Mechanical Engineer

University of South Carolina; Columbia (SC); On-site; USD 87,000 - 110,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Health and Life Insurance

Retirement Programs

Paid Tuition

Dependent Scholarships

Annual Leave

Sick Leave

13 Paid Holidays (including anextended

Paid Parental Leave

Professional Development Opportunities

Job summary

University of South Carolina is hiring a Mechanical Engineer to lead in-house design for HVAC, hydronic, steam, and plumbing systems on the Columbia campus. You will oversee multi-disciplinary teams, review plans, and ensure code compliance and energy efficiency across central plants and building systems.

The role requires a degree in a related field and several years of engineering experience, with a standard 37.5 hour week and a flexible schedule to meet department needs.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in a related field.
• 3+ years of job-related engineering experience.

Responsibilities

• Execute in-house mechanical engineering design work products and services within milestones and quality standards.
• Serve as AHJ representative for mechanical engineering matters: perform plan reviews, code compliance documentation, variance requests, and inspections.
• Perform technical reviews of campus central utility plants, chillers, boilers, and energy management systems.
• Lead multi-disciplinary in-house design teams; coordinate with electrical, structural, architectural, and civil disciplines for energy efficiency and safety.
• Conduct site investigations to refine project scopes and provide data for design decisions.
• Complete work orders and safety data sheets as needed to communicate requirements.

Education

Bachelor's degree in Mechanical Engineering

Job description

Please see Special Instructions for more details.

Positions are advertised for a minimum of five (5) business days on our job website. After five (5) business days, positions can be closed at the discretion of the department at any time. This employment site is updated on a regular basis. The length of the recruitment and screening process may vary from position to position, depending upon a variety of factors. Should review of your qualifications result in a decision to pursue your candidacy, you will be contacted by phone or email.

We are only accepting applications submitted by December 24, 2026.

The University of South Carolina offers a valuable benefits package including but not limited to:

• Health and Life Insurance


• Retirement Programs


• Paid Tuition


• Dependent Scholarships


• Annual Leave


• Sick Leave


• 13 Paid Holidays (including an extended December holiday)


• Paid Parental Leave


• Professional Development Opportunities

• Must be willing to work a flexible schedule to meet the needs of the department.

Basis 12 months

Job Search Category

About USC

About University of South Carolina

From the Upstate to the Lowcountry, the University of South Carolina system is transforming the lives of South Carolina through the impact of our eight institutions and 20 locations throughout the state. More than 50,000 students are enrolled at one of eight institutions, including the research campus in Columbia and comprehensive four-year universities in Aiken, Upstate and Beaufort. In addition, our Palmetto College campuses in Salkehatchie, Union, Lancaster and Sumter enable students to earn associate or bachelor’s degrees through a combination of in-person, online or blended learning. All of our system institutions place strong emphasis on service — helping to build healthier, more educated communities in South Carolina and beyond.

Veterans' Preference Statement

The University of South Carolina is committed to equal opportunity and proudly values the skills and experience military veterans bring to our workforce. Across South Carolina, we are making veterans a priority for employment and recognize their vital contributions to our state and our communities.

Posting Summary Logo Posting Number STA00725PO26 Job Family Campus Development Job Function Engineering USC Market Title Mechanical Engineer Link to USC Market Title https://uscjobs.sc.edu/titles/213560 Job Level P3 - Professional Business Title (Internal Title) Mechanical Engineer Campus Columbia Work County Richland College/Division Division of Administration and Finance Department DAF Facilities Energy Management State Pay Range G12 USC Market Range MRK - $86,515 $110,307 $134,098 Anticipated Hiring Range $86,515 - $110,307 Location of Vacancy Part/Full Time Full Time Hours per Week 37.5 Work Schedule

• Standard working schedule: 8:30am - 5:00pm


• Must be willing to work a flexible schedule to meet the needs of the department.

Basis 12 months

Job Search Category Trades/Maintenance

About USC

About University of South Carolina

From the Upstate to the Lowcountry, the University of South Carolina system is transforming the lives of South Carolina through the impact of our eight institutions and 20 locations throughout the state. More than 50,000 students are enrolled at one of eight institutions, including the research campus in Columbia and comprehensive four-year universities in Aiken, Upstate and Beaufort. In addition, our Palmetto College campuses in Salkehatchie, Union, Lancaster and Sumter enable students to earn associate or bachelor’s degrees through a combination of in-person, online or blended learning. All of our system institutions place strong emphasis on service — helping to build healthier, more educated communities in South Carolina and beyond.

Veterans' Preference Statement The University of South Carolina is committed to equal opportunity and proudly values the skills and experience military veterans bring to our workforce. Across South Carolina, we are making veterans a priority for employment and recognize their vital contributions to our state and our communities.

