Senior Mechanical Engineer – HVAC Design & BIM/VDC

Crete United•Harvard, IL

About The Position

Emerald Built Environments, a Crete United Company, is hiring an experienced Mechanical Professional Engineer to support its engineering practice through a dedicated assignment with Hartwig, a Chicago-based HVAC contractor and Crete United company. The role combines mechanical HVAC design, hands-on BIM/VDC work, and close coordination with construction teams. The engineer is employed by Emerald, joins its multidisciplinary team, and collaborates day to day with Hartwig. Projects may include commercial and industrial new construction, renovations, additions, retrofits, and existing-building improvements, including work in occupied or operating facilities. The engineer is expected to deliver designs in accordance with relevant building, mechanical, and energy codes and applicable engineering standards of care. The position also involves managing schedules, technical deliverables, quality, stakeholder communication, and other project team members, while collaborating with Emerald’s engineering, commissioning, energy modeling, and energy audit teams as needed. The role offers direct engagement with a mechanical contractor on varied projects, supported by a national multidisciplinary engineering and building performance consulting team. Annual compensation is $140,000–$160,000, depending on qualifications and experience. Eligible employees receive medical, dental, and vision insurance, a 401(k) retirement plan, paid time off, and applicable paid sick leave, subject to plan terms and company policy.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree in Mechanical Engineering.
Active Professional Engineer (PE) license; Illinois licensure or ability to obtain it within an agreed timeframe.
At least five years of substantial building HVAC design experience.
Hands-on proficiency with Autodesk Revit and AutoCAD, including mechanical BIM coordination.
Experience designing commercial and/or industrial HVAC systems and preparing construction documentation.
Proficiency in applicable mechanical, building, and energy codes.
Ability to independently deliver technical work and collaborate effectively with contractor teams.
Strong communication, adaptability, organization, and problem-solving skills.

Nice To Haves

Experience with industrial plants, manufacturing, food processing, cold storage, or specialized refrigeration projects.
Design-build or mechanical contractor collaboration experience.
Advanced VDC, clash detection, and multidisciplinary coordination experience.
Experience with Procore or similar construction collaboration software.
Building Energy Modeling Professional (BEMP) certification.
Commissioning credentials such as BCxP, CCP, or CxA.
Energy modeling, energy auditing, or high-performance HVAC expertise.

Responsibilities

Lead HVAC design, including heating, cooling, ventilation, load calculations, equipment selection, and layouts.
Prepare and review engineering drawings, specifications, calculations, and permit and construction documents.
Produce or contribute directly to Revit-based mechanical models and BIM/VDC coordination; coordinate with fabrication and detailing specialists as needed.
Coordinate with contractors, architects, engineers, specialty subcontractors, and construction managers.
Support constructability, value engineering, equipment selection, and cost-conscious design decisions.
Provide construction-phase support, including RFIs, submittals, field observations, and issue resolution.
Design renovations, additions, retrofits, and projects in occupied or operating facilities.
Deliver engineered designs that adhere to relevant building, mechanical, and energy codes and applicable engineering standards of care.
Manage project schedules, technical deliverables, quality, and stakeholder communication.
Manage other project team members, including Emerald engineers and subcontractors.
Collaborate with Emerald engineering, commissioning, energy modeling, and energy audit teams as needed.