Commissioning & Energy Engineer

The Building People; Philadelphia (Philadelphia County); On-site; USD 70,000 - 100,000; Full time

Job summary

The Building People, LLC seeks a Commissioning & Energy Engineer to join a team delivering building commissioning and energy analysis for federal and commercial facilities nationwide. You will contribute to RCx, recommissioning, and monitoring-based commissioning across HVAC, electrical, life safety, and building envelope systems.

Ideal candidates have 2–3 years of relevant experience (HVAC-focused) and will assist with BAS programming under senior engineers.

Qualifications

• Two to three years of relevant experience, preferably HVAC-focused.
• Experience in building operations and maintenance in federal, commercial, or mixed portfolios.
• Ability to collect field data for ASHRAE Level 2 energy audits.
• Support M&V activities and energy audits.

Responsibilities

• Assist commissioning activities across project types and systems (audits, baselining, benchmarking, M&V).
• Collect field data (nameplate, schedules, utility bills) to support ASHRAE Level 2 audits.
• Support programming of HVAC equipment, VFDs, and lighting schedules.
• Draft and consolidate documentation for commissioning and energy audit activities.
• Contribute to recommendations for ECMs and WCMs.

Skills

Clear communication

Team collaboration

Analytical skills

Troubleshooting

M&V basics

Data collection

Building operations

Education

Bachelor's degree in engineering

Tools

BAS programming

Energy modeling

Data logging tools

Job description

The Building People, LLC has an immediate opening for a Commissioning & Energy Engineer. The Commissioning & Energy Engineer will work with a team to support Building Commissioning (Cx) services — including new construction commissioning, retro-commissioning (RCx), recommissioning, and monitoring-based commissioning — across HVAC, electrical, life safety, and building envelope systems for federal and commercial buildings across the United States and its territories. This role will also collect and analyze building system data to support American Society of Heating, Refrigerating and Air-Conditioning Engineers (ASHRAE) Level 2 energy audits, giving the successful candidate a distinctive combination of commissioning and energy analysis experience. Qualified candidates will possess a minimum of two to three years of relevant experience, preferably with a focus on HVAC. The ideal candidate will assist with programming various Building Automation Systems (BAS) under the guidance of senior engineers, and will apply building monitoring, work order management, and fault detection technologies. The ideal candidate will also develop familiarity with energy mandates and reporting requirements applicable to both federal and commercial facilities. This role will support facilities nationwide across both sectors, and the candidate will join a growing team with ample opportunity for advancement.

Required Experience & Skills

• Communicates clearly, collaborates effectively with a team, and applies strong analytical and troubleshooting skills
• Assists with commissioning activities across project types and systems — including auditing, inventorying, baselining, benchmarking, implementation support, and measurement and verification (M&V)
• Collects field data (equipment nameplate information, operating schedules, utility bills, and system conditions) to support ASHRAE Level 2 energy audits
• Supports the calculation of energy end-use breakdowns and savings-to-investment ratios, and trends utility data to support ASHRAE Level 2 audit findings
• Supports senior engineers in programming HVAC equipment, Variable Frequency Drives (VFDs), and lighting schedules
• Contributes to recommendations for Energy Conservation Measures (ECMs) and Water Conservation Measures (WCMs)
• Supports M&V activities
• Assists in generating energy profiles and baselines for commissioning and energy audit projects
• Contributes to drafting and consolidating documentation and reports for commissioning and energy audit activities
• Demonstrates proficiency in Microsoft Office Suite or related software
• Brings a minimum of two to three years of experience in building operations and maintenance, in federal, commercial, or mixed-portfolio settings

Preferred Experience & Skills

• Familiarity with common Building Automation System (BAS) platforms (e.g., Niagara, Siemens, Johnson Controls)
• Exposure to ASHRAE Level 1 or Level 2 energy audit methodologies
• Coursework or internship experience in HVAC design or building systems
• Familiarity with energy modeling or benchmarking tools (e.g., ENERGY STAR Portfolio Manager)
• Working toward an Engineer-in-Training (EIT) certification
• Exposure to LEED or WELL building standards
• Experience with data logging or trend analysis tools used in commissioning
• Exposure to Proportional, Integral, Derivative (PID) loop tuning
• Experience supporting commercial real estate or private-sector building portfolios

Required Education

• Holds a Bachelor's degree in a relevant engineering discipline or a related field, or demonstrates equivalent experience and knowledge of HVAC systems and equipment, including Building Automation Systems (BAS)

Preferred Certification

• Demonstrates interest in pursuing a Certified Energy Manager (CEM) certification or Professional Engineer (PE) licensure as part of long-term career growth

Travel

• This position requires up to 50% travel, including assignments across the United States and its territories, supporting both federal and commercial client sites.

Work Environment

• This role involves work in mechanical rooms, rooftops, and other building spaces that may expose the candidate to noise, dust, and temperature extremes typical of commercial and federal facility environments.

Background Investigation

• Requires a background investigation for assignments involving federal facility access
• May require additional background checks subject to system access
• May require a facility-specific security clearance depending on site assignment

Physical Requirements

• Climbs overhead or crawls under spaces to complete jobs
• Works at heights when required
• Lifts up to 50 pounds at times