Chief Building Engineer

CBRE Group, Inc.; Washington, Northern (District of Columbia, KY); On-site; USD 90,000 - 120,000; Full time

Job summary

CBRE Group, Inc. is seeking a Chief Building Engineer to perform complex preventive maintenance and repairs on buildings, industrial systems, vehicles, equipment, and grounds.

The role sits within Engineering and Technical Services and involves supporting, maintaining, and repairing equipment and systems. You will lead operations, assign work orders, and provide technical training to staff and subcontractors, coordinating with clients to minimize downtime and ensure systems meet design

Qualifications

• High School Diploma or GED required, 5–8 years of related experience.
• Strong problem-solving skills and the ability to address complex issues.
• Proven leadership and supervisory capabilities, with coaching experience.
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office (Word, Excel, Outlook).

Responsibilities

• Follow applicable codes, regulations, and safety directives.
• Lead operations, assign work orders, and train coworkers and subcontractors.
• Coordinate preventive maintenance with clients to minimize downtime.
• Inspect building systems (fire alarms, HVAC, plumbing) for reliability.
• Oversee work by engineering staff to ensure completion and quality.
• Respond to emergencies and escalate when needed.
• Develop and apply improved methods to meet department goals.
• Communicate complex ideas clearly to stakeholders.

Skills

Leadership

Communication

Problem solving

MS Office

Education

High School Diploma or GED

Job description

Global Workplace Solutions (GWS) Local is a hard services-led, tailored facility management solution. We self-perform hard services while partnering with best-in-class soft service providers to offer custom facility and project management solutions to our clients. We focus on empowering our team with a high-level of downstream accountability, resulting in an agile and efficient service delivery.

In addition to our core facility and project management capabilities, our platform offers direct access to our Best-in-Class services, including ESG, Security Consulting, Workplace Strategy, and Workplace Experience.

About the Role:

As a CBRE Chief Building Engineer, you will perform complex preventive maintenance and corrective repairs of buildings, industrial systems, vehicles, equipment, and grounds.

This job is part of the Engineering and Technical Services job function. They are responsible for providing support, preventive maintenance, and repairs on equipment and systems.

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.
• Consult with clients to schedule preventive maintenance during downtime to cut business interruption and inconvenience. Plan a preventive maintenance program to ensure that building machinery and systems meet or exceed their rated life.
• Check building systems including fire alarms, HVAC, and plumbing to ensure the operation of equipment is within design capabilities and achieves environmental conditions prescribed by the client.
• Oversee and inspect the work performed by engineering staff to make sure the work is complete; equipment is functioning properly, and client space is in great working 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 discipline and in-depth knowledge of other job disciplines within the organization function.
• Coach others to develop in-depth knowledge and expertise in most or all areas within the 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 adopt 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.
• Communicate difficult and complex ideas with the ability to influence.

What You'll Need:

• High School Diploma, GED, or trade school diploma with 5-8 years of job-related experience. In lieu of a diploma, a combination of experience and education will be considered. 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.
• Ability to solve unique problems using standard and innovative solutions having a broad impact on the business.
• In-depth knowledge of Microsoft Office products. Examples include Word, Excel, Outlook, etc.
• Expert organizational skills with an advanced inquisitive mindset.
• Highly sophisticated math skills. Ability to calculate somewhat complex figures such as percentages, fractions, and other financial-related calculations.

Why CBRE?

When you join CBRE, you become part of the global leader in commercial real estate services and investment that helps businesses and people thrive. We are dynamic problem solvers and forward-thinking professionals who create significant impact. Our collaborative culture is built on our shared values - respect, integrity, service and excellence - and we value the diverse perspectives, backgrounds and skillsets of our people. At CBRE, you have the opportunity to chart your own course and realize your potential. We welcome all applicants.

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.