Job Description
Job Title: Project Engineer (HVAC and Utilities)
Location: Waukegan, IL
Industry: Pharmaceutical / Manufacturing
Employment Type: 16+ month contract
Hours: Monday–Friday, 40 hours/week
Pay: $45–60/hour, depending on experience
Benefits: PTO, paid holidays, BCBS medical plans, dental/vision plans, 401(k), & ESOP
Location: Waukegan, IL
Industry: Pharmaceutical / Manufacturing
Employment Type: 16+ month contract
Hours: Monday–Friday, 40 hours/week
Pay: $45–60/hour, depending on experience
Benefits: PTO, paid holidays, BCBS medical plans, dental/vision plans, 401(k), & ESOP
Overview:
Our client is seeking a hands-on Project Engineer to support utilities and HVAC infrastructure upgrade projects across a large manufacturing facility. This role will focus on modernizing aging utility and HVAC systems and ensuring reliable operation across multiple buildings and production areas. The ideal candidate will be comfortable working in the field, conducting site walks, evaluating existing equipment, coordinating vendors and contractors, and overseeing projects from initial scope through installation, commissioning, and closeout. This is not a purely desk-based or controls-focused position.
Responsibilities:
- Conduct regular site walks to identify equipment, utility, and infrastructure issues and improvement opportunities.
- Evaluate and scope repair, retrofit, and replacement projects involving:
- Steam systems
- Glycol systems
- Chilled water
- Hot water distribution
- Air Handling Units (AHUs)
- Fans, filters, coils, and related HVAC components
- Develop project scopes and review drawings, submittals, specifications, and other technical documentation.
- Lead utility distribution system upgrade and retrofit projects within facility buildings.
- Plan and manage AHU projects, including full equipment replacements and component-level upgrades.
- Identify appropriate equipment and vendors based on project requirements.
- Obtain, review, and evaluate vendor and contractor quotations/proposals.
- Coordinate contractor activities and oversee field installation to ensure work meets project scope, quality, safety, and site requirements.
- Participate in design reviews and cross-functional project meetings.
- Oversee commissioning activities for new and upgraded systems.
- Verify completed systems operate as intended and meet required performance standards.
- Manage punch lists and drive projects through final completion.
- Collaborate with maintenance, instrumentation/controls, engineering, operations, and other internal teams to troubleshoot complex issues.
- Provide regular project updates, including schedule, risks, issues, and mitigation plans.
Required:
- Demonstrated project engineering or hands-on project management experience involving building utilities and/or HVAC systems.
- Hands-on experience with several of the following:
- Steam
- Chilled water
- Hot water
- Glycol
- HVAC systems
- Air Handling Units (AHUs)
- Utility/HVAC distribution systems
- Ability to conduct field assessments and determine equipment or system replacement/upgrade needs.
- Experience selecting vendors and equipment and managing contractors.
- Ability to manage multiple projects simultaneously.
- Ability to read and interpret schematics, P&IDs, mechanical drawings, and electrical drawings.
- Strong communication and coordination skills when working with vendors, contractors, and internal stakeholders.
- Comfortable working in equipment rooms, mechanical spaces, production areas, and other field environments.
Preferred:
- Experience with HVAC controls or controls engineering, including familiarity with control schematics and sequences of operation.
- Background in facilities, utilities, pharmaceutical, industrial, or manufacturing environments.
- Experience upgrading or modernizing aging infrastructure across multiple buildings or facilities.
- Experience with commissioning, equipment startup, and project closeout.
Technical Skills:
- HVAC / AHU Systems
- Steam & Hydronic Utilities
- Chilled & Hot Water Systems
- Glycol Systems
- Utility Distribution
- P&IDs
- Mechanical & Electrical Drawings
- Equipment Selection
- Vendor / Contractor Management
- Project Scope Development
- Commissioning
- Facilities / Utilities Engineering
- Controls & Instrumentation
Ideal Candidate:
The ideal candidate is a hands-on Project Engineer with strong utilities and HVAC experience who can move comfortably between the field and project documentation. This person should be able to walk an operating facility, identify infrastructure issues, determine appropriate upgrade or replacement solutions, coordinate vendors and contractors, and drive projects through installation and commissioning. Experience in pharmaceutical, industrial, manufacturing, or other regulated environments is highly desirable.
Qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, age, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, protected veteran status, or genetic information.
Numbers & Facts
| Location | Waukegan, IL |
| Industry | Staffing/Employment Agencies |
| Salary | $45–$60 Per Hour |
| Company Size | 500 to 999 employees |
| Year Founded | 1969 |
| Website | http://www.sterling-engineering.com |
About Company
Sterling Engineering has been a trusted partner for engineering, project management, and staffing solutions for over five decades. We provide exceptional engineering/technical recruitment and engineering project services to clients nationwide:
- Engineering & Technical Recruitment - With our focus on engineering, technical, and IT, Sterling has the in-depth knowledge, industry expertise, and robust employee pipeline it takes to rapidly find talent for even the most difficult to fill positions. Sterling’s extensive recruitment methodology allows us to engage the most talented employees in the marketplace. We offer exciting work and career-building opportunities for our candidates, along with expert support at every step of the process.
- Engineering Project Services – Our experienced, multi-disciplined team of project managers, engineers, and designers, led by licensed Professional Engineers (PE), provide project management, engineering, design, and Commissioning, Qualification, and Validation (CQV) to manufacturing, OEM, and R&D customers. We work on complex, highly technical projects across a number of industry sectors, and our ability to scale and seamlessly integrate at multiple levels of your organization is what differentiates us.
Sterling offers a unique combination of engineering solutions and Best of Staffing level service to help our clients and talent achieve their goals.
Skills
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