Lead Mechanical Engineer - Utilities & Building Systems

LAPORTE L.E.I.; Columbus (OH); On-site; USD 140,000 - 170,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Compensatory PTO

Comprehensive benefits

Flexible working environment

Job summary

LAPORTE L.E.I. is seeking a Lead Mechanical Engineer to head our expanding team. The role focuses on design and management of mechanical and piping projects in pharma and food & beverage sectors, with a commutable requirement to multiple US office locations including Columbus, OH.

You will develop conceptual, preliminary, and detailed designs, drawings, and specifications, reporting to the President of Laporte Consultants. The position starts ASAP, with a target in place by April 2026.

Qualifications

• 8+ years of design engineering experience in engineering consulting.
• Experience in agrifood, bioindustrial, F&B, and/or pharmaceutical industries.
• Knowledge of HVAC system design and central utilities (steam, chilled water, compressed air).
• Familiarity with ISPE and HACCP requirements.
• Proficiency in using AutoCAD & Revit.

Responsibilities

• Mentor and grow the mechanical team.
• Manage contracts and clients for MEP projects.
• Manage and quality review of deliverables and project execution (about 50% of workload).
• Design HVAC, hydronic and steam systems (about 50% of workload).
• Write scope of work for mechanical or utility design based on review and client meetings.
• Prepare engineering studies and schematic designs for new systems and analyze operation of existing systems.
• Expect to be in the office a minimum of 3 days per week.

Skills

HVAC design

Piping systems

Project leadership

AutoCAD

Revit

Education

Bachelor's degree in Mechanical Engineering

Tools

AutoCAD

Revit

Job description

Lead Mechanical Engineer

Must be located within a commutable distance of one of the following office locations:

King of Prussia, PA

Columbus, OH

Raleigh, NC

Rochester, NY

The salary for this position is between $140,000-$170,000, contingent upon the candidate’s experience and demonstrated technical proficiency.

We’re seeking a full-time mechanical engineer to lead our expanding team and contribute to the design and management of mechanical and piping projects in the pharmaceutical and food & beverage industries.

Reporting directly to the President of Laporte Consultants, this is a newly created role that we are motivated to have in place by the end of April 2026.

LAPORTE is a consulting engineering firm which has been in business for 25 years. Today, the company has 25 offices across North America and Europe, and over 500 employees with a passion for engineering.

Join us for a competitive salary, compensatory PTO, comprehensive benefits, and a supportive work environment that emphasizes professional growth. We believe in a flexible working environment that values work-life balance while encouraging efficiency and creativity on a daily basis.

The Lead Mechanical Engineer will be driven to lead projects and a team independently and have experience in developing conceptual, preliminary and detailed designs, drawings, and specifications for the following services:

• HVACsystems
• Chilledwatersystems
• Heatingsystem
• Plumbing

Otherresponsibilities:

• Mentorandgrowthemechanicalteam.
• ManagecontractsandclientsforMEPprojects.
• Manageandqualityreviewofdeliverablesandprojectexecution(estimated50%ofworkload).
• MechanicalsuchasHVAC,hydronicandsteamsystemsdesign(estimated50%ofworkload).
• Assesstherequirementsofprojects,breakthemintotasks,andworkwiththeProjectManagerstodeterminethescopeofwork,budget,andstaffing.Writethescopeofworkformechanicalorutilitydesignbasedonpreliminaryreviewandmeetingswiththeclients.
• Prepareengineeringstudiesandschematicdesignsfornewsystemsandanalyzetheoperationofexistingsystems.
• Expectationtobeintheofficeaminimumof3daysperweek.

BasicQualifications

• Bachelor’sdegreeinmechanicalengineering
• Experienceinengineeringconsultingintheagrifood,bioindustrial,F&B,and/orpharmaceuticalindustries.
• 8+yearsofdesignengineeringexperience,preferablywithinthedesignconsultingspace.
• KnowledgeofHVACsystemdesignandexperiencewithcentralutilitiesincludingsteam,chilledwaterandcompressedairsystems.
• SolidknowledgeofmechanicalcodesandstandardsincludingASHRAE&ACGIH
• FamiliaritywithISPEandHACCPrequirements
• ProficiencyinusingAutoCAD&Revit

TheLAPORTEteam

The LAPORTE team