Chief Engineer

Dexterra; Nashville (TN); On-site; USD 90,000 - 140,000; Full time

Job summary

Dexterra seeks a Chief Engineer to lead facilities engineering, operations, maintenance and technical compliance across multiple Tennessee sites including Nashville, Knoxville and Memphis. You will supervise on-site teams, drive preventive and reactive maintenance, and ensure safety and regulatory compliance.

You will develop data-driven maintenance programs, manage building systems, and coordinate emergency response, while maintaining detailed records in the client’s NCMMS.

Qualifications

• 5+ years of experience leading operations and maintenance for large facilities.
• Experience with a federal portfolio or facilities around 200,000 sq ft or larger preferred.
• EPA Section 608 certification and relevant state/local licenses.
• Advanced credential in stationary engineering, HVAC/refrigeration, boiler operations, or power engineering.

Responsibilities

• Lead onsite technical team for facilities engineering, operations, maintenance and repairs; plan, assign, and inspect work.
• Mentor journeyman, apprentices, HVAC and maintenance staff; ensure proper licenses and certifications.
• Operate and maintain mechanical, electrical, HVAC, water/sewer, life-safety and building systems within scope.
• Develop maintenance strategies to maximize uptime and comply with standards.
• Troubleshoot and repair boilers, chillers, pumps, motors, controls, and BAS components.
• Maintain occupied spaces with proper environmental conditions and safety.
• Provide 24/7 emergency response for critical failures and incidents.
• Lead data-driven commissioning; optimize schedules and pursue energy/water savings.
• Maintain accurate asset and maintenance records in NCMMS; support plan development.
• Coordinate repair proposals, cost estimates, and supplier networks; protect assets and records.

Skills

Leadership

Facilities management

HVAC systems

Mechanical maintenance

Electrical systems

Troubleshooting

Building Automation Systems

Safety compliance

Communication

Vendor coordination

Education

Bachelor's degree in engineering or related field

High school diploma or equivalent

Tools

NCMMS

Job description

CMI is now a part of the Dexterra Group!
CMI Management LLC is headquartered in Alexandria, VA and is a proven provider of efficient business, technology and facilities management solutions designed to help government and commercial clients reduce operational costs, operate at optimum performance and access the information needed for daily and long-term productivity. CMI has been in business for over 30 years and is well established in the federal contracting arena. Please visit www.cmimgmt.com to learn more about our company!

Job Description

The Chief Engineer is a working supervisor responsible for leading facilities engineering, operations, maintenance, repair, and technical compliance across CMI’s customer sites in Tennessee.

Work site Locations: Nashville, Knoxville and Memphis

Key Job Functions

• Serve as the senior onsite technical lead and working supervisor for facilities engineering, operations, maintenance, and repair activities; plan, assign, inspect, and document work performed by employees and subcontractors.
• Lead, train, and mentor journeyman, apprentice, HVAC, and general maintenance personnel; verify that personnel possess the training, licenses, and certifications required for the systems and equipment they operate, maintain, adjust, or inspect.
• Operate and maintain electrical, mechanical, HVAC, domestic water and sewer, hydronic, filtration, generator, fire protection, life-safety, lighting, vertical transportation, architectural, structural, security, metering, control, and related building systems within the PWS scope.
• Develop and execute routine, predictive, condition-based, and reactive maintenance strategies that maximize uptime, preserve warranties, prevent premature failure, and comply with manufacturer specifications, the PM Guide, applicable ASHRAE and ASME standards, and other binding requirements.
• Perform and oversee troubleshooting and repairs for boilers, chillers, pumps, motors, controls, sensors, gauges, piping, tubing, expansion tanks, hydronic loops, and Building Automation Systems, including refrigerant recovery and charging when properly certified.
• Maintain occupied spaces and common areas within required temperature, humidity, ventilation, lighting, water-intrusion, odor, access, and safety conditions during occupied hours; promptly report and correct conditions that threaten health, safety, property, or building operations.
• Provide or coordinate 24-hours-a-day, 7-days-a-week emergency response for critical system failures, asset protection, health and safety incidents, and vertical-transportation entrapments; ensure required notifications and response times are met.
• Lead a data-driven continuous commissioning program, optimize equipment schedules and start/stop sequences, identify energy and water waste, support demand-reduction strategies, and pursue no-cost and low-cost utility savings while maintaining tenant comfort.
• Maintain accurate asset, preventive-maintenance, service-call, inspection, testing, repair, subcontractor, permit, certification, and corrective-action records in customer’s National Computerized Maintenance Management System (NCMMS), the official system of record.
• Support development and annual updates of Building Operating Plans, emergency preparedness and response plans, utility demand-reduction plans, facility assessments, and other required technical deliverables.
• Implement quality-control inspections; document deficiencies, root causes, and corrective actions; analyze recurring failures and service-call trends; and support quantitative Acceptable Quality Level performance reporting.
• Inspect mechanical rooms, common areas, equipment, and active work for orderly conditions and compliance with OSHA requirements, NFPA codes, environmental requirements, permits, customer directives, and applicable federal, Tennessee, and local laws; apply the more stringent requirement when standards conflict.
• Coordinate disruptive maintenance with the Contracting Officer’s Representative or designee, support daily operational-status communications and monthly reporting, and immediately elevate major repairs, outages, safety violations, environmental issues, and risks to facility operations.
• Support repair proposals, cost estimates, material and subcontractor coordination, inspections, project execution, and transition activities; maintain common stock and a reliable supplier network while protecting Government data, equipment, keys, badges, and records.

Qualifications

• High school diploma or equivalent required; bachelor’s degree in engineering, facilities management, construction management, or a related field preferred.
• At least 5 years of recent experience leading operations and maintenance for large, complex commercial or Government facilities; experience with a federal portfolio or facilities of approximately 200,000 square feet or greater is strongly preferred.
• EPA Section 608 certification appropriate to assigned refrigerant work and any state or local licenses required for the equipment and work performed.
• Advanced technical credential or equivalent documented experience in stationary engineering, HVAC/refrigeration operations, boiler operations, power engineering, or a related discipline; examples include NAPE, advanced boiler-operator, or IUOE stationary-engineer credentials.
• Demonstrated experience operating, troubleshooting, repairing, and replacing HVAC, boiler, chiller, pump, motor, piping, controls, metering, and Building Automation System components.
• Working knowledge of OSHA, NFPA, ASHRAE, ASME A17, environmental, life-safety, water-quality, and applicable federal, state, and local requirements relevant to facilities operations.
• Ability to read and interpret contract requirements, technical specifications, drawings, schematics, manufacturer instructions, maintenance histories, permits, inspection reports, and operating data.
• Proficiency with computerized maintenance management systems; ability to maintain accurate electronic records and use data to evaluate maintenance performance, equipment condition, service-call trends, and utility performance.
• Ability to respond to emergencies outside normal working hours, satisfy site-access and security requirements, and travel among assigned Tennessee facilities as operational needs require.
• Ability to communicate clearly in English, orally and in writing, with Government representatives, tenants, employees, subcontractors, inspectors, and emergency responders.

Additional Information

COMPETENCIES FOR SUCCESS

• Teamwork
• Results orientation/operational excellence
• Holding self and other accountable
• Operational business thinking

All your information will be kept confidential according to EEO guidelines.

CMI is an equal opportunity employer committed to diversity and inclusion. We are pleased to consider all qualified applicants for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, age, disability, protected veterans’ status, Indigenous status, or any other legally protected factors. Disability-related accommodations during the hiring selection process are available upon request.