Chief Engineer

JLL•South San Francisco, CA

1d•Onsite

About The Position

The Chief Engineer is responsible for the safe, reliable, and efficient operation, maintenance, and continuous improvement of all building infrastructure, critical utilities, laboratory support systems, and facility operations within a life sciences campus. This role serves as the senior technical authority for engineering operations and provides leadership to engineering, maintenance, and facilities personnel while ensuring compliance with regulatory requirements, company policies, and client expectations. The Chief Engineer partners closely with scientific staff, business stakeholders, Facilities Management, EHS, Quality, contractors, and vendors to support laboratory operations, maintain business continuity, and drive operational excellence. A hospitality mindset is fundamental to delivering exceptional workplace experiences for our client. We seek candidates who excel in collaborative environments, communicate effectively with diverse stakeholders, manage multiple priorities simultaneously, maintain high standards of accuracy, and adapt quickly to resolve challenges.

Requirements

High School Diploma or GED and equivalent combination of education and experience will be considered.
Minimum 8-10 years of facilities engineering, operations, or maintenance experience.
Minimum 3-5 years of leadership experience managing engineering and maintenance personnel.
EPA Universal Certification.
Experience supporting life sciences, biotechnology, pharmaceutical, laboratory, healthcare, or other critical environments.
Experience managing facility infrastructure projects and capital improvements.
Experience utilizing CMMS platforms, preferably Maximo.
Strong working knowledge of: HVAC systems, Chillers and cooling towers, Boilers and steam systems, Electrical distribution systems, Emergency generators and UPS systems, BAS/BMS controls, Plumbing systems, Fire and life safety systems, Critical utility infrastructure, Reliability-centered maintenance practices, Root cause analysis methodologies.

Nice To Haves

Bachelor's degree in mechanical engineering, Electrical Engineering, Facilities Management, Engineering Technology, or a related technical field.
Experience supporting laboratory facilities and scientific operations.
Experience working in regulated environments.
Strong leadership and people management skills.
Excellent communication and stakeholder management abilities.
Ability to work effectively in high-pressure environments.
Strong analytical and problem-solving capabilities.
Financial acumen including budget and capital planning experience.
Proficiency in Microsoft Office Suite, PowerPoint, Excel, and Visio.
Experience with AutoCAD and facility drawings preferred.

Responsibilities

Provide leadership, direction, coaching, and technical guidance to the Facilities teams and engineering personnel.
Establish goals, objectives, and performance expectations for direct reports and conduct regular performance evaluations.
Develop workforce planning, succession planning, technical training, and professional development programs for engineering staff.
Foster a culture of safety, accountability, reliability, and continuous improvement.
Ensure effective communication between JLL Facilities Management, client stakeholders, scientific staff, Lab Operations, vendors, contractors, and partner service providers.
Serve as the senior technical authority for all facility infrastructure systems including: HVAC systems, Building Automation Systems (BAS/BMS), Chillers and cooling towers, Boilers and steam systems, Pumps and hydronic systems, Electrical distribution systems, Emergency generators, UPS systems, Compressed air systems, Laboratory support infrastructure, Plumbing and life safety systems.
Ensure facilities and critical infrastructure are operated and maintained safely, efficiently, and in accordance with approved budgets and operational plans.
Maintain operational readiness of laboratory environments and supporting infrastructure to ensure uninterrupted scientific and research activities.
Lead troubleshooting and root-cause analysis of complex mechanical, electrical, and control system issues.
Develop and implement reliability-centered maintenance strategies to improve equipment performance, reduce downtime, and extend asset life.
Monitor system performance and maintenance metrics to drive continuous improvement initiatives.
Oversee the Facilities Work Order and CMMS platform (Maximo experience preferred), ensuring work is prioritized, assigned, completed, and documented appropriately.
Ensure preventive maintenance, predictive maintenance, and corrective maintenance programs are effectively executed.
Review maintenance performance indicators, backlog reports, compliance metrics, and equipment reliability trends.
Maintain complete and accurate maintenance records, equipment histories, and asset documentation.
Develop, implement, and maintain Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs), Emergency Operating Procedures (EOPs), and engineering standards.
Conduct annual reviews and updates of all engineering procedures and documentation.
Ensure compliance with local, state, and federal regulations including: Cal-OSHA, Cal-EPA, BAAQMD, County Health Departments, Fire and Life Safety Codes, Environmental regulations, Applicable client standards.
Partner with EHS, Quality, and Facilities leadership to support inspections, audits, and regulatory reviews.
Lead emergency response, business continuity planning, and incident investigations for facility-related events.
Support facility improvement projects, equipment installations, lab renovations, office buildouts, and infrastructure upgrades.
Provide technical review and oversight for engineering designs, construction activities, commissioning efforts, and contractor work.
Collaborate with project teams for scopes, budgets, schedules, and technical specifications.
Coordinate bi-annual maintenance shutdowns and major infrastructure outages while minimizing operational impact.
Support long-range (GLAM) capital planning and asset replacement strategies.
Conduct routine facility inspections and document findings using approved reporting tools.
Ensure all technical spaces, utility rooms, mechanical rooms, and support areas maintain first-class housekeeping standards.
Assess facility conditions and recommend repairs, maintenance activities, and capital improvements.
Develop business cases and technical justifications for facility investments and infrastructure upgrades.
Identify and implement initiatives that improve energy efficiency, sustainability, operational performance, and cost management.
Support utility reduction programs and environmental sustainability objectives.
Drive continuous improvement initiatives that improve reliability, customer satisfaction, and engineering performance.
Participate in a 24/7 on-call rotation and provide leadership during facility emergencies, equipment failures, and business continuity events.
Respond effectively to critical incidents while coordinating internal teams, vendors, and emergency response personnel.