Building Engineer

Arc Institute • Palo Alto, CA

6d • $107,000 - $132,000 • Onsite

About The Position

Arc Institute is hiring a hands-on Facilities Building Engineer to ensure the reliability of building systems and lab-critical environments at its advanced research facilities. The role involves diagnosing and repairing building-system issues directly, deciding when specialist support is needed, and directing vendors and contract partners to complete work correctly, on time, and within budget. The engineer also manages facility projects from start to finish and serves as a responsive, service-oriented contact for researchers and staff.

The Building Engineer is the primary onsite facilities contact, maintaining laboratory HVAC and utilities, building automation, standby power, and general building systems. The position supports safety, regulatory, and biosafety compliance in coordination with Environmental Health & Safety, and identifies energy-efficiency and cost-reduction opportunities. The role requires independent onsite ownership, sound prioritization, consistent follow-through, and participation in a shared after-hours on-call rotation for lab-critical systems.

The base salary range is $107,000 to $132,000. The position is eligible for an annual discretionary bonus and participation in the Institute’s Compound Cash Grant Program, which provides multi-year cash grants paid in semi-annual installments subject to the program’s terms.

Requirements

• At least 5 years operating and maintaining building mechanical systems in a life-sciences, commercial, or institutional facility, including direct HVAC troubleshooting experience.
• Demonstrated ability to perform routine work across mechanical/HVAC, plumbing, electrical, and general construction, with deep expertise in mechanical/HVAC and sound judgment about when to escalate specialized work to vendors.
• Proven ability to direct and manage the quality of vendors and contract support.
• Ability to read mechanical, electrical, and plumbing (MEP) drawings.
• Proficiency with BMS/BAS and CMMS software.
• EPA 608 Universal refrigerant certification.
• Valid California driver's license.
• Willingness to participate in a shared after-hours on-call rotation for lab-critical systems, including responding onsite when needed.
• Ability to lift up to 50 lbs.

Nice To Haves

• Degree in Mechanical or Electrical Engineering; equivalent hands-on experience may be substituted.
• Experience in a BSL-2 research or vivarium environment.
• Journey-level trade credential or Stationary Engineer certification, such as IUOE/Stationary Engineers Local 39.
• OSHA 30, boiler operator, or backflow tester certification.
• Experience with -80°C freezer farms and cryogenic systems.
• Experience supporting asset-replacement and capital-planning processes.
• Bilingual in English and Spanish to support coordination with trades and vendor teams.

Responsibilities

• Serve as the primary onsite contact for facilities service requests and provide responsive, professional service to researchers and staff.
• Operate and maintain wet-lab HVAC systems, including air-change rates, pressure cascades and room differentials, VAV/reheat, and fume-hood and BSC exhaust; respond to alarms before research is threatened.
• Support laboratory utilities, including RO/DI and lab-water loops, lab gases, acid-neutralization systems, and eyewash and safety-shower testing.
• Coordinate biosafety-adjacent equipment maintenance, including fume-hood face-velocity checks and BSC recertification, with EH&S.
• Perform routine multi-trade work within qualifications and licensing, including HVAC/mechanical troubleshooting, plumbing, electrical work, and general building repairs.
• Interpret and adjust the building automation system.
• Determine when work can be self-performed and when a specialist should be engaged.
• Maintain standby-power readiness, including generator, ATS, and UPS testing for freezers and other critical loads.
• Manage small-to-mid-sized facility projects, including renovations, equipment installations, and system upgrades, from scoping and budgeting through contractor coordination and closeout.
• Support compliance with Cal/OSHA requirements, NFPA 70E, fire and life-safety codes and testing, California building, mechanical, plumbing, and electrical codes, and Title 24.
• Support compliance with BAAQMD permits for generators and boilers, and with CUPA, hazardous-materials, and wastewater-discharge requirements.
• Coordinate with EH&S to align building operations with CDC/NIH BMBL biosafety guidance.
• Monitor and improve energy efficiency across high-load systems, including compute/cooling and freezer farms, and identify sustainability and cost-reduction opportunities.
• Participate in a shared after-hours on-call rotation for lab-critical systems, including onsite response when needed.
• Direct and manage the quality of vendors and contract-support partners.

Benefits

• Annual discretionary bonus, with the amount dependent on individual and institute performance factors.
• Eligibility to participate in the Institute’s Compound Cash Grant Program, offering multi-year cash grants paid in semi-annual installments.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Mid Level
• Education Level: No Education Listed