Critical Environment Manager

Are you an experienced engineering leader with a background in critical environments? We're partnering with a leading facilities management organisation to recruit a Critical Enviroment Manager for a prestigious client site in Santa Barbara, CA.

This is a key leadership position supporting a complex campus consisting of laboratory and office space, with laboratories being the primary focus. Working closely with the Chief Engineer and an on-site client team, you will be responsible for ensuring the safe, reliable and efficient operation of all critical building systems that support vital research and business operations.

As the Critical Engineering Manager, you'll:

• Lead the operation, maintenance and continuous improvement of critical laboratory infrastructure across the site.
• Manage engineering teams and specialist vendors delivering planned, corrective and emergency maintenance activities.
• Oversee critical systems including HVAC, climate control, electrical distribution, controls/BMS, compressed air systems, nitrogen, CDA (Clean Dry Air) and associated mechanical infrastructure.
• Partner closely with the Chief Engineer and client stakeholders to ensure operational excellence and compliance across the campus.
• Investigate equipment failures and operational incidents, producing detailed root cause analyses and corrective action reports following callouts or system events.
• Drive reliability initiatives, maintenance strategies and asset lifecycle planning to minimise operational risk.
• Manage change control procedures and ensure all maintenance activities are completed safely and effectively.
• Provide leadership during critical incidents, coordinating engineering response and communication with senior stakeholders.

To be successful in the role of Critical Environment Manager, you'll bring:

• 10-15+ years of experience within critical environments such as laboratories, pharmaceutical, semiconductor, life sciences, data centre or other mission-critical facilities.
• A strong engineering background within mechanical, electrical or building services engineering.
• Previous management experience leading engineering teams in a critical environment.
• Extensive knowledge of critical infrastructure including HVAC, electrical systems, controls, compressed air, nitrogen systems, CDA and mechanical plant.
• Experience conducting incident investigations, root cause analysis and producing client-facing technical reports.
• Strong stakeholder management skills with the confidence to engage directly with clients on a daily basis.
• Excellent communication, leadership and decision-making abilities.
• An engineering degree is desirable; however, candidates who are time-served with significant critical facilities experience will be strongly considered.

This is an excellent opportunity to join a world-class facilities operation supporting cutting-edge laboratory environments while working alongside an experienced leadership team.

• Competitive salary of $180,000 - $220,000
  .
• 20% annual bonus.
• Long-term career progression within a growing critical facilities organisation.
• Opportunity to work on a highly technical and complex laboratory campus.
• Collaborative environment working closely with senior engineering leadership and key client stakeholders.