Originally published in January 2023. Last updated on January 14, 2025.
An accurate and detailed HVAC technician job description helps you hire a qualified HVAC technician who can install, replace, and maintain your customers’ heating and cooling systems.
Download our free job description template and use the guide below to fill it with the right HVAC duties, qualifications, salary info, and other important details.
Example of an HVAC job description
Use this example of an HVAC installation technician job description to write one of your own. You can edit any details to customize the job description for your hiring needs.
HVAC Technician – Seattle Breeze HVAC
Position Summary:
We are hiring an experienced HVAC technician who will install, maintain, and repair HVAC systems in residential properties. This technician must be licensed to provide HVAC services in the state of California.
Reporting to our HVAC Service Manager, this technician will be dispatched to several customer homes per week for routine maintenance, service calls, installs, change-outs, and emergency repairs.
The technician will work among a team of eight other install and repair techs to sell HVAC service contracts to new, one-time customers and maintain relationships with existing service and maintenance customers.
Responsibilities:
- Install heating, air conditioning, and ventilation systems and equipment based on building blueprints and specifications
- Identify and schedule maintenance needs for HVAC equipment
- Conduct HVAC system performance tests on all types of units
- Diagnose and troubleshoot mechanical and electrical problems in HVAC systems
- Repair damaged or faulty HVAC equipment and replace parts as necessary following manufacturer recommendations
- Complete emergency repairs as required
- Organize and track inventory and HVAC tools to limit supply losses to the company
- Stay compliant with HVAC industry codes and follow occupational health and safety regulations
- Provide exceptional customer service to residential and/or commercial clients, including system maintenance guidelines
Qualifications:
- High school diploma or GED
- HVAC license
- Successful completion of HVAC apprenticeship
- Minimum 3 years of HVAC journeyman-level experience
- NATE and EPA certification
- Valid driver’s license and ability to drive a company vehicle
Skills:
- Ability to interpret blueprints, schematics, and work plans
- Ability to troubleshoot HVACR systems to identify, understand, and resolve issues
- Understanding of advanced principles of air conditioning, refrigeration, and heating
- Ability to lift and carry up to 50 pounds
- Ability to work in confined spaces
- Excellent communication, problem-solving, and customer service skills
Work Hours: 35 hours/week, Tues–Sat (occasional overtime)
Compensation and Benefits:
- $27–$32/hour
- Paid vacation time
- Health and life insurance
- Long-term disability insurance
- Subsidized career development opportunities
About Seattle Breeze HVAC:
Seattle Breeze HVAC is a growing team of residential HVAC technicians with over 20 years of experience. We’re locally owned and operated, and we’re proud to offer 24/7 emergency services in the Seattle metro area. Join our crew and take your HVAC career to the next level.
What to include in an HVAC service technician job description:
1. Summary of the HVAC technician role
Start your job description with a short overview of your HVAC technician’s role and why you need to fill this position. This is called a position summary, job summary, or job brief. It quickly shows applicants if the role is right for them.
Your position summary should answer these questions:
- Will your technician work on residential or commercial HVAC technology (or both)?
- Will the technician specialize in refrigeration or other specific system types?
- Who does the HVAC technician report to?
- Will your technician be involved in HVAC sales, marketing, or other operations?
- Are there any special HVAC technician requirements that candidates should know before applying?
Follow this example of a quick, effective position summary:
We are hiring a skilled HVAC technician to install, maintain, and repair HVACR systems in residential properties. This technician must be licensed to provide HVAC services in the state of California.
Reporting to our Service Manager, this technician will be dispatched to several customer homes per week for routine maintenance, service calls, installs, change-outs, and emergency repairs.
The technician will work among a team of eight other install and repair techs to sell HVAC service contracts to new, one-time customers and maintain relationships with existing service and maintenance customers.
The biggest mistake that a lot of people make is the fact that they want perfection and they want everybody to be like them.
By trying to chase that perfection all the time, they lose the chance of scaling. What they’re doing is creating a job for themselves. They’re not creating a job for others.
2. HVAC technician duties and responsibilities
Outline all the tasks you expect the successful HVAC technician to perform once they join your team. Here are the most common HVAC technician responsibilities:
- Install heating, air conditioning, and ventilation systems and equipment based on building blueprints, specifications, and wiring diagrams
- Follow an HVAC installation checklist to complete thorough change-outs
- Complete HVAC work orders and record time spent and materials used on each job
- Follow HVAC inspection checklists to complete routine HVAC inspections (e.g., testing equipment for leaks, checking tension on belts and motors, inspecting electrical wiring)
- Clean HVAC components such as blowers, coils, filters, and grills
- Identify and schedule maintenance needs for HVAC equipment
- Maintain system refrigerant and lubrication levels
- Work with power tools and hand tools to install refrigeration and ductwork components
- Clean refrigeration system components such as blowers, coils, filters, and grills
- Conduct HVAC system performance tests on all types of units
- Diagnose and troubleshoot mechanical and electrical problems in HVACR systems
- Repair damaged or faulty HVAC equipment and replace parts as necessary following manufacturer recommendations
- Complete emergency HVAC repair tasks as required
- Organize and track inventory and HVAC tools to limit supply losses to the company
- Follow HVAC van organization practices to maintain work vehicles
- Address customer concerns before, during, and after service visits
- Stay compliant with HVAC industry protocols and follow occupational health and safety regulations
- Provide exceptional customer service to residential and/or commercial clients, including system maintenance guidelines
My guys are trained from beginning to end in taking a call, quoting a call, writing the job description, taking care of the customer, invoicing the customer, and dealing with their own issues. I want them to feel like it’s their own business.
