Lead Sustainability Engineer
Description: This role is located in one of our offices in either: Boston, MA, Charleston, SC, or Northfield, MN.
Job Type: On-site
We are an innovative, top-ranked, national engineering firm that specializes in providing design and engineering services for all aspects of building and utility infrastructure construction. Our company offers a balanced benefits package that centers on a stable and professional working environment, which includes above standard health and dental insurance, paid holidays, paid vacation, and a 401K plan.
VISION AND GOALS: In response to the industry-wide movement toward more sustainable building and utility systems, combined with prevalent sustainability requirements from our clients, we established a formal sustainability practice in 2022 and hired a Director of Sustainability to develop and oversee a companywide sustainability strategy. Our focus in this area, combined with our strong history of existing relationships and engineering excellence, allows us to add great value to clients who are focused on ambitious energy efficiency and sustainability goals.
As a full-service engineering firm, we are well positioned to serve clients with sound guidance and lasting relationships from planning through design, construction, commissioning, and beyond. We are passionate about growing our people and our business through these exciting, new opportunities. This position will provide a talented individual with the opportunity to innovate openly, collaborate with a supportive team, and make a real difference throughout our industry.
POSITION OVERVIEW: This individual will have a deep understanding of building science with functional knowledge of building energy modeling and building controls. They will be responsible for driving building-level sustainability initiatives from project conception through completion, ensuring that all projects meet the highest standards of technical excellence while achieving client-specific energy and sustainability goals. They will regularly interface with the project team, including individual discipline leads, as well as the architect, owner, and other project stakeholders to guide the energy and sustainability aspects of design. This position will harness the range of our MEP building design expertise and amplify firm-wide sustainability knowledge to serve these clients well.
RESPONSIBILITIES:
Provide technical leadership in HVAC design optimization, energy modeling, and decarbonization analysis, collaborating with architects, engineers, and building owners to support sustainable strategies.
Stay abreast of emerging technologies or design strategies and deliver innovative solutions to client energy goals while maintaining implementable and operable designs.
Support a team of energy modeling experts and building energy auditors following ASHRAE standards including lifecycle cost and economic viability analyses of energy efficiency measures.
Understand sustainability certification programs such as LEED, Living Building Challenge, Green Globes, and Passive House and articulate the MEP impacts of each to architects and owners.
Analyze local, state, or federal ordinances (e.g. Boston's Building Emissions Reduction and Disclosure, Georgia Peach, or New York City's Local Law 97) and brief owners on compliance pathways through HVAC and/or other building systems design. Identify utility or government-sponsored incentives to offset capital costs of energy/emissions savings projects.
Stay current with building codes and sustainable design practices and how they intersect and/or reconcile with client-driven design standards and sustainability certifications.
Ensure high-quality project documentation and reporting.
Guide and mentor teams on sustainable design practices, promoting collaboration and knowledge sharing, to maintain high standards of work quality.
Strengthen client relationships through effective communication and project management, identify new business opportunities, and network at industry events to drive business growth.
Collaborate with the Director of Sustainability and company leadership to develop and implement building MEP aspects of corporate sustainability strategy, training, and initiatives.
Travel and perform field work in boiler rooms, mechanical rooms, tunnels, and other mechanical spaces that may require climbing ladders and stairways.
Requirements:
Bachelor's degree in Mechanical Engineering, Building Science, Architecture, or a related field.
5+ years of experience in mechanical engineering, with a focus on energy modeling, simulation, and sustainable design principles and application.
Strong knowledge of building codes and standards related to energy efficiency.
Experience with energy modeling software such as IESVE or similar tools.
Basic understanding of building automation system controls strategy and design principles.
Exceptional leadership, organizational, and multitasking skills.
Excellent communication and interpersonal abilities.
Benefits: A stable and professional working environment is offered with a competitive salary, excellent employee benefits, which include health and dental insurance, paid holidays, paid vacation, and a 401K plan. We are an equal opportunity employer and take pride in the diversity and dedication of our staff.
