Chief Engineer

Chief Engineer

Back Bay, Boston, MA

Reports to: General Manager

Location: On-site, Boston, MA

Position Summary

The Chief Engineer leads engineering operations, maintenance, and technical planning for a two property complex in Boston’s Back Bay. This individual is accountable for building-system reliability, engineering team performance, safe operating practices, energy efficiency, and the execution of preventive maintenance and capital improvement programs.

Working closely with property management, the Chief Engineer translates ownership objectives into practical operating plans that protect asset value, support tenant satisfaction, and manage costs. The role requires a visible, hands-on leader who can troubleshoot complex issues, develop a strong engineering team, manage contractors, and communicate technical information clearly to tenants, management, and ownership.

The Chief Engineer will establish consistent operating standards across both buildings while recognizing their differing infrastructure, age, and maintenance requirements.

Essential Responsibilities

Engineering Operations and Building Reliability

• Direct daily engineering operations across both buildings ensuring coordinated staffing, maintenance, and response.
• Oversee the operation, inspection, maintenance, and repair of mechanical, electrical, plumbing, HVAC, building automation, and other base-building systems, as applicable.
• Coordinate with qualified service providers responsible for elevators, fire and life safety systems, and specialized equipment.
• Maintain a strong working knowledge of system configurations, equipment condition, operating sequences, and critical dependencies.
• Use building automation system data, alarms, trend logs, and field observations to identify performance issues and direct corrective action.
• Establish and maintain operating procedures, equipment logs, shutdown protocols, and escalation plans.
• Investigate recurring equipment failures and comfort issues, identify root causes, and implement lasting solutions.
• Coordinate maintenance and service interruptions to minimize disruption to tenants and building operations.

Team Leadership and Development

• Lead, coach, and hold the engineering team accountable for technical performance, responsiveness, professionalism, and safe work practices.
• Partner with property management on recruitment, onboarding, staffing plans, performance reviews, and succession planning.
• Establish clear responsibilities, work priorities, and expectations for each team member.
• Develop training and cross-training programs that build technical capability and familiarity with both properties.
• Plan staffing, shift schedules, vacation coverage, and equitable after-hours rotations.
• Review time cards and manage overtime within approved budgets and operational requirements.
• Foster a collaborative, service-oriented culture with effective communication between engineering, property management, security, janitorial teams, and contractors.

Preventive Maintenance and Digital Work Management

• Own the preventive and predictive maintenance programs, aligning tasks and frequencies with equipment requirements, operating conditions, and asset criticality.
• Maintain accurate equipment inventories, maintenance histories, and work-order records within the computerized maintenance management system (CMMS).
• Ensure work orders are properly prioritized, assigned, completed, and documented.
• Monitor overdue maintenance, repeat service calls, corrective maintenance backlogs, and critical equipment deficiencies.
• Maintain current drawings, operating manuals, warranties, inspection reports, and service records in an organized digital repository.
• Establish appropriate critical spare-parts inventories and maintain accountability for tools, equipment, and supplies.
• Use maintenance data to recommend improvements in equipment reliability, staffing utilization, and service delivery.

Energy Management and Sustainability

• Monitor utility consumption and building performance, investigate unusual usage patterns, and identify opportunities to reduce waste.
• Optimize equipment schedules, control sequences, setpoints, and seasonal operating strategies while maintaining tenant comfort and system reliability.
• Evaluate energy conservation projects based on implementation cost, anticipated savings, operational impact, and lifecycle value.
• Support property management with energy benchmarking, emissions reporting, and applicable building-performance compliance activities.
• Coordinate with management, consultants, and service providers on energy audits, retro-commissioning, electrification assessments, and other approved sustainability initiatives.
• Document results of completed efficiency projects and track performance against established goals.
• Coordinate building automation and connected-equipment access with approved IT and vendor protocols.

Financial Management and Capital Planning

• Partner with property management to prepare annual engineering operating budgets, expense forecasts, and capital plans.
• Monitor engineering-related expenses, explain variances, and recommend corrective actions without compromising safety or service quality.
• Develop a prioritized, multiyear capital plan based on equipment condition, remaining useful life, operating risk, tenant impact, and ownership objectives.
• Prepare project scopes, preliminary cost estimates, implementation schedules, and operational impact assessments.
• Evaluate repair-versus-replacement alternatives and recommend solutions based on lifecycle cost and long-term asset performance.
• Review proposals, purchase orders, invoices, and change orders within established approval authority.
• Provide clear reporting on project progress, budget performance, deferred maintenance, and emerging risks.

