Which companies are hiring HVAC techs right now?
Are there any trends for workers among the open job listings or employee reviews among the largest HVAC companies?
If you’re looking to better understand the competition for HVAC talent in your area or industry, or perhaps doing a little research on employment in the HVAC industry, this post is for you.
Largest HVAC employers in the U.S.
You’ve no doubt heard about some of these companies before, maybe in your own area. Take a look at the biggest companies hiring HVAC technicians in the country:
Do you see any companies that you might be competing for HVAC talent with? Don’t forget to check out our blog post on how to write the perfect HVAC job description so your company can stand out.
Note—For those looking for work in the HVAC industry, you might want to check out some sample job descriptions and employee reviews further down below.
Sears, despite the corporation’s recent struggles, has the most open job postings for HVAC personnel in the entire country. What’s interesting is that not only is Sears attempting to hire more HVAC employees than any other American company, they’re the only company in the top seven with significant residential offerings.
The next four spots on the list all provide commercial building maintenance services, hence their need for so many HVAC technicians.
Let’s take a closer look at the top five companies hiring for HVAC.
1. Sears Holdings
Formed in 2005 after Kmart bought the retailer formerly known as Sears, Roebuck and Co., Sears Holdings represented the 20th largest retailer in the U.S. in 2015. In 2018, however, the holding company filed for Chapter 11 Bankruptcy.
- Headquarters: Hoffman Estates, IL
- Total employees: 89,000
- HVAC jobs available: 828
Although Sears Holdings closed more than 200 stores after the bankruptcy announcement, the company still provides plenty of opportunities for HVAC professionals.
Sears Holdings still maintains 700+ locations and offers a professional heating and cooling service department.
Examples of open HVAC positions at Sears Holdings
- Title: HVAC InstallerLoaction: Livermore, CA
- Title: HVAC Service Repair TechnicianLoaction: Hoffman Estates, IL
Employee reviews of Sears Holdings
Good place to learn – ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
HVAC Service Technician (Current Employee) – Jacksonville, FL – August 4, 2017
A good place to learn if you are not fully competent in repairing product. Support for the technicians is good. Sales appears to be their main focus instead of providing excellent service for the customers.
Dead end job – ⭐️
HVAC TECHNICIAN (Current Employee) – Lakewood, NJ – August 17, 2017
It’s a job for a recent tech school grad wanting to get some experience. After you have worked there for a while it turns into a dead end job.They don’t give any raises or advancement. The company’s retail business is suffering.
2. JLL Commercial Real Estate
JLL (Jones Lang LaSalle Incorporated) is the second largest commercial real estate services firm in the U.S. It currently ranks 189th on the Fortune 500 lists and trades on the New York Stock Exchange.
In 2018, 54% of its total revenue came from its facilities management services, according to the annual report filed with the SEC, which presents a huge opportunity for HVAC professionals.
- Headquarters: Chicago, IL
- Total employees: 88,000
- HVAC jobs available: 646
Examples of open HVAC positions at JLL
- Title: HVAC Technician
- Location: Houston, TX
- Title: Engineer Apprentice
- Location: West Chester, OH
Employee reviews of JLL
Great place to work – ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
HVAC Service Technician (Former Employee) – Chicago, IL – April 18, 2017
I really enjoyed who I worked with and the customers we serviced. The pay was good, the hours were good the travel was reasonable (local) The on call was nice. I only left to further myself in my specific field.
Stressful, unappreciative environment – ⭐️⭐️
Senior HVAC Engineer (Former Employee) – Atlanta, GA – November 5, 2018
There’s a cap on what kind of raise you can get, which, depending on the situation, promotion, or new role, can be very unfair. As a result, I saw a high turnover when good employees weren’t appropriately compensated. Employees on client accounts tend to not feel as connected to JLL and more so to the client account.
3. CBRE Group
CBRE is the largest commercial real estate and investment firm in the world. Although the company rebranded to CBRE Group Inc. in 2011, its roots go back to 1906 as Tucker, Lynch & Coldwell (that’s of Coldwell Banker fame).
- Headquarters: Los Angeles, CA
- Total employees: 80,000
- HVAC jobs available: 619
Examples of open HVAC positions at CBRE
- Title: HVAC Technician
- Location: Boise, ID
- Title: Maintenance Technician, HVAC
- Location: Beachwood, OH
Employee reviews of CBRE
Great Company to work for!! – ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Manager (Former Employee) – Miami, FL – October 31, 2018
Awesome culture to work for! Training is world class! People and support are top notch! Lot’s of room for advancement. Great benefits I should have never left!!
Awesome company – ⭐️⭐️
Lead HVAC (Former Employee) – Tulsa, OK – September 18, 2016
Very bad management. Advanced up into management but there were people that did not care about the place they were contracted to work.
4. Johnson Controls
A multinational conglomerate across six continents, Johnson Controls makes HVAC and electronic equipment for buildings, among many other endeavors. Warren S. Johnson, who founded the company with investors from Milwaukee, was a major force in the creation of the building services industry.
In 2016, Johnson Controls merged with Tyco and moved their headquarters to Ireland, stirring controversy among U.S. business and political circles due to the large tax breaks it would receive.
- Headquarters: Cork, Ireland
- Total employees: 105,000
- HVAC jobs available: 590
Examples of open HVAC positions at Johnson Controls
- Title: HVAC Service Chiller Mechanic (Union)
- Location: Memphis, TN
- Title: HVAC Controls Technician
- Location: Charlotte, NC
Employee reviews of Johnson Controls
Satisfactory – ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Industrial HVAC-R Service Tech (Former Employee) – Houston, TX – May 27, 2019
Great experience, I learned about many different types a/c equipment and troubleshooting techniques, great management support staff. Had a great time meeting new people and learning how their systems are designed to fit their needs.
Good place to start but not for long term – ⭐️⭐️⭐️
Commercial HVAC Journeyman (Current Employee) – Savannah, GA – April 29, 2018
This company is very safety oriented which is a positive but everything else from management to the organization is terrible. The most unorganized corporation I have ever worked for to be such a large company.
5. Siemens
Siemens is a German multinational conglomerate with three primary divisions—industry, energy, and healthcare. Siemens both manufactures and services building equipment—such as HVAC—all over the world with a massive workforce.
- Headquarters: Berlin and Munich, Germany
- Total employees: 379,000
- HVAC jobs available: 517
Examples of open HVAC positions at Siemens
- Title: Field Service Technician- Building Automation HVAC Controls
- Location: Beaverton, OR
- Title: Design Engineer – Building Automation/HVAC Controls
- Location: Cincinnati, OH
Employee reviews of Siemens
Great – ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Service Technician (Former Employee) – Boston, MA – September 4, 2018
Great company to work for. Good benefits and lots of freedom. The building automation is tough to learn but they offer a lot of training and good help.
Good Company – ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐
Service Tech 1 (Former Employee) – Issaquah, WA – July 13, 2015
Siemens was a pretty good job, the work is technical and there’s always something new each day. The driving aspect of it was rather difficult though. I learned to service HVAC equipment at their school in Chicago. The co-workers were friendly and the place had a nice atmosphere.
Next Steps
So there you have it—the largest HVAC companies hiring for technicians and other roles.
If you’re an HVAC business owner, how can you differentiate your company to attract top talent in your area? Ofrring a more competitive HVAC Salary? Perks? Something else?
