Assistant Chief Engineer

Murrieta Hot Springs Resort; Costa Mesa (CA); On-site; USD 72,000 - 78,000; Full time

Job summary

Hilton Orange County/Costa Mesa is seeking an Assistant Chief Engineer to lead and support the hotel’s Engineering department. You will supervise staff, manage daily operations, and ensure safety, energy efficiency, and compliance with life-safety systems.

You will step in as acting chief during absences, oversee PM schedules, coordinate with vendors, and respond to after-hours emergencies while maintaining records and budgets.

Qualifications

• Experience leading an engineering team in a hotel or commercial building.
• Ability to troubleshoot and solve complex issues under pressure.
• Familiarity with safety programs, PM, and energy conservation.

Responsibilities

• Assist the Chief Engineer in meeting all operational standards for Engineering.
• Act as Engineering head in Chief Engineer's absence with authority to make decisions.
• Serve as MOD as scheduled and participate in leadership rotation.
• Keep Chief Engineer informed of equipment status, work orders, vendor activity, and safety concerns.
• Assist in preparing the Engineering budget, CAPEX requests and project plans.
• Conduct daily walkthroughs of equipment and facilities for safety and efficiency.
• Manage daily work orders, PMs, and records in the work order system.
• Oversee preventive maintenance programs and ensure proper documentation.

Skills

Supervisory experience

HVAC & building systems knowledge

Electrical up to 480V

Read blueprints

Preventive Maintenance systems

Communication skills

Training hourly staff

Education

Trade certification

EPA Universal (608) certification

CPO (Certified Pool Operator)

Job description

Hilton Orange County/Costa Mesa is near Southern California attractions and beaches. Whether you're here on business or leisure, our hotel has all you need to make the most of your stay, including a complimentary John Wayne Airport shuttle, 48,000 sq. ft. of event space for Costa Mesa weddings, and signature cuisine at our Bristol Palms California Bistro.

Job Description

Core Responsibilities:

• Assist the Chief Engineer in meeting all operational standards related to the Engineering department.
• Act as Engineering department head in the Chief Engineer's absence, including vacations, sick days and off-shift hours, with full authority to make operational decisions.
• Serve as Manager on Duty (MOD) as scheduled, and participate in the hotel's leadership rotation.
• Keep the Chief Engineer informed of equipment status, open work orders, vendor activity, safety concerns and staffing issues.
• Assist in preparing the Engineering department budget, capital expenditure requests and project plans.
• Conduct daily walk-throughs and visually assess the safe and efficient maintenance and operation of the hotel structure, systems and equipment.
• Assign, schedule and follow up on daily work orders and guest requests; ensure timely completion and accurate records in the work order system.
• Assist the Chief Engineer in establishing, scheduling and auditing the Rooms and Public Area Preventive Maintenance (PM) program, assigning PM work to engineering associates and ensuring completion is documented.
• Provide hands‑on technical support only when needed to cover staffing gaps, resolve complex or recurring problems beyond an associate's skill level, demonstrate proper methods during training, or verify the quality of completed work. Routine work orders and PM tasks remain assigned to the Engineer I, II and III positions.
• Review the daily, weekly and monthly equipment logs (boilers, chillers, cooling towers, pumps, water heaters, fire panels) completed by engineering associates, and follow up on abnormal readings.
• Track utility usage (electric, gas, water) and support energy conservation and sustainability initiatives.
• Assist in hiring, supervising, coaching and counseling engineering associates.
• Oversee the department training program, working with the Engineer I to deliver technical training, and ensure all associates are trained on safety practices and emergency response.
• Assist with associate scheduling to ensure adequate engineering coverage on all shifts.
• Implement the hotel's safety and emergency policies and procedures (evacuations, first aid, etc.), including removing safety hazards and following the company's OSHA Hazcom program, lockout/tagout and safe lifting techniques.
• Assist in maintaining current permits, licenses, inspection certificates and records for the building and physical plant (elevators, boilers, fire systems, backflow, kitchen hood suppression).
• Assist in maintaining adequate inventory of parts, supplies, tools and materials, and support the department's inventory and purchasing system.
• Coordinate and supervise 3rd party vendors and contractors on property, ensuring work meets hotel standards and safety requirements.
• The Assistant Chief Engineer must have the knowledge to step in as a working engineer during emergencies and lead the response until resolved.
• Respond on‑site or by phone to after‑hours emergencies; participate in the department's on‑call rotation.
• Direct the response to critical system failures (loss of power, HVAC/chiller/boiler failure, water leaks and flooding, sewer backups, gas leaks, elevator entrapments, kitchen equipment failure), assigning on‑shift engineers first, and personally perform emergency repairs when no qualified engineer is available or the problem exceeds their skill level.
• Know the location and operation of all main shut‑offs (water, gas, electrical, fire sprinkler zones) and isolation valves, and be able to safely isolate systems.
• Be able to operate the emergency generator, fire alarm panel, fire pump and life safety systems, and reset and silence alarms per hotel and fire department procedures; ensure required testing is completed by engineering associates or vendors and documented.
• Act as Engineering lead during evacuations, severe weather, fire alarms and other emergencies, coordinating with the General Manager, Security, Front Office and emergency responders.
• Document all emergencies, actions taken and follow‑up needed, and debrief the Chief Engineer.
• Perform other duties as assigned.

Salary Range: $72,000-$78,000

Location

Requirements

Knowledge, Skills and Abilities:

• Previous hotel or commercial building engineering experience, including at least 1 year in a lead or supervisory role.
• Strong hands‑on working knowledge of HVAC (chillers, boilers, PTACs, cooling towers), electrical (up to 480V), plumbing, commercial kitchen equipment, pools/spas and general building construction.
• Vocational training, associate's degree, certification and/or apprenticeship in one or more trades; state certification or licensure where required. EPA Universal (608) certification preferred; CPO (Certified Pool Operator) preferred.
• Working knowledge of fire alarm, sprinkler, emergency generator and other life safety systems.
• Read and interpret blueprints, schematics, drawings and technical parts breakdowns; read and understand test equipment and measuring devices (multimeter, amp meter, manometer, etc.).
• Ability to troubleshoot and problem solve issues, and be experienced in decision making.
• Experience with computerized work order / preventive maintenance systems.
• Good communication skills, both verbal and written.
• Strong presentation skills and ability to train hourly staff members.
• High work ethic and self‑initiative.
• Strong computer skills in Microsoft Suite.
• Must possess basic computational ability.
• Regular attendance according to established guidelines.
• Must be available to work varying schedules, including nights, weekends, holidays and on‑call emergency response, to reflect the business needs of the property. Focus and maintain attention to multiple tasks and priorities, and complete work assignments on time despite frequent interruptions, including in high pressure situations.
• Ability to maintain excellent relationships with staff and maintain staff and guest confidentiality at all times.
• Ability to converse calmly with upset associates, superiors and guests in intense emotional situations.
• Ability to participate in, and lead, departmental and/or hotel team meetings.
• Understanding and adherence to Safety Data Sheet (SDS/MSDS) documents, as well as hotel safety procedures.

Status

Full-time

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