Director of Design Engineering

Smith Engineering, PLLC; New York (NY); On-site; USD 120,000 - 160,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

100% employer-paid medical, dental, and vision insurance

Paid parental leave

Fertility, adoption, and surrogacy reimbursements

Medical flexible spending account (FSA)

Job summary

Smith Engineering, PLLC seeks a Director of Design Engineering in New York to provide leadership for their Design group. This pivotal role requires a seasoned professional with over 10 years of mechanical engineering experience, specifically in mission-critical facilities. Responsibilities include overseeing engineering staff, managing cross-disciplinary teams, and ensuring technical accountability. Strong expertise in HVAC design and financial acumen is essential. The position offers comprehensive benefits, including employer-paid medical and dental insurance, among others.

Qualifications

• 10+ years of mechanical engineering experience in mission-critical facilities.
• PE license in NY State required.
• Experience with central plant design and optimization.

Responsibilities

• Lead engineering staff through recruiting and performance reviews.
• Ensure the team stays current on industry trends and technical knowledge.
• Manage large client engagements to ensure effective execution.

Skills

Leadership

Mechanical Engineering

Project Management

HVAC Design

Client Relations

Education

BS/MS in Mechanical Engineering

Tools

Computational Analysis Tools

Job description

Smith Engineering is a growing MEP and Energy Engineering firm serving mission‑critical clients across life sciences, data centers, healthcare, higher education, and commercial real estate. We operate multiple divisions — Energy, Design, Controls, and Training — with a strong presence in the Northeast and Colorado. We are a team of engineers who care about the quality of our work and the growth of our people.

The Opportunity:

We are hiring a Director of Design Engineering to provide critical leadership for our Design group. This is a pivotal role designed for a senior professional who is ready to not only execute and deliver on projects, but move into true team leadership, operational management, and ownership of project financials.

The ideal candidate is someone who can "run the shop floor"—taking an ambitious, talented team and implementing the technical leadership, processes, standards, and mentorship required to grow our business and successfully serve our increasing number of high‑end clients. You will sit between executive leadership and the production teams, serving as the technical and managerial "glue" that ensures projects are delivered on time, on budget, and to the high quality our clients expect.

What You'll Do:

Team Leadership and Development

• Team Management: Lead engineering staff through recruiting, performance reviews, and daily operations, acting as a mentor to resolve technical issues and guide career growth.
• Skills and Practices: Advance team capabilities by adopting new tools and practices while supporting the direction and growth of the business.
• Professional Standards: Ensure the team stays current on industry trends, building codes, and technical knowledge.
• Resource Optimization: Manage project resourcing and staff allocation to hit utilization targets, meet deadlines, and ensure high‑quality delivery across internal teams.
• Project Leadership: Manage large client engagements and support team project managers to ensure efficient, effective execution.
• Financial Performance: Drive commercial success by meeting revenue, profit, and utilization targets across all team projects.
• Strategic Growth: Partner with senior leadership on business planning and strategic initiatives to drive firm‑wide growth.

Technical Supervision

• Technical Leadership: Provide senior‑level oversight for complex mission‑critical projects and champion innovative, "build‑from‑scratch" client solutions.
• Professional Accountability: Act as Engineer of Record and maintain responsibility for the team’s technical work product.

Client Care

• Senior Presence: Lead client and owner meetings with proactive problem‑solving, active listening, and clear communication.
• Growth & Retention: Foster strong client relationships to secure repeat business and assist leadership in pursuing new project opportunities.

What We're Looking For:

• Experience: BS/MS in Mechanical Engineering, followed by 10+ years of mechanical engineering experience, with a background in mission‑critical facilities and central plant design and optimization in the market sectors described above along with a PE license in NY State.
• Proven Leadership: Extensive experience managing direct reports and multi‑disciplinary teams while successfully navigating multiple projects, deadlines, and stakeholder relationships.
• Technical Mastery: Possess strong expertise in central plant design and general HVAC design.
• Commercial & Financial Acumen: Proven track record of delivering successful project financial and commercial results.
• Continuous Improvement: Ability to scale team capacity and quality through the adoption of innovative tools, processes, and leading‑edge solutions.
• Tools & Modeling: Proficiency in computational analysis tools.

What Initial Success Looks Like:

By the six‑month mark, you will have achieved the following:

• KPI Attainment: You drive predictable team performance by hitting profitability and utilization targets and ensuring all projects meet strict quality, timeline, and budget requirements.
• Established Leadership: You have clearly established yourself as the leader the team looks to and respects for technical and managerial guidance.
• Problem Resolution: You have demonstrated the ability to resolve complex technical and project management issues in a timely and productive manner.
• Operational Effectiveness: You have developed the team into a high‑functioning unit and their development and growth plans are agreed and under way.
• Project Success: You have a deep understanding of the projects, the clients, and the individual staff members and have demonstrated you can achieve excellent project outcomes for the clients and for Smith Engineering on your own and the team’s projects.
• 100% employer‑paid medical, dental, vision, and life insurance.
• Fertility, adoption, and surrogacy reimbursements.
• Paid parental leave.
• Medical flexible spending account (FSA).