Mechanical Engineering Manager - Healthcare

Farnsworth Group is seeking a Mechanical Engineering Manager - Healthcare in one of the posting locations below. The Mechanical Engineering Manager - Healthcare is responsible for leading the planning, design, and delivery of mechanical systems for healthcare and complex institutional facilities, including hospitals, ambulatory surgery centers, medical office buildings, and specialized clinical spaces. This role can be entrepreneurial, combining technical leadership, project management, and people management to drive high‑quality designs, superior client service, and profitable project delivery for our healthcare portfolio.

Posting Locations for this role:
Lisle, Normal, Peoria, or Springfield, IL; or St. Louis, MO

What You'll Do

* Lead and manage the mechanical engineering team on healthcare projects from pursuit through construction closeout, including scope, schedule, budget, and quality.

* Serve as mechanical discipline lead on multi‑disciplinary project teams, coordinating closely with architecture, electrical, plumbing, technology, and structural disciplines.

* Support projects primarily in Illinois and the greater St. Louis region, with periodic travel to client sites and Farnsworth Group offices across the Midwest for coordination meetings, site visits, and construction support.

* Oversee and perform the design of mechanical systems for healthcare facilities, including HVAC, central plant, ventilation/pressurization, hydronic systems, and, where applicable, medical gas and specialized exhaust systems.

* Ensure designs comply with applicable mechanical and healthcare codes and standards, including IMC, IPC, IBC, NFPA, ASHRAE standards (e.g., ASHRAE 170), NFPA 99, and the FGI Guidelines for healthcare facilities, as well as state and local Department of Health and facility review board requirements in Illinois, Missouri, and neighboring Midwest jurisdictions.

* Provide technical review and quality control of mechanical calculations, drawings, specifications, and reports produced by the team.

* Guide system‑level decision‑making (concept selection, redundancy, resilience, energy performance, infection control support, maintainability) in collaboration with clients and internal stakeholders.

* Lead and/or support project management tasks including work planning, staffing, forecasting, fee and change‑order management, risk management, and financial performance tracking.

* Develop and maintain strong relationships with healthcare clients, facility managers, contractors, and regulators; represent the firm in client meetings, presentations, and interviews.

* Mentor, coach, and develop mechanical engineers and designers, providing technical guidance, performance feedback, and support for career growth.

* Contribute to healthcare practice growth through proposal support, scope and fee development, and participation in key pursuits and client development activities.

* Champion consistent use of firm standards, templates, and best practices, including BIM/Revit workflows and coordination processes for healthcare projects.

* Stay current with emerging technologies, sustainability strategies, and evolving codes/standards affecting healthcare mechanical design (e.g., energy codes, decarbonization strategies, low‑carbon HVAC solutions).

* Other duties, as assigned.

What You'll Need

* Bachelor's degree in Mechanical Engineering from an accredited program

* Licensed Professional Engineer (PE)

* Typically, 10+ years of progressive experience in building mechanical design, with significant experience on healthcare projects in an AEC/MEP consulting environment.

* Demonstrated experience serving as mechanical lead and/or project manager on multi‑disciplinary healthcare projects, including responsibility for client interaction, design delivery, and coordination.

* Solid knowledge of applicable mechanical and healthcare codes and standards (e.g., IMC, IBC, NFPA, ASHRAE standards, NFPA 99, ASHRAE 170, FGI Guidelines) and their application to hospitals and outpatient facilities.

* Proficiency with HVAC load calculations, air and hydronic system design, central plant design, and integration with BAS/controls.

* Proficiency in…