Assistant Engineering Director

School of Government Services•Chapel Hill, NC

48d•$126,000 - $177,000•Onsite

About The Position

The selected candidate will be employed by the School of Government Services (SOG Services), but their work location and reporting responsibilities will be at the Energy Services, Co-Generation plant. SOG Services assists faculty and staff at the UNC School of Government in carrying out its important mission: to improve the lives of North Carolinians by engaging in practical scholarship that helps public officials and citizens understand and improve state and local government. As a nonprofit organization and an official affiliated entity of the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, SOG Services also contributes to advancing UNC-Chapel Hill’s broader mission of academic excellence, research, and public service. The Assistant Engineering Director, Energy Services is a strategic, technical, and leadership role responsible for oversight of all mechanical and electrical systems within the University’s electrical distribution network and cogeneration systems, including the Cogeneration Facility, the Manning Drive Steam Plant, and the three electrical substations located on campus. The Director ensures reliable generation and distribution of steam and electricity supporting UNC Hospitals, research facilities, classrooms, and other essential campus operations. This role also plays a critical part in capital planning, utility rate structuring, energy utility forecasting, and long‑term master planning, ensuring Energy Services infrastructure and financial models align with future campus growth, sustainability goals, and operational resilience.

Requirements

Relevant post‑baccalaureate degree in engineering OR relevant Mechanical, Electrical, Marine Engineering undergraduate degree plus 7 years of professional experience.
Strong foundation in mechanical systems including boilers, chillers, pumps, turbines, cooling towers, distribution systems, filtration, chemical treatment, and generators.
Strong understanding of electrical distribution systems and utility‑scale electrical infrastructure.
Experience leading multi‑disciplinary engineering teams.
Strong communication, collaboration, and leadership skills.

Nice To Haves

Professional Engineer (PE) license or equivalent technical certification.
Experience with capital planning, infrastructure forecasting, or long‑term utility master planning.
Experience with utility rate modeling, financial analysis, or energy forecasting.
Familiarity with large‑scale utility systems in higher education, healthcare, or industrial environments.

Responsibilities

Strategic Leadership & Planning Lead Engineering Managers for Cogeneration and Electrical Distribution.
Develop and implement long-term energy strategy and infrastructure master planning.
Lead capital planning and forecasting aligned with campus growth.
Oversee utility rate modeling and financial sustainability planning.
Develop and manage cross functional teams for Energy Services.
Capital Projects & Infrastructure Delivery Manage large capital upgrades (mechanical & electrical systems).
Oversee maintenance capital projects and planned outages.
Partner with engineering firms and review PE-stamped designs.
Serve as liaison with Facilities Planning, Design & Construction.
Operations & System Reliability Provide oversight of steam, cogeneration, substations, and distribution systems.
Ensure regulatory compliance with EHS and Title V Air Permit requirements.
Lead infrastructure utility assessments.
Serve as an Emergency Management Liaison.
Financial & Organizational Leadership Manage capital funding budgets and long term utility master plan forecasting
Assist department managers with yearly operational budgets and oversight.
Optimize department performance and cross-functional alignment.
Oversee staffing, performance evaluation, and workforce planning.
Serve as Acting Executive Director when required.