Project and Contractor Management

• Lead the technical coordination of base-building repairs, equipment replacements, infrastructure upgrades, and other assigned capital projects.
• Support tenant improvement projects through review of proposed building-system connections, access requirements, shutdowns, and impacts on existing operations.
• Coordinate with property management, construction teams, design professionals, and tenants to protect building systems and minimize disruption.
• Develop clear contractor scopes and support competitive procurement in accordance with company and ownership requirements.
• Monitor contractor safety, workmanship, schedule, cost, and adherence to building rules.
• Coordinate project closeout, including testing, commissioning where appropriate, training, warranties, as-built documentation, and maintenance-system updates.
• Ensure work affecting historic building features is coordinated with property management and appropriate specialists.

Safety, Compliance, and Emergency Preparedness

• Implement company safety policies and applicable regulatory requirements within engineering operations.
• Maintain inspection, testing, permit, and certification schedules for building equipment and systems.
• Ensure work is performed by appropriately qualified and licensed personnel.
• Reinforce safe work practices, including lockout/tagout, electrical safety, hazardous-material handling, and contractor oversight, as applicable.
• Maintain practical response procedures for equipment failures, water leaks, utility outages, severe weather, and other building emergencies.
• Coordinate emergency readiness and drills with property management, security, and relevant service providers.
• Respond to significant incidents, promptly communicate impacts, document causes, and implement corrective actions.
• Maintain appropriate after-hours coverage and participate in the emergency response rotation.

Tenant Experience and Communication

• Serve as the primary technical resource for property management and a professional, solutions-oriented partner to tenants.
• Respond promptly to tenant requests and communicate realistic service timelines and resolution plans.
• Address recurring comfort or service concerns through investigation, follow-through, and clear documentation.
• Provide advance technical input for planned outages, disruptive work, and tenant communications.
• Participate in tenant meetings, property inspections, and ownership discussions as needed.
• Prepare concise monthly engineering reports covering system performance, maintenance activity, energy use, projects, staffing, and operational risks.

Qualifications

Required

• Ten+ years of progressively responsible experience in commercial building engineering or facilities operations, including demonstrated leadership of an engineering team.
• Experience operating large, complex commercial office buildings or a comparable multi-building environment.
• Strong working knowledge of HVAC, mechanical, electrical, plumbing, building automation, and preventive maintenance practices.
• Demonstrated ability to troubleshoot building systems, prioritize competing demands, and manage emergencies calmly and effectively.
• Experience with operating budgets, capital planning, contractor management, and project execution.
• Proficiency with building automation systems, CMMS/work-order platforms, Microsoft 365, and digital operating records.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills, including the ability to explain technical issues to nontechnical audiences.
• Demonstrated commitment to tenant service, team development, accountability, and safe operations.
• Technical education, apprenticeship, trade training, or an equivalent combination of education and relevant experience.
• Applicable licenses and certifications required for the assigned equipment and work performed.
• Availability to participate in after-hours emergency response and support planned shutdowns or projects outside normal business hours.

Preferred

• Prior experience as a Chief Engineer or Assistant Chief Engineer in a large commercial office property.
• Experience overseeing both older, renovated buildings and modern high-rise infrastructure.
• Experience with energy optimization, building analytics, retro-commissioning, and capital equipment replacement.
• Familiarity with Boston-area building operations and applicable local reporting and compliance requirements.
• EPA Section 608 Universal certification.
• Relevant Massachusetts engineering or trade licenses, as applicable to the property’s systems.
• A degree in mechanical engineering, facilities management, engineering technology, or a related discipline.

Measures of Success

Performance will be evaluated against agreed-upon property standards and annual objectives, including:

• Reliable building operations and effective resolution of recurring system issues.
• Timely completion and documentation of preventive maintenance and corrective work.
• Responsive tenant service and clear communication.
• Safe operations and timely completion of required inspections and compliance activities.
• Effective budget management and well-supported capital recommendations.
• Measurable progress toward energy and operating-efficiency goals.
• Successful project delivery against approved scope, schedule, and budget.
• A well-trained, accountable engineering team with effective cross-property coverage.

Work Environment and Physical Requirements

This is an on-site leadership role combining administrative responsibilities with regular field inspections, troubleshooting, and oversight of building operations. Work may take place in mechanical rooms, rooftops, service areas, and occupied tenant spaces, with potential exposure to noise, temperature variations, and operating equipment.

The position requires the ability to access equipment and work areas, use appropriate tools and personal protective equipment, and perform the essential functions of the role with or without reasonable accommodation. Occasional evening, weekend, and holiday work may be required for emergencies, planned shutdowns, and project activities.