Director of Mechanical Engineering

Job Summary – Director of Mechanical Engineering

The Director of Mechanical Engineering functions as the overall technical, operational and business development lead for the Seattle Mechanical Engineering Department.

The technical responsibilities are primarily focused on the design of mechanical systems for renovation projects, with occasional new facilities and building additions. This will require providing technical leadership for the creation of construction drawings and specifications, existing system studies, and master planning efforts.

The operational responsibilities are primarily focused on the efficient & accurate delivery of projects, plus professional growth for our Seattle-based team members and assistance with recruiting and business development activities.

Qualified candidates must have excellent communication skills and the ability to develop effective working relationships with clients, colleagues, project design teams, CAD drafters/BIM modelers, code officials, contractors, and other stakeholders.

This position reports to the Mechanical Principals (Bozeman-based) with close coordination with the other technical Principals & Managing Principal (Western Washington-based).

Here is a summary of the anticipated duties associated with this role:

Technical & Project-related Responsibilities (75%):

Oversee and coordinate a team of professionals performing highly technical mechanical design projects, with a focus on HVAC for telecom & data centers. Our work often includes air handlers, CRAC/CRAH units, duct work, chillers, cooling towers, chilled water systems, condensing units, refrigerant piping, controls, and fuel oil systems for emergency generators.

• Ensure mechanical team members assigned to each project have been provided clear expectations for the technical scope of work, budget, schedule, and Owner’s expectations for design & construction phases of the project.
• Lead client meetings and provide communications to maintain proactive client relationships through attentive and result-oriented service.
• Develop project priorities and schedules for program deliverables, review meetings with key stakeholders, and bidding / construction procurement.
• Provide/oversee engineering design solutions, evaluation, and planning of mechanical systems based on client RFPs or client interviews and field studies.
• Conduct/oversee existing building surveys and documentation of existing HVAC systems.
• Develop/oversee system construction/permit drawings, calculations, specifications, and selection of equipment for use in buildings, including coordination of work with other design disciplines.
• Engineer of Record for code compliance analysis & documentation.
• Support the construction process with timely response to RFI’s, review of submittals, and processing approved change orders.

Operational Responsibilities (15%):

• Coordinate work assignments for alignment with team member availability, strengths, and growth opportunities.
• Responsible for reviewing and providing direction for monthly invoicing and projections.
• Support training activities for industry-specific technical, safety, leadership and business development elements, with regular feedback, coaching, and mentorship to team members.
• Manage the mechanical design standards (drawings, specifications, calculations, architectural/life-safety specific reports, cost estimation) with focus on best practices and client-specific templates & standards.

Business Development Responsibilities (10%):

• Existing Client Satisfaction & Growth:
  • Establish relationships with key stakeholders to discuss current project successes and challenges.
  • Leverage relationships to identify upcoming opportunities for new projects and programs.
  • Align training, recruiting, and fees to capture upcoming work with existing clients.
  • Prepare fee proposals for mechanical projects under existing MSA’s.
• Marketing:
  • Review RFP/RFQ/SOW as well as prebid drawings and specifications to determine resource requirements and risk/benefit potential for each proposal opportunity.

• • Participate in go/no-go decisions, oral presentations, capture management, technical approach narratives, qualification packages, and fee proposals.
• Networking:
• • Participate in local industry organizations, events, and conferences.
  • Occasionally attend regional or national events or conferences, including ASHRAE and/or telecom/data center conferences.
  • Coordinate with other Salas O’Brien divisions to market and provide mechanical engineering services on their projects.

Qualifications and Experience:

• Professional Engineer License in the State of Washington; additional registrations in Oregon, Alaska, California, and Hawaii a plus
• 15 – 20 Years Experience with HVAC systems for commercial, industrial, or other highly technical building types; telecom, data center, or laboratory projects a plus
• Mastery of Design Documentation requirements for permit submittals, contractor competitive bidding, construction documents, and construction administration language and tasks.
• Ability to direct work produced in Revit, AutoCAD, and other visualization tools
• Perform/oversee Load/Energy calculations with software such as Elite Chvac, Carrier HAP, Trace 700, IES and similar programs.
• Proficient with local, state, and federal mechanical/plumbing codes and energy requirements

• Excellent organizational skills and an extremely high level of attention to detail
• Excellent written and verbal communication
• Excellent problem-solving skills with ability to embrace challenges and the flexibility to pivot focus when needed
• Excellent teamwork and collaboration skills
• Effective at prioritizing multiple tasks
• Curiosity to learn new systems, technologies, and encourage similar growth among peers and team members
• Able to demonstrate a high standard of professionalism, customer service oriented.

Location: Hybrid Seattle (3-days per week, average)

Travel: Up to 25%

Compensation & Benefits:

Salas O’Brien health and welfare benefits are designed to invest in you, and in the things you care about. Your health. Your well-being. Your security. Your future. Team members have access to medical, dental, vision, and basic life insurance, a 401(k) plan, and the ability to purchase company stock at a discount. Salas O’Brien has both U.S. and Canadian (PTO) plans for full-time salaried, exempt and non-team members, 10 paid holidays, and paid leave programs for military service and new parents. And certain roles may be eligible for additional rewards, including merit increases, performance discretionary bonus, and stock.

The base salary range for this position is $160,000 to $200,000. Within the range, individual pay is determined by work location and additional factors, including job-related skills, experience, and relevant education or training.

Opportunities for career advancement include eligibility for leadership recognition titles (Associate Vice President, Vice President, Senior Vice President) or promotion to Principal within a year or two of employment.

Equal Opportunity Employment Statement

Salas O’Brien provides equal employment opportunities to all employees and applicants for employment and prohibits discrimination and harassment of any type without regard to race, colour, religion, age, sex, national origin, disability status, genetics, protected veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, or any other characteristic protected by federal, state/provincial, or local laws. Salas O’Brien will accommodate the disability-related needs of applicants as required by law.

Experience

Preferred

• 15 - 20 years: 15 – 20 Years Experience with HVAC systems for commercial, industrial, or other highly technical building types

Education

Preferred

• Bachelors or better in Engineering

Licenses & Certifications

Preferred

• Professional Engineer

Equal Opportunity Employer/Protected Veterans/Individuals with Disabilities
This employer is required to notify all applicants of their rights pursuant to federal employment laws. For further information, please review the Know Your Rights notice from the Department of Labor.