Senior Mechanical Engineer – HVAC Design & BIM/VDC
About The Position
Emerald Built Environments, a Crete United Company, is seeking an experienced Mechanical Professional Engineer for a dedicated assignment with Hartwig, a Crete United Chicago-based HVAC contractor. The engineer will be employed by Emerald and join its multidisciplinary team while collaborating day-to-day with Hartwig. The position combines mechanical HVAC design, hands-on BIM/VDC capability, and close coordination with construction teams. Projects may include commercial and industrial new construction, renovations, additions, and existing-building improvements. Hartwig works across building types, with a focus on commercial and industrial buildings in Illinois and contiguous states. The role offers direct engagement with a mechanical contractor on varied projects, supported by a national multidisciplinary engineering and building performance consulting team.
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.
Benefits
- Medical insurance.
- Dental insurance.
- Vision insurance.
- 401(k) retirement plan.
- Paid time off.
- Applicable paid sick leave.
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What This Job Offers
Job Type
Full-time
Career Level
Senior
