Chief Building Engineer

CBRE Group, Inc.; San Diego (CA); On-site; USD 120,000 - 180,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Medical, dental, vision

PTO

401k

Holiday pay

Internal advancement

Competitive pay

Job summary

CBRE Group, Inc. in San Diego seeks a Chief Building Engineer Supervisor to lead operations, guide engineering teams, and ensure optimal performance of HVAC, fire safety, and plumbing systems.

You will manage preventive maintenance, assign tasks, and train coworkers and subcontractors while maintaining client spaces and safety standards. The role requires leadership experience, hands‑on problem solving, and a commitment to operational excellence within CBRE’s service teams.

Qualifications

• Minimum 5–8 years of related experience.
• Must meet physical requirements: lift 50 lbs+ and stand/walk/climb.
• Strong leadership and communication skills for coaching staff.
• Experience using CMMS and MS Office.

Responsibilities

• Lead operations and assign work orders.
• Provide technical and procedural training to coworkers/subcontractors.
• Coordinate with customers to schedule preventive maintenance during off‑peak hours.
• Inspect building systems (fire alarms, HVAC, electrical, plumbing) for performance and safety.
• Respond to emergencies and escalate as needed.
• Develop new methods to improve department objectives and efficiency.
• Model CBRE RISE values and lead by example across teams.
• Ensure multi‑discipline collaboration to meet client goals.
• Contribute to process, product, and standard improvements.

Skills

Leadership

Preventive maintenance

Team supervision

HVAC systems

Education

High School Diploma

Tools

CMMS

Microsoft Office

Job description

ABOUT THE ROLE:

Lead the way as a CBRE Chief Building Engineer Supervisor—where your expertise keeps critical systems running efficiently and clients satisfied. You'll manage preventive maintenance, guide engineering teams, and ensure top-tier building performance across HVAC, fire safety, and plumbing systems. If you're a hands‑on problem solver with leadership skills and a passion for operational excellence, this is your next big move.

This job is part of the Engineering and Technical Services job function.

WHAT YOU’LL DO:

• Follow all applicable codes, regulations, governmental agency, and company directives related to building operations and work safety.
• Lead operations, assign work orders, and provide technical and procedural training of coworkers and subcontractors. Arranges for subcontractors as needed.
• Collaborate with customers to arrange preventative maintenance activities during off‑peak hours to minimize business disruptions and inconvenience to ensure that building machinery and systems meet or exceed their rated life.
• Inspect building systems—including fire alarms, HVAC, electrical, and plumbing—to ensure optimal performance, while coordinating and reviewing engineering staff work to confirm all tasks are completed accurately and client spaces remain in excellent condition.
• Respond to emergency situations and ask for help when needed.
• Apply advanced knowledge to seek and develop new, better methods for accomplishing both individual and department objectives.
• Showcase expertise in own job subject area and in‑depth knowledge of other job fields within the organization function.
• Lead by example and model behaviors that are consistent with CBRE RISE values. Anticipate potential objections and persuades others, often at senior levels and of divergent interest, to embrace a different point of view.
• Impact the achievement of customer, operational, project, or service objectives across multi‑discipline teams. Work is guided by functional policies which impact the design of procedures and policies.
• Contribute to new products, processes, standards, and/or operational plans in support of achieving functional goals.

WHAT YOU’LL NEED:

• High School Diploma, GED, or trade school diploma or equivalent experience with 5-8 years of job‑related experience. Prior shift manager or supervisory experience preferred.
• Meet the physical requirements of this role including stooping, standing, walking, climbing stairs/ladders, and the ability to lift/carry heavy loads of 50 lbs. or more.
• The innovative mentality to develop methods that go beyond existing solutions.
• Microsoft Office products Word, Excel, Outlook, etc. and handle work orders through a CMMS
• Ability to calculate figures such as percentages, fractions, and other financial‑related calculations.

Why CBRE?

We are guided by the needs of the cities we inhabit, the communities we build and the world we thrive in!

Benefits

• Benefits start 1st of the month: Medical, dental vision, PTO, 401k, holiday pay, and much more!
• Internal advancement available after 6 month mark
• Competitive Pay

DISCLAIMERS

Applicants must be currently authorized to work in the United States without the need for visa sponsorship now or in the future

Applicant AI Use Disclosure

We value human interaction to understand each candidate's unique experience, skills, and aspirations. We do not use artificial intelligence (AI) tools to make hiring decisions, and we ask that candidates disclose any use of AI in the application and interview process.

Other keywords: commercial, maintenance, lead, HVAC, plumbing, electrician, manage, facilities maintenance, retail, property management