To customize this list for your company’s needs and the HVAC technician position you’re filling, answer these questions:
- How many service visits will your HVAC technician complete each day or each week?
- Will your technician mostly perform maintenance, repairs, installs, or all of the above?
- Will they be on call outside of regular working hours to conduct emergency repairs?
- Will they be responsible for scheduling new jobs, creating quotes, or invoicing clients?
- Will they need to train junior teammates? If so, how much previous HVAC industry experience is required?
3. Required qualifications and licensing
List any essential qualifications that are required for the HVAC technician role. Setting strict requirements saves you time by attracting applicants who are qualified for the job.
Your list of HVAC service technician requirements and qualifications should include:
- Level of trade-specific or non-trade education (e.g., high school diploma, HVAC trade school certificate)
- How many years of work experience you require
- HVAC license (e.g., journeyman license, Class A or Class B HVAC contractor license in Florida, or C-20 contractor’s license if you’re a certified HVAC contractor in California)
- Any health and safety training that’s required for the role, whether before or after the successful candidate is hired
- Any other documents or legal authorization required to perform the job
Examples of HVAC technician qualifications
- High school diploma or GED
- Trade school or college certificate/diploma in HVAC
- Successful completion of HVAC apprenticeship
- Minimum 3 years of HVAC journeyman-level experience
- HVAC license, if required (e.g., Class 1 HVAC contractor license in Georgia)
- Any required certification (e.g., North American Technician Excellence, Environmental Protection Agency, HVAC Excellence)
- Completion of any required safety training courses (e.g., OSHA standards)
- Valid driver’s license and ability to drive a company vehicle
- Willingness to continue education and keep up with HVAC industry trends
4. Important skills and knowledge
List any skills or knowledge a candidate needs to succeed in the HVAC technician role. Decide which skills you can train after hiring and which ones a technician should already have.
You might also want to outline what personal traits make a candidate who fits well with your team—think patience, creativity, and a strong work ethic.
Technical skills are teachable, but an employee with great character and a willingness to grow is a valuable asset to any team.
Examples of HVAC technician skills and knowledge
- Ability to interpret blueprints, schematics, and work plans
- Ability to troubleshoot HVACR systems to identify, understand, and resolve issues
- Ability to interpret technical data such as temperature and pressure measurements
- Understanding of advanced principles of air conditioning, refrigeration, and heating
- Working knowledge of boiler systems, refrigeration equipment, and other HVAC technology
- Proficiency in balancing air and water treatment systems
- Ability to lift and carry up to 50 pounds
- Ability to work in confined spaces
- Ability to operate in a high-pressure, high-stakes work environment
- Ability to work weekends, holidays, and overtime as needed
- Written and verbal communication skills
- Problem-solving and critical thinking skills
- Interpersonal skills to respond to clients’ needs, questions, and concerns
- Attention to detail
You want to hire the right people for the job, and you want to hire the right people for the team.
Make sure the people that you bring in are for the team.
5. Work hours and wages
When candidates are deciding whether a role is right for them, they need details about hours and compensation.
Tell your applicants whether the HVAC technician job is full-time or part-time, and if the work term is permanent or seasonal. Then, outline the number of hours your HVAC technician will work every week.
Include your HVAC technician’s salary or wage range. A range gives you and your candidates the flexibility to negotiate pay based on experience and skills.
Finally, outline the benefits you offer employees. This can help a candidate confirm that they want to work at your HVAC company. Benefits can include:
- Paid time off
- Paid family leave
- Health insurance or a health spending account
- Disability insurance
- Retirement savings plan
- Professional development and education subsidies
- Employee bonus program
READ MORE: How to attract employees to your business
Create a job posting to attract new HVAC technicians
Once you’ve written your job description, advertise it on job boards and job posting websites like Indeed. Include application instructions and a request for any extra information that applicants need to provide.
That’s it! You’re ready to welcome a reliable, skilled HVAC tech to your team so you can help more customers and run a successful HVAC business.
Want more expert tips for hiring employees? Check out this episode of Jobber’s Masters of Home Service podcast and get proven tips for writing a job description and hiring the right candidate:
Frequently Asked Questions
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An HVAC technician installs, repairs, and maintains heating, ventilation, and air conditioning systems. They can work in residential and commercial settings to ensure comfortable indoor temperatures and good air quality. HVAC technicians provide both scheduled and emergency service as required.
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That depends on the role. If you’re hiring for a more senior position, you could require the applicant to have at least five years of HVAC industry experience.
On the other hand, an entry-level role only requires a completed apprenticeship. You’ll have to provide on-the-job training, but this ensures skills are developed exactly the way you want.
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A good HVAC technician has years of industry experience installing, repairing, and maintaining HVAC equipment and systems. In addition to having a working knowledge of HVAC mechanics, they should also have strong communication, problem-solving, and customer service skills.
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The median wage for HVACR professionals is $57,300 or roughly $27/hour, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
The exact wage varies depending on the technician’s location, experience level, skill set, and HVAC license or certifications. -
An HVAC mechanic is typically a more experienced position than an HVAC technician, but the responsibilities are mostly the same. HVAC mechanics are usually capable of installing and repairing more complex HVAC technology and have a more advanced technical education.
READ MORE: Ask these HVAC interview questions when you’re hiring