Industrial Refrigeration Technician

Who We Are

Spot & Tango is an innovative pet health & wellness brand that delivers personalized meal plans on a subscription basis. Our recipes are developed by leading animal nutritionists, and are made with only real, human-grade ingredients... and nothing artificial! We have lofty goals (to make every dog in the country healthier, and every pet parent happier!) and we are looking for the right people to help us get there. This is an exciting opportunity to join a VC-backed, high-growth, e-commerce startup and have an outsized impact in an extremely fast-paced environment. Plus, you get to think about dogs all day!

Who You Are

We are looking for a highly skilled Industrial Refrigeration Technician to join our state-of-the-art freeze-drying facility in Allentown, PA. This role is responsible for supporting and maintaining large-scale industrial refrigeration and freeze drying systems critical to food manufacturing operations. Unlike traditional commercial HVAC positions, this role focuses on mission-critical industrial refrigeration infrastructure operating continuously in a 24/7 production environment.

The Industrial Refrigeration Technician will troubleshoot, repair, and maintain complex refrigeration systems utilizing ammonia and HFC refrigerants such as R-507, including compressors, refrigeration racks, condensers, evaporators, controls, utilities, and associated process equipment. The role requires strong mechanical and electrical troubleshooting skills, a deep understanding of industrial refrigeration systems, and the ability to respond quickly and effectively in a high-demand manufacturing environment where uptime, reliability, and food safety are essential.

Responsibilities:

• Responsible for reporting and following up on any observation that may impact team member safety and/or product Quality and Food Safety
• Analyze conditions, troubleshoot failures, repair, and perform preventive/predictive maintenance on industrial refrigeration systems including ammonia and HFC (R-507) systems, refrigeration racks, compressors, condensers, evaporators, pumps, valves, controls, and associated utilities
• Perform advanced troubleshooting and maintenance on large-scale industrial refrigeration and freeze drying systems supporting continuous food manufacturing operations
• Diagnose and repair electrical, mechanical, pneumatic, and refrigeration control systems to minimize downtime and maintain operational reliability
• Monitor and optimize refrigeration system performance, efficiency, and reliability
• Perform preventive, predictive, and corrective maintenance on production and utility equipment to minimize downtime
• Ensure all work-orders are complete and accurate, including planned and unplanned assignments, and provide feedback to operators as required
• Complete and maintain accurate records to ensure compliance with all regulatory requirements
• Support continuous improvement initiatives related to refrigeration system reliability, energy efficiency, and equipment performance
• Other duties and responsibilities as assigned

Requirements:

Must Have

• High school diploma or GED required
• 5+ years of industrial refrigeration experience in food manufacturing, cold storage, process refrigeration, freeze drying, or heavy industrial environments
• Refrigeration journeyman skilled craft training/apprenticeship certificate or commensurate combination of technical education and experience
• Strong hands-on experience with industrial ammonia refrigeration systems and HFC refrigerants including R-507
• Advanced troubleshooting knowledge of industrial rack refrigeration systems and refrigeration controls
• Experience working with compressors, VFDs, evaporative condensers, pumps, valves, heat exchangers, and industrial process refrigeration equipment
• Must be able to read and understand electrical schematics, P&IDs, refrigeration diagrams, and refrigeration/electrical meters
• US EPA Universal certification
• Basic knowledge of instrumentation, PLCs, and industrial control logic systems
• Ability to read, write, and communicate effectively in English
• Demonstrated competency in computer and PC software
• Ability to work independently in a high-demand industrial manufacturing environment

Nice to Have

• RETA certification and/or state accredited refrigeration license
• Experience with ammonia refrigeration safety programs and PSM-regulated systems
• A.A./A.S. technical discipline
• Food manufacturing experience
• Experience supporting freeze drying operations or industrial process refrigeration systems
• Working knowledge of HACCP and GMPs
• Good theoretical knowledge and ability to troubleshoot electrical circuits (AC/DC, single/polyphase, low/high voltage) and all related equipment both power and logic
• Experience with CMMS systems and predictive maintenance technologies

Physical Requirements

• Physical Demands: lifting/lowering up to 50 pounds, reaching, standing, walking, stooping, crawling, twisting, working in high elevations (above 6 feet)
• Ability to work with allergens that might be present in food environment 
• Ability to work in hot/cold, noisy, dusty, wet environmental working conditions
• Able to wear safety PPE (Hard hat, body harness, face shield)
• Able to adhere to GMP requirements (hair/beard nets, uniforms, hygiene)