BAS Technical Support Specialist

The Technical Support Specialist is a hands-on technical support role for building controls. This position operates phones and the technical support ticket queues, live troubleshooting with technicians and escalate to manufacturers with product issue. Time is spent in labs bench-testing controllers, reproducing customer issues, staging and commissioning equipment before it ships, and building out demo setups. Other duties include, but not limited to:

• Provide technical support by phone, email, and ticketing system to contractors, system integrators, building owners, and end users.
• Troubleshoot Niagara Framework issues - station configuration, drivers, points, histories, alarms, licensing, and platform/upgrade problems
• Support customers on other building controller programming and configuration tools we distribute
• Diagnose field wiring and communication problems: power, terminations, shielding, grounding, daisy-chain and termination issues on RS-485 networks
• Troubleshoot IP networking as it applies to controls - addressing, subnets, VLANs, port forwarding, remote access, and BACnet/IP behavior on customer networks
• Bench-test, stage, configure, and commission controllers and gateways before they go out the door
• Reproduce reported issues in the lab and document root cause and resolution
• Escalate confirmed product defects to manufacturers and track them through resolution
• Document solutions in our internal knowledge base so the answer exists the next time
• Support our sales and inside sales teams with technical product questions, compatibility checks, and part selection
• Assist with customer training sessions, lunch-and-learns, and product demonstrations
• Occasional travel to customer sites within the region for on-site troubleshooting or startup support
• Other duties as assigned

THIS IS NOT A SOFTWARE DEVELOPMENT POSITION. This position(team) supports HVAC controls and controls software - wiring, networks, protocols, commissioning, and the software tools our customers use to run their buildings.

Work Environment & Schedule:

This is a full-time position working 40 hours per week on weekdays 7:30a - 5:00p. This role combines desk-based support work at our branch Mississauga, ON with hands-on bench and lab work, plus occasional site visits.

• Bachelor’s degree or equivalent experience with Information Technology/Systems, Computer/Data Science, Information Systems, Engineering, or related field.
• General networking fundamentals - TCP/IP, subnetting, and serial-based communications (RS-485/RS-232).
• Proficient on Windows platforms.
• Strong verbal and written communication - you can walk a technician through a fix over the phone without losing them.
• Ability to quickly learn and retain a working knowledge of new software, products and concepts.
• Valid driver’s licence.

Preferred Qualficiations:

• 1-3 years minimum in technical support, field service, or another customer-facing technical role
• HVAC Controls or Building Automation Systems experience - installing, commissioning, servicing, or supporting them
• Working knowledge of low-voltage control wiring: reading wiring diagrams and submittals, terminations, troubleshooting with a multimeter
• Niagara Framework experience (Niagara 4 certification a strong asset)
• Familiarity with building controls protocols - BACnet, LonWorks, Modbus
• Experience with any major BAS platform: Distech, Honeywell, Johnson Controls, Siemens, Delta, Reliable Controls, KMC, or similar
• HVAC mechanical background - knowing how an AHU, VAV box, chiller, or boiler actually sequences
• Electrical or trade certification (309A, 442A) or HVAC certification (313A/313D, G2/G3)
• Building Niagara graphics and dashboards, or setting up trends, histories, and reports
• Light scripting or database familiarity (SQL queries, CSV/point-list manipulation) for data and reporting tasks
• Experience with ticketing systems (Zendesk, Freshdesk, ServiceNow or similar)
• Prior experience in controls distribution or as a controls contractor, * Do you have experience with general networking fundamentals such as TCP/IP, subnetting, and serial-based communications (RS-485/RS-232)?
• Do you have any working knowledge of low-voltage control wiring such as reading wiring diagrams and submittals, terminations, troubleshooting with multimeters? If so, please explain.
• Do you have any Niagara Framework experience or are Niagara 4 Certified? If so, please explain.
• Do you have any experience with Distech, Honeywell, Johnson Controls, Siemens, Delta, Reliable Controls, KMC, or other related BAS platforms? If so, please explain.
• Do you have any experience installing, commissioning, servicing, or supporting HVAC Controls or Building Automation Systems? If so, please explain.

Education:

• Bachelor’s Degree (preferred)

Experience:

• technical support or field service: 1 year (preferred)

This is a salary position, paid bi-weekly, ranging between $80,000 - $100,000 per year. Starting salary wage is negotiable and based on qualifications experience.

Cochrane’s Canada Controls division offers competitive benefits packages including health, dental, and vision with Desjardins, long-term disability, life insurance, tuition reimbursement, assistance programs, profit sharing, vacation, and public holidays., * 401(k) matching

• Dental insurance
• Employee assistance program
• Employee discount
• Flexible spending account
• Health insurance
• Health savings account
• Life insurance
• Paid time off
• Tuition reimbursement
• Vision insurance

Cochrane Supply & Engineering is an award-winning, internationally recognized smart building controls distributor as a source of Building Automation Systems and IIoT products. Representing more than 100 of the industry’s top manufacturers, Cochrane Supply’s huge selection of products blend innovation and solutions for customized facility management and improved building efficiency when it comes to HVAC, security, energy, lighting, gas-detection and more!