Chief Engineer

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.

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…