Chief Engineer (facilities) Lake Forest, IL

Grainger; Lake Forest (IL); On-site; USD 41,000 - 68,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Day-one benefits

18 PTO days + 6 holidays

401(k) with company match

Employee discounts

Tuition reimbursement

Parental leave programs

Job summary

Grainger in Lake Forest, IL is seeking a Chief Engineer to lead day-to-day maintenance and engineering operations for its Corporate Headquarters and Data Center. You will provide technical leadership, oversee preventive and corrective maintenance, manage vendors and projects, and collaborate across teams to keep critical infrastructure reliable.

You will act as a subject matter expert for building automation, CMMS, maintenance planning, and continuous improvement, aiming to maximize equipment

Qualifications

• 7+ years progressive experience in commercial or industrial facilities engineering.
• 5+ years data center maintenance experience (preferred).
• Experience managing capital construction and infrastructure improvement projects.
• Knowledge of CMMS administration and maintenance planning.
• Knowledge working with Building Automation Systems, HVAC controls, electrical distribution, emergency power, chilled water systems, and critical facility operations.

Responsibilities

• Lead daily engineering and maintenance operations to ensure safe, reliable performance of building systems.
• Provide technical leadership, coaching, and hands-on training for maintenance technicians.
• Prioritize preventive, predictive, corrective, and emergency maintenance work.
• Manage maintenance, renovation, and capital improvement projects with budgeting and coordination.
• Develop reliability-centered maintenance strategies to improve asset availability and reduce downtime.
• Partner to develop operating and capital budgets and forecast expenditures.
• Serve as SME for CMMS, maintenance planning, and data quality improvements.

Skills

Facility engineering

Data center operations

Maintenance planning

Leadership & coaching

Preventive maintenance

Education

High School Diploma or equivalent

Tools

CMMS administration

Building Automation Systems

HVAC controls

Electrical distribution

Emergency power systems

Job description

Work Location Type: 100 Grainger Parkway Lake Forest, IL 60045

Req Number 333152

About Grainger

W.W. Grainger, Inc. is a leading broad line distributor with operations primarily in North America and Japan. At Grainger, We Keep the World Working® by serving more than 4.6 million customers worldwide with maintenance, repair and operating (MRO) products and value-added solutions delivered through innovative technology and deep customer expertise. Known for its commitment to service and purpose-driven culture, the Company reported 2025 revenue of $17.9 billion. For more information, visitwww.grainger.com.

Compensation

The anticipated base pay compensation range for this position is $29.72 – $49.48.

Rewards And Benefits

With benefits starting on day one, our programs provide choice and flexibility to meet team members' individual needs, including:

• Medical, dental, vision, and life insurance plans with coverage starting on day one of employment and 6 free sessions each year with a licensed therapist to support your emotional wellbeing.
• 18 paid time off (PTO) days annually for full-time employees (accrual prorated based on employment start date) and 6 company holidays per year.
• 6% company contribution to a 401(k) Retirement Savings Plan each pay period, no employee contribution required.
• Employee discounts, tuition reimbursement, student loan refinancing and free access to financial counseling, education, and tools.
• Maternity support programs, nursing benefits, and up to 14 weeks paid leave for birth parents and up to 4 weeks paid leave for non-birth parents.

For additional information and details regarding Grainger’s benefits, please click on the link below:

https://experience100.ehr.com/grainger/Home/Tools-Resources/Key-Resources/New-Hire

Grainger Benefits

The pay range provided above is not a guarantee of compensation. The range reflects the potential base pay for this role at the time of this posting based on the job grade for this position. Individual base pay compensation will depend, in part, on factors such as geographic work location and relevant experience and skills.

The anticipated compensation range described above is subject to change and the compensation ultimately paid may be higher or lower than the range described above.

Grainger reserves the right to amend, modify, or terminate its compensation and benefit programs in its sole discretion at any time, consistent with applicable law.

Job Summary

The Chief Engineer leads day‑to‑day maintenance and engineering operations for Grainger's Corporate Headquarters and Data Center, ensuring safe, reliable, and efficient performance of building infrastructure, critical systems, and facility support services. This role provides technical leadership to maintenance technicians, oversees preventive and corrective maintenance strategies, manages vendors and projects, and partners across Corporate Real Estate, Business Continuity, Critical Space Operations, and other stakeholders to support uninterrupted business operations.

You will serve as a subject matter expert for building automation, CMMS, maintenance planning, and engineering best practices while driving continuous improvement, equipment reliability, and team capability.

Key Responsibilities

• Lead daily engineering and maintenance operations to ensure safe, reliable performance of building mechanical, electrical, plumbing, HVAC, life safety, and critical infrastructure systems.
• Provide technical leadership, coaching, and hands‑on training for maintenance technicians on work practices, troubleshooting techniques, engineering standards, and maintenance procedures.
• Prioritize preventive, predictive, corrective, and emergency maintenance work based on operational risk, business priorities, equipment criticality, and available resources.
• Manage maintenance, renovation, infrastructure, and capital improvement projects, including planning, budgeting, scope development, contractor coordination, execution, quality assurance, commissioning, closeout, and stakeholder communication.
• Manage vendor relationships and service contracts by setting performance expectations, monitoring service levels, resolving issues, reviewing invoices, and ensuring compliance with company and regulatory standards.
• Develop reliability‑centered maintenance strategies that increase equipment availability, extend asset life, reduce downtime, optimize maintenance costs, and support continuous improvement.
• Partner with the Facility Manager to develop operating and capital budgets, forecast maintenance expenditures, assess lifecycle costs, identify replacement needs, and recommend cost‑effective engineering solutions.
• Serve as a subject matter expert for CMMS, maintenance planning, business continuity, emergency response, and recovery activities while driving improvements in data quality, reporting, operational efficiency, energy management, technician productivity, and customer satisfaction.

You will have

• High School Diploma or equivalent
• 7+ years progressive experience in commercial or industrial facilities engineering, building operations, or critical infrastructure maintenance
• 5+ years data center maintenance experience (preferred)
• Experience managing capital construction and infrastructure improvement projects
• Knowledge of CMMS administration and maintenance planning.
• Knowledge working with Building Automation Systems, HVAC controls, electrical distribution, emergency power, chilled water systems, and critical facility operations.

Job Description Disclaimer

This job description may not be inclusive of all assigned duties, responsibilities, or aspects of the job described, and may be amended at any time at the sole discretion of the Employer.

We are committed to equal employment opportunity regardless of race, color, ancestry, religion, sex (including pregnancy), national origin, sexual orientation, age, citizenship, marital status, disability, gender identity or expression, protected veteran status or any other protected characteristic under federal, state, or local law. We are proud to be an equal opportunity workplace.

We are committed to fostering an inclusive, accessible work environment that includes both providing reasonable accommodations to individuals with disabilities during the application and hiring process as well as throughout the course of one’s employment, should you need a reasonable accommodation during the application and selection process, including, but not limited to use of our website, any part of the application, interview or hiring process, please advise us so that we can provide appropriate assistance.