Director of Engineering

Title: Director of Engineering

Position Type: Direct Hire

Location: Syracuse, NY

Key Project Requirements:

• 10+ years of experience supporting utility, district energy, HVAC, CHP, or large infrastructure systems.
• Strong technical knowledge of steam, chilled water, boilers, chillers, piping, controls, and thermal energy systems.
• Experience leading capital projects, engineering studies, system optimization, and infrastructure improvements.
• Proven troubleshooting, root cause analysis, and regulatory compliance experience within complex utility or industrial environments.

Job Summary:

We are seeking a Director of Engineering to provide technical leadership for a district energy system serving a major university campus in Syracuse, New York. This role will oversee engineering activities related to utility systems, capital projects, energy optimization, reliability improvements, and regulatory compliance. The successful candidate will serve as a key technical resource and partner with operations and executive leadership to support the continued growth and performance of the system.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities:

• Provide technical leadership for steam, chilled water, hot water, HVAC, and CHP systems.
• Lead engineering studies, troubleshooting efforts, and root cause analysis activities.
• Manage capital projects through design, construction, and commissioning.
• Develop scopes of work, capital plans, and project budgets.
• Support operations teams with system optimization and reliability improvements.
• Ensure compliance with environmental and regulatory requirements.
• Prepare technical reports and communicate project updates to leadership and stakeholders.

Job Requirements:

• Strong understanding of utility infrastructure, HVAC systems, boilers, chillers, piping, and controls.
• Experience with energy analysis, KPI tracking, and performance optimization.
• Ability to read and interpret engineering drawings and construction documents.
• Experience managing engineering and construction projects.
• Proficiency with Microsoft Office and project scheduling tools.
• Strong analytical, troubleshooting, and communication skills.

Education / Experience:

• Bachelor's degree in Mechanical Engineering or related discipline required.
• 10+ years of engineering experience supporting district energy, CHP, utility, or large campus infrastructure systems.
• PE registration is preferred but not required.
• Experience supporting university campuses, hospitals, municipalities, or power generation facilities is highly desirable.

Compensation Range per year: $120,000 - $145,000