Sr. Mechanical Engineer

Sr Mechanical Engineer

Seeking a highly experienced Senior Mechanical Engineer to join client's in-house design/engineering team supporting a large healthcare campus in Providence, RI. This role will be a 6 month contract to hire. This role functions similarly to a small internal Architecture & Engineering (A&E) firm, managing and executing multidisciplinary design across critical infrastructure systems.

The ideal candidate will bring deep expertise in large-scale facility systems design, strong leadership capabilities, and the ability to oversee both internal and external engineering efforts while supporting ongoing campus operations and construction activities.

Key Responsibilities

• Lead and manage in-house design efforts across a diverse portfolio of campus projects.
• Oversee and review designs related to mechanical, electrical, plumbing (MEP), and fire protection systems.
• Provide technical leadership and engineering oversight of internal staff and external vendors/consultants.
• Act as a key decision-maker for design direction, ensuring alignment with operational needs and regulatory standards.
• Review and approve engineering drawings, including the ability to stamp drawings (PE required).
• Troubleshoot and resolve complex issues across campus infrastructure, including cooling towers and other critical systems.
• Serve as a subject matter expert for construction and engineering-related inquiries across the campus.
• Manage multiple concurrent projects, frequently shifting priorities and focus as needs arise.
• Participate in hands-on design work, as well as oversight and quality assurance of external designs.
• Support the construction process by collaborating with contractors, vendors, and internal stakeholders.

Work Environment

• Based primarily in downtown Providence.
• Role is on-site/in-office
• Approximately:
  • 60% office-based (design and coordination)
  • 40% on-site (project execution, troubleshooting, inspections)
• All locations are in close proximity, requiring minimal travel between sites.

Required Qualifications

• Professional Engineer (PE) license (required).
• 7+ years of relevant experience
• Extensive experience with large-scale, mission-critical systems, including:
  • Mechanical systems
  • Electrical systems
  • Plumbing systems
  • Fire protection systems
• Proven ability to manage complex engineering projects in dynamic environments.
• Strong experience reviewing and producing engineering design documents and drawings.
• Experience overseeing external vendors, consultants, and contractors.
• Ability to operate in a fast-paced environment with frequent priority changes and project switching.

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience in healthcare facilities (highly preferred).
• Background supporting:
  • Higher education campuses, or
  • Large manufacturing or industrial facilities
• Experience working in an owner-side engineering or in-house design environment.
• Familiarity with operating as part of an internal A&E-style team.

Leadership & Transition Opportunity

• This role is part of a long-term succession planning effort, with a structured 6-month shadowing and knowledge transfer period (contract period) with the goal to convert to full-time after the 6 month period.
• Opportunity to gain deep exposure to campus operations, systems, and institutional standards.