Critical Facilities Chief Engineer

TEKsystems; Ashburn (VA); On-site; USD 130,000 - 150,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

180 hours PTO starting day 1

Family HSA contribution

Individual HSA contribution

401k 4% match

Medical, Dental, and Vision

Job summary

TEKsystems in Ashburn, VA is seeking a Chief Engineer to provide senior technical leadership and operational oversight for a critical facility. You will bridge shift operations with site leadership, drive change management, and coordinate vendor work to maintain high availability.

The role requires 5+ years in data center operations, a Bachelor's degree (preferred) or equivalent experience, and strong skills in electrical/mechanical systems, BMS, and safety/compliance.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree preferred in Engineering, Operations Management, or related discipline.
• Equivalent industry experience (10+ years in data center operations) may substitute for formal education.
• Demonstrated leadership in operational leadership, risk management, and technical training delivery.
• Experience developing and executing onboarding or technical programs within infrastructure environments.
• Strong proficiency in critical infrastructure systems (electrical, mechanical, BMS) and related compliance standards.
• Knowledge of SOPs, EOPs, compliance auditing, and safety/regulatory standards.
• Excellent leadership, coaching, and communication skills.
• Ability to lead without formal authority and drive change across distributed teams.

Responsibilities

• Provide senior-level technical oversight for all critical facility systems including electrical distribution, UPS, generators, HVAC, chilled water systems, fire/life safety systems, and BMS platforms.
• Review and validate Change Requests (CRs) prior to Facility Manager approval to ensure procedural accuracy, risk mitigation, and safety compliance.
• Ensure all work on site adheres to SOPs, MOPs, EOPs, and change management procedures.
• Conduct quality reviews of completed procedures and ensure proper documentation storage and record retention.
• Participate in and lead technical portions of RCA investigations following incidents.
• Maintain operational continuity between shifts by coordinating maintenance activities, vendor work, and ongoing projects.

Skills

Data center operations

Change management

Leadership development

Project management

Vendor management

CMMS

Asset tracking

Data center expansion

Infrastructure upgrades

Education

Bachelor's degree preferred

Equivalent industry experience (10+ years)

Job description

Description

The Chief Engineer is responsible for providing senior technical leadership and operational oversight within a mission-critical facility. This role supports the Facility Manager and Maintenace Manager by ensuring procedural integrity, technical excellence, risk mitigation, and operational continuity across all electrical, mechanical, fire/life safety, and building management systems.

The Chief Engineer serves as the primary technical authority on site, bridging shift-based operations and site-level leadership. This position strengthens change management quality, vendor execution, compliance readiness, training development, and project coordination. The ideal candidate will possess deep mission-critical infrastructure expertise, strong procedural discipline, and demonstrated leadership capability in high-availability environments.

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES:

Technical Operations & Infrastructure Oversight

• Provide senior -level technical oversight for all critical facility systems including electrical distribution, UPS, generators, HVAC, chilled water systems, fire/life safety systems, and BMS platforms.
• Review and validate Change Requests (CRs) prior to Facility Manager approval to ensure procedural accuracy, risk mitigation completeness, and safety compliance.
• Ensure all work performed on site adheres strictly to approved SOPs, MOPs, EOPs, and change management procedures.
• Conduct quality reviews of completed procedures and ensure proper documentation storage and record retention.
• Participate in and lead technical portions of Root Cause Analysis (RCA) investigations following incidents.
• Maintain operational continuity between shifts by coordinating maintenance activities, vendor work, and ongoing projects.

Safety, Compliance, & Emergency Response

• Ensure site adherence to all safety standards, regulatory requirements, and company operational policies.
• Conduct risk assessments related to maintenance activities and project execution.
• Stop unsafe work and elevate safety concerns as necessary.
• Respond to emergency events including power failures, fire alarms, equipment failures, and customer-impacting incidents.
• Coordinate with LCFTs to ensure OCC coverage and proper escalation during critical events.
• Support preparation and execution of AMMO audits and post-audit corrective actions.

Leadership & Team Development

• Serve as senior technical mentor to LCFTs, CFTs, and CFMTs.
• Support hiring, onboarding, and training of Operations personnel.
• Develop and coordinate technical training programs including CMMS usage, controls systems, safety procedures, and operational best practices.
• Facilitate site drills in accordance with annual training plans and operational readiness requirements.
• Foster a culture of ownership, accountability, collaboration, and continuous improvement.
• Promote innovation and process refinement across site operations.

Customer & Stakeholder Engagement

• Support the Facility Manager in customer interactions related to operational performance, audits, and technical reviews.
• Serve as Operations point of contact for on-site projects, coordinating scope reviews, access control, scheduling, and risk mitigation.
• Partner with Project Managers and vendors to ensure operational protection during project execution.
• Communicate technical updates and operational risks to the Director in a timely and professional manner.

