Lead Designer – Utilities and Energy

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Regular Full Time Cincinnati, OH, US

8 days ago Requisition

Position:
Lead Designer (Mechanical)

Department:
Utilities & Central Energy (UCE)

Reporting Relationship:
Lead Designer, UCE

KFI Engineers is a recognized industry leader in facility infrastructure design and performance. Since 1996, our culture of collaboration and unique capabilities have allowed us to make a difference in the way infrastructure and processing projects are delivered.

Headquartered in St. Paul, MN, with numerous regional offices throughout the United States, and a team of hundreds of professionals, we offer opportunities to continue your career with mentorship programs, career growth support, and continued education. With KFI, we find a way to provide creative solutions to unique projects while providing the same care we would expect if we were the client.

For more information about KFI Engineers and our culture, please visit  .

The Utilities and Central Energy (UCE) group specializes in large central plant work, particularly for district energy serving cities, universities, hospitals, and manufacturing campuses. Our expertise covers both energy production and distribution. We have expertise in sustainable energy production, simple and combined cycle, combined heat and power, and medium voltage power. Our clients look for us to lead large complex projects from concept to completion, including startup, check-out, and commissioning.

The Lead Designer (Mechanical) plays a key role in the successful execution of projects by leading the development and coordination of mechanical design deliverables. This position is primarily responsible for producing high-quality construction documents utilizing AutoCAD, Plant 3D, and Revit, while ensuring accuracy, consistency, and compliance with project requirements and industry standards. The Lead Mechanical Designer collaborates closely with engineers, designers, and other disciplines to coordinate designs and support successful project outcomes.

As an advanced-level design professional, the Lead Designer assumes significant responsibility for independently planning, developing, and completing design documents for assigned projects. This role provides technical guidance and mentorship to junior designers, supports project management efforts, and serves as a key resource for resolving complex design challenges. The Lead Designer is expected to demonstrate both technical expertise and leadership skills to drive quality, efficiency, and continuous improvement across project teams.

Specific responsibilities will include, but not be limited to, the following:

• Lead, supervise, and develop design staff, including goal setting, performance reviews, and ongoing coaching to support professional growth.
• Provide leadership, guiding the efforts and development of other designers, including on-the-job training.
• Support staffing and recruiting efforts to ensure the team has the talent needed to meet current and future project demands.
• Manage design staff resource planning, assigning project work and collaborating closely with UCE Project Managers to balance multiple project priorities.
• Lead entire projects, demonstrating project management skills from inception to completion.
• Estimate project hours, scope of work, and contribute to budget and schedule creation.
• Schedule and lead design meetings, drawing reviews, and act as a KFI Representative at Project Meetings.
• Coordinate work with stakeholders, providing technical support and work direction while managing client relationships.
• Design complete systems for assigned projects, managing the preparation of drawing documents.
• Create comprehensive industrial project drawings, including General Arrangements, P&IDs, 3D models, piping, and Isometrics.
• Participate in design meetings and lead drawing reviews as needed to ensure accuracy, quality, and alignment with project objectives.
• Take ownership of tasks, bringing them to completion…