Director of Design Engineering

Smith Engineering•New York City, NY

1d•Onsite

About The Position

Smith Engineering is a growing MEP and Energy Engineering firm serving mission-critical clients across life sciences, data centers, healthcare, higher education, and commercial real estate. We operate multiple divisions — Energy, Design, Controls, and Training — with a strong presence in the Northeast and Colorado. We are a team of engineers who care about the quality of our work and the growth of our people. The Opportunity We are hiring a Director of Design Engineering to provide critical leadership for our Design group. This is a pivotal role designed for a senior professional who is ready to not only execute and deliver on projects, but move into true team leadership, operational management, and ownership of project financials. The ideal candidate is someone who can "run the shop floor"—taking an ambitious, talented team and implementing the technical leadership, processes, standards, and mentorship required to grow our business and successfully serve our increasing number of high-end clients. You will sit between executive leadership and the production teams, serving as the technical and managerial "glue" that ensures projects are delivered on time, on budget, and to the high quality our clients expect.

Requirements

BS/MS in Mechanical Engineering, followed by 10+ years of mechanical engineering experience, with a background in mission-critical facilities and central plant design and optimization in the market sectors described above along with a PE license in NY State.
Extensive experience managing direct reports and multi-disciplinary teams while successfully navigating multiple projects, deadlines, and stakeholder relationships.
Strong expertise in central plant design and general HVAC design.
Proven track record of delivering successful project financial and commercial results.
Ability to scale team capacity and quality through the adoption of innovative tools, processes, and leading-edge solutions.
Proficiency in computational analysis tools.
Must be located within 50 miles of New York City.

Responsibilities

Lead engineering staff through recruiting, performance reviews, and daily operations, acting as a mentor to resolve technical issues and guide career growth.
Advance team capabilities by adopting new tools and practices while supporting the direction and growth of the business.
Ensure the team stays current on industry trends, building codes, and technical knowledge.
Manage project resourcing and staff allocation to hit utilization targets, meet deadlines, and ensure high-quality delivery across internal teams.
Manage large client engagements and support team project managers to ensure efficient, effective execution.
Drive commercial success by meeting revenue, profit, and utilization targets across all team projects.
Partner with senior leadership on business planning and strategic initiatives to drive firm-wide growth.
Provide senior-level oversight for complex mission-critical projects and champion innovative, "build-from-scratch" client solutions.
Act as Engineer of Record and maintain responsibility for the team’s technical work product.
Lead client and owner meetings with proactive problem-solving, active listening, and clear communication.
Foster strong client relationships to secure repeat business and assist leadership in pursuing new project opportunities.