Budget & Resource Support

• Assist the Facility Manager in identifying operational efficiencies and cost-saving opportunities.
• Support review of vendor proposals, scopes of work, and maintenance planning activities.
• Ensure efficient utilization of site resources to maintain operational excellence while controlling costs.

Project Management & Process Improvement

• Coordinate site-level operational aspects of infrastructure projects, upgrades, and commissioning activities.
• Support turnover readiness for new equipment and expansions.
• Develop tracking mechanisms to ensure proper completion of CMMS items (WO, PM, INC, REP, CR, etc.).
• Continuously evaluate operational processes to improve efficiency, documentation quality, and risk mitigation.
• Partner with Operations SMEs to ensure site adherence to company Runbook standards and implementation of operational bulletins.

Skills

Mission Critical Data Center Infrastucture Expertise, data center operations, change management, leadership development, Project management, vendor management, Data Center Expansion Experience, Infrastructure Upgrades, CMMS, Asset Tracking

Top Skills Details

Mission Critical Data Center Infrastucture Expertise,data center operations,change management,leadership development,Project management

Additional Skills & Qualifications

QUALIFICATIONS & EXPERIENCE:

Education:

• Bachelors degree preferred (Engineering, Operations Management, or related discipline).
• Equivalent industry experience (10+ years in data center operations) may substitute for formal education.

Experience:

• 5+ years in data center operations or critical facilities management, including multi-site responsibility.
• Demonstrated success in operational leadership, risk management, and technical training delivery.
• Experience developing and executing onboarding or technical programs within infrastructure environments.

Technical Expertise:

• Strong proficiency in critical infrastructure systems: electrical (UPS, ATS, generators), mechanical (chillers, TES), and control systems (BMS).
• Knowledge of SOPs, EOPs, compliance auditing, and safety/regulatory standards.
• Familiarity with operational policies, commissioning, and operational readiness procedures.

Leadership & Communication Skills:

• Exceptional coaching, mentoring, and interpersonal communication capabilities.
• Proven ability to lead without formal authority and drive change across distributed teams.
• Analytical and solutions-oriented, with strong situational awareness in live operational environments.

Experience Level

Intermediate Level

Job Type & Location

This is a Permanent position based out of Ashburn, VA.

Pay and Benefits

The pay range for this position is $130000.00 - $150000.00/yr.

Individual compensation offered for this position within this range will depend on many factors, including qualifications, skills, relevant experience, job knowledge, geographic location, internal equity, and other pertinent job-related factors.

• 180 hours of PTO starting on day 1
• Family HSA contribution of approximately $6,000 annually.
• Individual HSA contribution of approximately $3,000 annually.
• Ongoing monthly contributions continue throughout the year.
• 401k 4% match
• Medical, Dental, and Vision

Workplace Type

This is a fully onsite position in Ashburn,VA.

Application Deadline

This position is anticipated to close on Oct 15, 2026.

About TEKsystems

We're partners in transformation. We help clients activate ideas and solutions to take advantage of a new world of opportunity. We are a team of 80,000 strong, working with over 6,000 clients, including 80% of the Fortune 500, across North America, Europe and Asia. As an industry leader in Full-Stack Technology Services, Talent Services, and real-world application, we work with progressive leaders to drive change. That's the power of true partnership. TEKsystems is an Allegis Group company.

The company is an equal opportunity employer and will consider all applications without regards to race, sex, age, color, religion, national origin, veteran status, disability, sexual orientation, gender identity, genetic information or any characteristic protected by law.

About TEKsystems and TEKsystems Global Services

Were a leading provider of business and technology services. We accelerate business transformation for our customers. Our expertise in strategy, design, execution and operations unlocks business value through a range of solutions. Were a team of 80,000 strong, working with over 6,000 customers, including 80% of the Fortune 500 across North America, Europe and Asia, who partner with us for our scale, full-stack capabilities and speed. Were strategic thinkers, hands-on collaborators, helping customers capitalize on change and master the momentum of technology. Were building tomorrow by delivering business outcomes and making positive impacts in our global communities. TEKsystems and TEKsystems Global Services are Allegis Group companies. Learn more at TEKsystems.com.

The company is an equal opportunity employer and will consider all applications without regard to race, sex, age, color, religion, national origin, veteran status, disability, sexual orientation, gender identity, genetic information or any characteristic protected by law.

San Francisco Fair Chance Ordinance

Pursuant to the San Francisco Fair Chance Ordinance, for all positions located in the city and county of San Francisco, we will consider for employment qualified applicants with arrest and conviction records.

Massachusetts Lie Detector

It is unlawful in Massachusetts to require or administer a lie detector test as a condition of employment or continued employment. An employer who violates this law shall be subject to criminal penalties and civil liability.

Use of Artificial Intelligence (AI)

We may use Artificial Intelligence (AI) to support parts of our hiring process, including sourcing, screening, and evaluating candidates. AI helps assess applications and qualifications, but final decisions are made by our hiring team. By applying, you acknowledge and agree that your application may be reviewed using AI tools.