Connecticut S-2 Lead Installers: Earn $90K–$110K+ Running High-Efficiency Boilers & Heat Pumps at Modern Heating & Air Conditioning Services in New Haven! (Or Master Plumbers: Ditch the Drains & Pivot to HVAC)
About the Company
Fifteen years ago, Modern Heating & Air Conditioning Services was founded with just one man and a single truck. Today, under the leadership of Matt Sando, we have grown into a tight-knit, thriving team of over 20 skilled professionals serving homeowners throughout the Greater New Haven area and Southern Connecticut.We do not believe in revolving doors or impulse hiring. We intentionally wait for the right craftsmen - individuals who take genuine pride in mechanical artistry, embody humility, show up on time, and value true teamwork. In return, we provide an awesome boss, a drama-free workplace, modern trucks and equipment, and an environment where your work, your ideas, and your personal life are respected. If you are tired of being treated like a number and want to work for a company where leadership actually has your back, you have found your home at Modern Heating & Air Conditioning Services.
About the Role
Homes across the Greater New Haven area are known for complex heating architecture: older steam loops, cast-iron boilers, hydronic radiant systems, oil-to-gas conversions, and next-generation multi-zone heat pumps. As our Residential HVAC Lead Installer, you will be our mechanical anchor—leading high-caliber, "soup-to-nuts" installations that look like showroom centerpieces.
- For the Experienced HVAC Lead: You are already running boilers, furnaces, and heat pump systems smoothly, but you want better pay, real recognition, and a company that rewards your installation efficiency and clean craftsmanship.
- For the Licensed Plumber Ready to Pivot: If you hold a P-license and love hydronics, water heaters, and boiler piping—but you are thoroughly exhausted from snaking drains, clearing grease traps, and rebuilding toilets—we have a proven path for you. You can run our hydronic and boiler installs under your plumbing license today while we cross-train and support you in mastering sheet metal, refrigeration, and ductless systems to expand your credentials.
What's In It for You
We offer a transparent, high-yield compensation package that rewards speed, quality, and clean work - not high-pressure sales tactics.
- Compensation & Earning Potential
- Base Pay: $38.00 – $55.00/hour - based on license tier and hands-on hydronic/HVAC experience. ($79,040 – $114,400 guaranteed annualized floor based on a standard 40-hour work week).
- On-Target Earnings (OTE): $87,000 – $149,000+ annually.
- Lower-Tier OTE: $87,000 – $103,000/year
- Upper-Tier OTE: $126,000 – $149,000+/year
- How OTE is Calculated: Your base pay is just the starting point. With seasonal overtime, our specialized HVAC and hydronics technicians typically earn an additional 10% to 30%+ on top of their base salary.
- Retirement: 401(k) plan with company support to help you build lasting wealth.
- Paid Time Off: Generous PTO program plus paid holidays.
- Tools & Gear: Dedicated, take-home company vehicle stocked with premium rigging and power tools; company iPad/phone; uniform program.
- Culture & Growth: Structured weekly morning team meetings focused on open communication, training, and operational support.
Core Responsibilities
- Lead, coordinate, and complete soup-to-nuts residential installations across Greater New Haven, including high-efficiency combi-boilers, standard hydronic/steam heating, oil-to-gas conversions, split heat pumps, and ductless mini-splits.
- Execute clean near-boiler piping, zone valve/manifold setups, gas lines, flue venting, condensate drainage, and sheet metal duct transitions.
- Manage, mentor, and direct an installation apprentice/helper on site, ensuring safe job site habits, clean prep, and professional pacing.
- Complete thorough system start-ups, combustion efficiency testing, and refrigerant commissioning using diagnostic tools and digital checklists.
- Build jobs strictly to Connecticut mechanical and fuel gas codes to secure first-visit municipal inspection approvals across New Haven County.
- Conduct a friendly, professional walkthrough with the homeowner at the end of each project, demonstrating system controls and explaining maintenance care.
- Keep your company installation vehicle clean, stocked, and properly maintained.
Required & Preferred Experience
- Licensing Requirements:
- The Gold Standard: Valid Connecticut S-2 (Unlimited Heating, Piping, and Cooling Journeyperson) or S-1 license is strongly preferred.
- The Plumber's Transition Track: Valid Connecticut P-2 or P-1 (Plumbing Journeyperson/Contractor) license with extensive water heater, boiler replacement, and near-boiler hydronic piping experience, combined with an active desire to cross-train into cooling and sheet metal.
- Trade Experience: Minimum 4+ years of hands-on installation experience in residential heating and mechanical systems; 2+ years leading residential retrofit changeouts.
- Certifications: EPA Universal Certification required for handling refrigerants.
- Tools: Ownership of a complete set of personal hand tools and essential diagnostic trade equipment.
- Technology: Comfortable using digital tablets/smartphones; experience with ServiceTitan is a strong asset.
- Driver’s License: Valid driver's license with a clean, insurable driving record.
Key Attributes for Success
- Mechanical Craftsmanship: You take genuine pride in straight copper lines, square duct transitions, level boiler mounts, and immaculate wiring. Your finished mechanical room is a work of art.
- First-Time-Right Mentality: You measure twice, run combustion analysis, check for leaks, and double-check venting before calling a job done.
- Ego-Free Team Player: You are humble, patient with helpers, receptive to feedback, and always ready to lend a hand to fellow technicians.
- Dependable & Punctual: You treat the schedule and the homeowner’s time with absolute respect.
- Clean & Professional: You maintain a tidy appearance, lay down drop cloths, keep a clean job site, and communicate clearly and politely with homeowners.
Why Join Us?
You have spent years mastering your trade - now, as a Residential HVAC Lead Installer, it’s time to work somewhere that pays you what you’re worth, celebrates your craftsmanship, and treats you like family. Whether you are an experienced S-2 lead seeking market-leading compensation with inspection and labor bonuses, or an accomplished plumber ready to leave clogged drains behind for a high-earning career in hydronics and HVAC, Matt Sando and the team at Modern Heating & Air Conditioning Services are ready to invest in you. Step into a fully stocked truck, take ownership of your career, and build with a crew that values your skill every single day right here in New Haven.
Apply today to start the conversation! We look forward to hearing from you and learning together if there is a fantastic fit here. Thank you.
Modern Heating & Air Conditioning Services is an equal opportunity employer.