Chief Engineer

Chief Engineer

Department: Facilities

Employment Type: Full Time

Location: Stavros Niarchos Foundation Library

Reporting To: Stephen Vellon

Compensation: $100,000 - $110,000 / year

Job Summary

The Stavros Niarchos Foundation Library (SNFL) is part of The New York Public Library (NYPL), which consists of four major research libraries and 88 branch libraries located in the Bronx, Manhattan, and Staten Island. The newly renovated, state‑of‑the‑art, LEED Silver certified, 180,000 square‑foot facility, is NYPL’s largest and busiest circulating library, with more than 1.7 million visits a year.

The Facilities department is tasked with keeping all NYPL locations safe, clean, comfortable, and welcoming for our patrons and staff. Reporting to the Senior Building Manager, the Chief Engineer manages the maintenance and operation of the physical plant, including the facility's mechanical, HVAC, electrical, elevator, fire protection, and plumbing systems.

We are looking for someone we can count on to:

• The maintenance and operation of the building’s physical plant.
• Management of the SNFL maintenance team and provide a positive team environment in which members participate, respect, and cooperate to achieve desired results.

• Team members safe and efficient operating procedures.
• Best practices in the maintenance of equipment and machinery to prolong useful life and achieve efficient output.

• How to manage building maintenance needs efficiently and sustainably, with limited resources.
• Stay up to date with BMS technologies and building code compliance.

• The ability of NYPL to provide patrons and staff with a safe and welcoming environment.

• Understand how the library is organized and physically laid out.
• Understand the specific goals and role of the Facilities Operations team.
• Perform inspections, troubleshoot issues, and operate building systems.

• Serve as a primary point of contact for critical conditions, emergencies, or escalations.
• Participate in department planning meetings and develop long term strategic goals.
• Oversee implementation of schedules for daily and periodic services.
• Resolve problems and create action plans within limited resources.

• Provide direction, motivation and set an example to staff through open communication and modeling best practices.
• Demonstrate ability to motivate others to meet a common goal; recognize and effectively leverage employees’ skills and abilities.
• Develop cost estimates / procure bids for repairs and renovations.

• Direct overall operation, maintenance, and reliability of all building systems and equipment, ensuring optimal performance and compliance with standards.
• Oversee and validate work performed by outside vendors, ensuring technical accuracy, quality, and timely completion of contracted services.
• Conduct and enforce routine inspections, rounds, and preventative maintenance programs; maintain detailed logs of equipment status, temperatures, flows, and consumption.
• Operate, troubleshoot, and maintain critical systems, including chillers, cooling towers, generators, air compressors, motors, pumps, and associated controls to ensure peak efficiency.
• Supervise, train, and coordinate engineering and maintenance staff, including refrigerating system operating engineers (Q‑01), while managing schedules, shift coverage, and performance.
• Manage building automation systems (BMS), adjusting controls and monitoring system performance to maintain optimal environmental and operational conditions.
• Lead maintenance of HVAC components, including air filters, coils, fan coil units, dampers, fans, and ventilation systems, as well as pneumatic and electric controls.
• Administer departmental operations, including budgeting (overtime), materials procurement, task prioritization, record‑keeping, and response to emergency situations, including off‑hours coverage.
• Serve as senior on‑site authority during emergencies, including acting as an FDNY‑certified Fire and Life Safety Director.

• Manage approximately 6 staff members; onsite operating engineers and…