.
• Complete job cards, maintenance records and technical reports accurately.
• Liaise with customers, production personnel and technical management regarding maintenance and repair requirements.
• Identify recurring equipment failures and recommend corrective actions.
• Assist with plant upgrades, modifications and improvement projects.
• Maintain and control tools, equipment and spares.
• Follow all health, safety and environmental procedures.
• Maintain high standards of housekeeping and workmanship.
• Support junior technicians and apprentices where required.

Minimum Requirements

• Relevant technical qualification in refrigeration, mechanical or electrical engineering.
• Practical experience within an industrial refrigeration or heavy industrial environment.
• Experience working on industrial refrigeration equipment and systems.
• Strong mechanical fault-finding ability.
• Strong electrical fault-finding ability.
• Sound understanding of preventative and breakdown maintenance.
• Valid driver's licence.
• Ability to work independently and as part of a technical team.
• Willingness to work overtime, standby and call-outs where required.

Highly Advantageous

• Trade Test / Red Seal as a Refrigeration Mechanic.
• SAQCC Gas registration.
• Ammonia / R717 certification and practical experience.
• Experience with screw and reciprocating compressors.
• Experience with ammonia pumps, vessels, valves and evaporative condensers.
• PLC and refrigeration-control-system exposure.
• Electrical troubleshooting experience.
• Experience within food processing, cold storage, FMCG or large industrial refrigeration plants.

Technical Competencies
The successful candidate should be comfortable working with:

• Industrial refrigeration systems.
• Compressors.
• Pumps and motors.
• Valves and vessels.
• Evaporators and condensers.
• Refrigeration controls.
• Mechanical fault-finding.
• Electrical fault-finding.
• Preventative maintenance.
• Breakdown maintenance.
• Refrigerant systems.
• Pressure and temperature monitoring.
• Technical drawings and schematics.
• Safe working procedures.

The Ideal Candidate

• You are a practical, hands-on technician who enjoys being on the plant floor and solving technical problems. You are comfortable diagnosing faults under pressure, investigating the root cause of breakdowns and completing repairs correctly rather than simply applying temporary fixes.
• You take plant reliability, safety and workmanship seriously and can work independently without constant supervision. Experience within industrial refrigeration, particularly ammonia-based systems, will be highly advantageous.

Key Performance Areas
Success in the role will be measured through:

• Refrigeration plant uptime and reliability.
• Quality and accuracy of repairs.
• Reduction in repeat breakdowns.
• Preventative maintenance compliance.
• Breakdown response times.
• Safety compliance.
• Quality of technical records and reporting.
• Customer and production-team satisfaction.