Lead Mechanical Engineer

Clayco is a full-service, turnkey real estate development, master planning, architecture, engineering, and construction firm that safely delivers clients across North America the highest quality solutions on time, on budget, and above and beyond expectations. With $7.6 billion in revenue for 2024, Clayco specializes in the "art and science of building," providing fast track, efficient solutions for industrial, commercial, institutional, and residential related building projects.

LJC Design & Engineering is a full-service architecture, engineering, and design firm committed to enhancing the quality of the human experience through integrated design. We are a team of high-energy professionals who share a passion for design, a collaborative approach, and a casual culture. We solve challenges by leveraging the collective expertise and ingenuity of the best and brightest minds across development, design, and construction.

LJC is seeking a Mechanical / HVAC Lead Engineer to provide technical leadership in the planning, design, and delivery of building mechanical systems for life sciences manufacturing facilities, including pharmaceutical and biotechnology production environments. This role focuses on air-side systems and building-side mechanical utilities that support manufacturing operations, clean rooms, and controlled environments, with laboratory and office spaces comprising a smaller portion of overall project scope.

This Mechanical / HVAC Lead Engineer plays a key role in early project definition, system strategy development, and multidisciplinary coordination within a design-build delivery model. This position is suited for a licensed mechanical engineer experienced in manufacturing-focused life sciences facilities and complex, regulated environments.

• Lead the design of building mechanical systems for life sciences manufacturing projects, including HVAC and building-side wet utilities, from early planning through construction support.
• Develop air-side system strategies that support manufacturing clean rooms and controlled environments, including pressure relationships, air change rates, filtration, redundancy, and system resiliency.
• Plan and coordinate building-side wet utilities such as plant steam, heating hot water, chilled water, condenser water, domestic water, and sanitary and industrial waste systems.
• Collaborate with architects, engineers, and construction teams to integrate mechanical systems with manufacturing layouts, equipment rooms, and support spaces.
• Support front-end project efforts by contributing to proposals, system narratives, conceptual layouts, and client presentations.
• Lead technical discussions with clients related to system performance, operational reliability, energy use, maintainability, and lifecycle considerations.
• Coordinate with construction teams to support design-build delivery, constructability reviews, and phased execution strategies.
• Develop and/or review calculations, drawings, and specifications to ensure quality, consistency, and alignment with project and regulatory requirements.
• Ensure compliance with applicable codes, standards, and guidelines, including ASHRAE, NFPA, GMP/GxP, and local regulations.
• Participate in multidisciplinary coordination reviews to ensure mechanical systems are fully integrated with architectural and other engineering systems.
• Mentor and support the development of junior mechanical engineers and designers.
• Contribute to the development of LJC’s mechanical design standards, tools, and best practices for life sciences manufacturing facilities.

• Bachelor’s degree in Mechanical Engineering or a related field.
• Professional Engineer (PE) licensure required.
• 10–20+ years of experience designing building mechanical systems for life sciences manufacturing, pharmaceutical, biotechnology, or other regulated production facilities.
• Demonstrated experience leading HVAC and building-side mechanical utility design on manufacturing-focused projects.
• Strong understanding of air-side systems and building-side wet utilities supporting manufacturing clean rooms and controlled environments.
• Experience…