Careers in the mechanical trades

Union trade careers: pay scales, openings and job alerts

See what your local actually pays before you apply. We track published journeyman wage sheets for UA, SMART and IBEW locals across the country, list the direct-hire HVAC, plumbing, piping, sheet metal and controls roles we're recruiting for, and email you when a new one opens in your market.

Get new openings in your trade by email

One email when a direct-hire mechanical, plumbing, HVAC or sheet metal role opens near you. Competitive pay depending on experience — unsubscribe in one click.

Email me matching openings

Browse open jobs Union pay scales by local Candidate hub Set up job alerts 2026 union wage index

Our mission

Gulfstream Strategic Placements exists to put skilled mechanical construction people into jobs worth staying in. We specialize in one industry — commercial HVAC, plumbing, piping, sheet metal, controls and service — so the recruiter on your call already understands the work you do, the certifications behind it and what your experience is worth in your market.

We work direct-hire, we keep your search confidential, and we tell you the truth about a role even when it costs us the placement. You are never charged a fee.

Union jobs with union contractors, nationwide

We fill union jobs for signatory mechanical, plumbing, piping and sheet metal contractors almost everywhere in the U.S. Recently that has included roles in Portland, Oregon, Dallas, Texas, Phoenix, Arizona, Honolulu, Hawaii, the San Francisco Bay Area, Reno, Nevada, Los Angeles, Orange County and San Diego.

Most of our union work is salaried staff: foremen moving into superintendent roles, project engineers, project managers, estimators, VDC/BIM detailers and service managers who came up through a UA or SMART apprenticeship. We also recruit for union-covered field roles. When a field role is covered by a collective bargaining agreement, it follows that agreement and the local's referral rules, and we tell you before you apply.

Not sure what your local pays? Check its published wage sheet on our union pay pages before you talk numbers. Every role we post is competitive salary depending on experience.

Union pay scales by local · Browse open union and direct-hire jobs

Benefits you can expect

Benefits come from the hiring employer, so the exact package varies by role. Here's what is common across the direct-hire positions we recruit for — your recruiter confirms the specifics before you interview.

Health coverage
Most direct-hire employers we work with offer medical, dental and vision. Union roles run through the local's health and welfare fund.
Retirement
A 401k with a company match on the open-shop side, or pension and annuity contributions on union scale.
Paid time off
Vacation, holidays and sick time on salaried roles; check with your hall on how time off works under the agreement.
Truck, tools and per diem
Field and service roles commonly include a vehicle or allowance, fuel card, phone, and per diem on travel work.
Training and licensing
Many employers pay for certifications, continuing education and license renewals that keep you moving up.
Steady backlog
We recruit for contractors with work booked out, so you're joining a crew with a pipeline, not a one-project gamble.

Careers FAQ

Quick answers — see the full HVAC & data center careers FAQ for more.

What does Gulfstream actually do for me?: We're a direct-hire recruiting firm for commercial mechanical construction — HVAC, plumbing, piping, sheet metal, controls and service. You talk to a recruiter who knows the trade, we match you to openings that fit your experience and market, and we prep you for the interview. There is never a fee to a candidate.
What does it cost me?: Nothing. Our clients pay the fee. You are never charged for anything at any stage.
Do you post pay on the job?: No. Every role is competitive salary depending on experience, and we discuss the range with you on the call before anything is submitted. For union work, you can see the local's own published wage sheet on our union rate pages.
Is my search confidential?: Yes. We never send your resume anywhere without your say-so, and we won't approach your current employer.
What benefits come with these jobs?: Benefits are set by the hiring employer, so they vary by role — most direct-hire positions in this market include medical coverage, retirement (401k or a union pension and annuity), paid time off, and vehicle or tool allowances on field roles. Your recruiter will walk through the exact package for any job before you interview.
Do I have to be a union member?: No. We recruit for both union and open-shop employers. If a role is dispatched through a hall, we'll tell you up front.
How long does the process take?: Usually a short call first, then an interview within a week or two when the fit is right. We tell you where you stand instead of leaving you guessing.
What if nothing fits right now?: Set a job alert with your trade and market. You'll get one email when something matching opens, and you can unsubscribe in one click.

Browse every open job · Talk to a recruiter

Union pay scales by state

Journeyman base rates from the locals' own published wage sheets. Ranges show the lowest and highest published local in each state — not an average of every hall.

Union rates by city

Every hall based in the market, its published rate, and the openings we're currently recruiting there.

Highest-paying locals we track

Ranked by total package — base plus health, pension and annuity — where the local publishes one. Each page carries the full scale, apprentice steps, hall contact and current openings.

Search all locals by trade and state

Where we're hiring now

Live direct-hire openings by market. Competitive salary depending on experience — pay is discussed on the call, never posted.

Union jobs by trade and city

Live openings grouped by trade in the markets where a hall of that trade sits. Each page lists current openings, the local's published pay scale and a direct application link.

Union plumbing and pipefitting jobs

Union electrical jobs

Union sheet metal jobs

Union HVAC jobs

Union mechanical jobs

HVAC and data center jobs by city

Every city page we maintain: the openings we're recruiting there right now, the buildings and sectors that drive the work, and links to the union halls that dispatch in that market.

Commercial HVAC jobs

Browse HVAC jobs by state

Data center HVAC jobs

Critical-facilities, chiller and controls work in the country's biggest data center markets.

All data center HVAC openings nationwide

How to apply

Applying takes one form and never costs you anything. Here's exactly what happens after you hit submit.

1. Apply once
Fill out one short application — your trade, your market and your experience. A resume helps but isn't required to start.
2. Talk to your recruiter
A recruiter who works your trade calls you to confirm the details and walk through openings that fit — pay range included — before anything goes anywhere.
3. Interview prepared
We tell you who you'll meet and what to expect, and our interview prep guide covers the rest. Your search stays confidential.

Start your application Candidate hub Email us: hello@gulfstreamsp.com

Prefer email? Write to hello@gulfstreamsp.com and a recruiter — not an auto-responder — will get back to you.

Find Gulfstream on Google

Our verified Google Business Profile listing — read reviews from candidates and contractors we've worked with, check hours, or leave one of your own after a placement.

Google Business listing

Gulfstream Strategic Placements — Corona, CA.

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Read or write a review

Honest reviews from technicians, foremen and managers we've placed — and a place to share your own experience.

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Office & hours

4160 Temescal Canyon Road, Suite 401, Corona, CA 92883
(951) 208-7780
Mon–Fri 7am–5pm PT · Closed weekends

Starting out

Apprentice wage steps, program length and how to apply at your local hall.

Apprenticeship pay by local How we work with candidates

Comparing pay

Wage sheets side by side, plus salary bands for the non-union side of the market.

Compare local wages Trade salary guides

Ready to move

Confidential — we never send your resume anywhere without your say-so.

Start your application All open jobs Talk to a recruiter

Not ready to apply yet?

Tell us your trade and market. We'll email you when something that fits opens up — no spam, unsubscribe in one click.

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