Chief Engineer

Melton Hospitality Advisors; Allentown (Lehigh County); On-site; USD 75,000 - 80,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Bonus opportunities

Medical, dental, and vision benefits

401(k) with company match

Hotel discounts

Free parking

Free gym membership

Job summary

Melton Hospitality Advisors seeks a hands-on, on-site Chief/Lead Engineer for a full-service hotel portfolio. You own the plant, lead from the mechanical rooms, and ensure uptime and safety across MEP systems.

You will manage preventive maintenance, oversee vendors, and collaborate with rooms, front office, and F&B to meet guest needs while staying within budget.

Qualifications

• Proven chief or lead engineer experience in a full-service hotel or similar plant.
• Working command of mechanical, electrical, plumbing, HVAC, and life-safety systems.
• Track record running preventive maintenance and vendor contracts to a measurable standard.
• Ability to read drawings and prioritize repairs by cost and guest impact.
• Trade credentials or licenses required; refrigerant handling is a plus.
• Clear communication with guests and department leaders; stop unsafe work.

Responsibilities

• Keep critical MEP, HVAC, and life-safety systems available with minimal outages.
• Cut repeat work orders by fixing root causes and returning rooms to inventory the same shift.
• Complete preventive maintenance on schedule and prove compliance with standards.
• Hold labor, parts, and contractor spend to budget.
• Staff, train, and lead a multi-skill team across nights and peak season.
• Deliver approved capital and renovation work on time with repair vs replace recommendations.
• Partner with rooms, front office, and food & beverage to meet guest needs without surprise downtime.

Skills

Mechanical systems

Electrical systems

Plumbing

HVAC

Life-safety systems

Vendor management

Reading drawings

Risk prioritization

Guest communication

Safety compliance

Education

Trade credentials or licenses

Job description

Compensation Package:

• Base Salary: $75k-$80K
• Bonus Opportunities based on Performance
• Medical, dental, and vision benefits.
• 401(k) with company match.
• Marriott hotel discounts.
• Free parking.
• Free gym membership.

This is not a desk job. You own the building so guests never feel it fail—and you lead from the plant, not from a report. When HVAC, power, water, or life safety slips, rooms go out of service, reviews drop, and the hotel loses the night. You set the standard for uptime, safety, and brand compliance, and you build a crew that can hold that standard on a Saturday night.

Performance Objectives

• Keep critical MEP, HVAC, and life-safety systems available so guest-impacting outages are rare, short, and fully documented.
• Cut repeat work orders by fixing root causes, not symptoms, and return rooms to inventory the same shift whenever the repair allows.
• Complete preventive maintenance on schedule and prove compliance with brand standards, fire and life safety, and local codes.
• Hold engineering labor, parts, and contractor spend to budget without deferring known risk.
• Staff, train, and hold a multi-skill team accountable across nights, weekends, holidays, and peak season.
• Deliver approved capital and renovation work on time, with clear recommendations on repair versus replace.
• Partner with rooms, front office, and food and beverage so guest requests and event needs are met without surprise downtime.

Environment & Resources

You report to the General Manager and lead the on-property engineering team, backed by approved vendors and a defined capital plan. You will use the property’s work-order and preventive-maintenance system, brand engineering standards, and local code requirements. Expect hands-on work in mechanical rooms, guest areas, and exteriors: extended standing and walking, climbing, bending, and lifting up to 100 lbs, including exposure to equipment, temperatures, and chemicals. Safety rules and protective equipment are not optional.

Essential Qualifications

• Proven chief or lead engineer experience in a full-service hotel or a comparable commercial plant.
• Working command of mechanical, electrical, plumbing, HVAC, and life-safety systems, including diagnosis under pressure.
• A track record running preventive maintenance, work-order response, and vendor contracts to a measurable standard.
• Ability to read drawings, prioritize risk, and decide repair versus replace with cost and guest impact in view.
• Trade credentials or licenses required by the jurisdiction; refrigerant handling is a plus.
• Clear communication with guests and department leaders, and the judgment to stop unsafe work.

Role Selling Points

• Real authority over plant quality, team standards, and capital recommendations—not a ticket-taker role.
• A full-service operation where culinary, events, and rooms all depend on engineering execution.
• Full-time leadership with room to grow across a multi-property hospitality portfolio.
• Benefits for full-time roles may include medical, dental, vision, disability, 401(k), paid time off, and hotel discounts. Benefits vary by location.

EEO/VET/DISABLED.