Office Lead - Mission Critical - Structural

Salary: USD
100000 - USD
140000 per annum

Company: Confidential
Location: Chicago, IL (hybrid/office-based leadership role)
Discipline: Structural Engineering | Mission Critical / Data Centers
Level: Senior Leader (Office Lead / Director-track)

A rapidly scaling, design-led structural engineering firmis hiring a Structural Office Lead to build and lead the Chicago structural team
, with a primary focus on Mission Critical / Data Center projects.

Founded 20 years ago and grown from 3 to 350 people
, the firm is executing an ambitious expansion plan to reach ~1,000 employees in the next 5 years
. This role sits at the intersection of technical excellence, client leadership, and people-building
—ideal for someone who wants to shape a market
, not just deliver projects.

This is a true “builder” role: you will establish the Chicago structural presence
, lead high-profile mission critical programs, and create a team culture that attracts and develops top engineering talent.

You’ll be empowered to set direction locally—
hiring, mentorship, technical standards, delivery strategy, and growth planning
—while leveraging the scale, brand, and operational support of a 350-person organization.

Promotion is not a slogan here:
50 people were promoted to senior positions last year alone. The leadership team has created a culture where high performance is recognized quickly, and scope grows with capability.

Data centers and mission critical work offer unique advantages for senior engineers and leaders:

• Repeatable programs and long-term clients (multi-site pipelines)
• High technical rigor (robust lateral systems, vibration criteria, progressive collapse, equipment loads, constructability constraints)
• Schedule-driven delivery that rewards strong leadership and streamlined decision-making
• Clear specialization path into market leadership, client advisory, and program oversight

If you enjoy fast-paced delivery, high stakeholder engagement, and building systems that scale, mission critical is one of the strongest platforms for long-term progression.

• Launch and scale the Chicago structural practice
  , aligned to the firm’s national growth strategy
• Recruit, hire, and develop a high-performing team (senior-to-junior mix)
• Build a culture centered on quality, accountability, collaboration, and growth
• Mentor engineers into technical and project leadership roles; create clear development paths
• Partner with firm leadership on headcount planning
  , utilization, and staffing strategy

• Lead structural delivery for data centers and mission critical facilities
  , from concept through construction
• Own project success:
  scope, schedule, technical decisions, quality, and client satisfaction
• Guide structural system selection and design strategies that balance speed, risk, cost, and constructability
• Collaborate with multidisciplinary teams (MEP, civil, architecture, contractors, vendors) to drive alignment
• Provide oversight on complex structural challenges (equipment platforms, long-span framing, heavy loading, redundancy, lateral performance, vibration)
• Serve as a senior client contact; expand key accounts and develop new relationships in the Chicago market
• Support proposals, interviews, and fee development for mission critical pursuits
• Represent the firm in industry networks and events; elevate brand presence locally
• Drive repeat business by building trust through responsive leadership and reliable delivery

• Establish a trusted Chicago presence with strong internal credibility and client confidence
• Build a scalable team foundation (key senior hires + pipeline for mid/junior engineers)
• Implement consistent delivery standards for mission critical projects:
  speed + quality + predictability
• Strengthen relationships with owners, developers, contractors, and program managers
• Create measurable team development:…