Job Description

Overview

This position serves as an Air Conditioning Equipment Mechanic within the Facilities Management Service at the VA New Jersey Medical Center in East Orange, NJ. The mechanic is responsible for installing, troubleshooting, performing preventative maintenance, and repairing all HVAC&R equipment and controls.

Responsibilities

  • Repairs, inspects, lubricates, installs, and troubleshoots all air conditioning, refrigeration, and ventilation equipment at the medical center.
  • Responsible for heating systems in centrally controlled systems.
  • Installs all necessary piping and tubing for assigned systems and equipment.
  • Responsible for all wiring and control circuits within the system.
  • Uses refrigerants and refrigeration oils within the scope of work.
  • Observes all safe trade practices and handles all tools and materials in a safe manner.
  • Participates in the maintenance and repair of steam distribution systems, water treatment systems, sewage ejection systems, and medical and dental air and vacuum systems.
  • Subject to emergency callbacks.
  • Performs all other duties as assigned.

Requirements

  • Must show evidence of training or experience of sufficient scope and quality to perform the duties of this position.
  • Qualifications will be evaluated against the prescribed screen out element.
  • Experience refers to paid and unpaid experience, including volunteer work.
  • Must be able to interpret instructions and specifications, including blueprint reading.
  • Knowledge of materials and technical practices related to HVAC&R.
  • Ability to troubleshoot and use and maintain tools and equipment.

Additional Information

  • This is an OPEN CONTINUOUS ANNOUNCEMENT and will be open until October 5, 2026.
  • Qualified applicants will be considered and referred as vacancies become available.
  • Work schedule includes varied shifts, including weekends and holidays.

How this job compares in East Orange, NJ

Pay in context

This employer didn't publish a rate. For reference, welding jobs across New Jersey currently run a median of $35/hr in our index, with the middle half of them falling between $29–$40/hr across 115 postings with published pay. That median is a reasonable floor to anchor on when a recruiter asks what you're looking for.

The local market in East Orange, NJ

This is the only active welding job we're currently tracking in East Orange, NJ, which makes it worth moving on quickly — there is no local competing offer to weigh it against. Across New Jersey as a whole we're tracking 184 other active welding openings from 131 employers. Browse welding jobs across New Jersey.

The most active employers in New Jersey at the moment, by number of open welding reqs, are gpac (13), Phillips Tank & Structure (7), and Carvana (5). Volume like that usually means either a genuine expansion or a staffing agency working several client sites — worth knowing which before you apply.

Within New Jersey, the best-paying metros we track by median hourly rate are Northvale at $40/hr, Newark at $38/hr, and South Plainfield at $30/hr. If you can relocate or commute, that spread is worth factoring in.

Similar openings near East Orange, NJ

Pay figures are medians computed from live postings in the Welding Pros index, not from survey data, and they move as employers post. Air Conditioner Equipment Mechanic figures were last recalculated when this page was built.