Benefits for FTE Positions The University of South Carolina (USC), through the State of SC and Public Employee Benefit Authority (PEBA), offers employees a valuable benefits package, including health and life insurance, generous paid leave and retirement programs. To learn more about USC benefits, access the "Working at USC" section on the Applicant Portal at https://uscjobs.sc.edu. Research Grant or Time-limited positions may be eligible for all, some, or no benefits, based on the grant or project funding.

Position Description Advertised Job Summary Under the supervision of the Assistant Director of Engineering Support, the Mechanical Engineer leads in-house mechanical engineering design efforts and performs technical management for HVAC , hydronic, steam, and plumbing infrastructure projects across the University of South Carolina-Columbia Campus. This role is responsible for executing high-quality in-house mechanical designs, leading multi-disciplinary teams, and conducting thorough technical reviews of campus central energy plants, chilled water modeling, steam distribution, and building mechanical systems.

The Mechanical Engineer coordinates mechanical designs across delivery methods to ensure overall compatibility with site and building plans, performs field investigations to refine project scopes, and exercises delegated AHJ technical review and approval authority for campus mechanical installations, energy efficiency renewals, and code compliance.

• Job Duty Execute in-house mechanical engineering design work products and services within specified milestones and quality standards. Perform all aspects of mechanical engineering design for a wide variety of campus infrastructure projects, including HVAC systems, central chilled water, steam distribution, plumbing, and building automation controls. Essential Function Yes Percentage of Time 30


• Job Duty Serve as a designated Authority Having Jurisdiction (AHJ) representative for mechanical engineering matters. Perform technical plan reviews, approve code compliance documentation, evaluate variance requests, and conduct code enforcement inspections to ensure university projects adhere to IMC , IPC , ASHRAE , OSE , and state building code standards. Essential Function Yes Percentage of Time 25


• Job Duty Perform technical management and engineering reviews of campus central utility plants, chillers, boilers, steam generation/distribution networks, primary hydronic pumping systems, and campus energy management systems. Evaluate plant capacity, energy efficiency, system reliability, and environmental standards to support campus operational continuity. Essential Function Yes Percentage of Time 20


• Job Duty Lead multi-disciplinary in-house design teams executing campus projects. Coordinate mechanical engineering design integration with electrical, structural, architectural, and civil disciplines for different delivery methods to ensure overall compatibility, energy efficiency, and safety. Essential Function Yes Percentage of Time 15


• Job Duty Conduct site investigation field trips to project sites to collect pertinent data, inspect existing mechanical and plumbing infrastructure conditions, and refine or develop project scopes through direct collaboration with sponsoring campus activities, operations staff, and maintenance teams. Essential Function Yes Percentage of Time 5


• Job Duty Completes work orders and safety data sheets as necessary to communicate needs and/or to indicate completed work assignments. Essential Function Yes Percentage of Time 5

Position Attributes Employees in Safety-Sensitive or Security-Sensitive positions will be subject to pre-employment and post-employment drug testing in accordance with University policy HR 1.95 Drug and Alcohol Testing. Safety Sensitive or Security Sensitive No Hazardous weather category Non-Essential Posting Detail Information Number of Vacancies 1 Desired Start Date 11/01/2026 Job Open Date 09/25/2026 Job Close Date 12/24/2026 Open Until Filled No Special Instructions to Applicant Positions are advertised for a minimum of five (5) business days on our job website. After five (5) business days, positions can be closed at the discretion of the department at any time. This employment site is updated on a regular basis. The length of the recruitment and screening process may vary from position to position, depending upon a variety of factors. Should review of your qualifications result in a decision to pursue your candidacy, you will be contacted by phone or email.

We are only accepting applications submitted by December 24, 2026.

The University of South Carolina offers a valuable benefits package including but not limited to:

• Health and Life Insurance


• Retirement Programs


• Paid Tuition


• Dependent Scholarships


• Annual Leave


• Sick Leave


• 13 Paid Holidays (including an extended December holiday)


• Paid Parental Leave


• Professional Development Opportunities

EEO Statement The University of South Carolina does not discriminate in employment opportunities or decisions for qualified persons on the basis of age, ancestry, citizenship status, color, disability, ethnicity, familial status, gender, gender identity or expression, genetic information, military status, national origin, pregnancy, race, religion, sex, sexual orientation, veteran status, or any other protected category under applicable law.

Supplemental Questions

Required fields are indicated with an asterisk (*).

• * Do you have at least a bachelor's degree in a job related field and 3 or more years of job related experience, which may be substituted by an equivalent combination of job related certification, training, education, and/or experience?
  • Yes
  • No


• * Do you have a valid Driver's License?
  • Yes
  • No


• * Please describe the design experience related to utility level systems (specifically chilled water for mechanical engineering and electrical substations and transformers on electrical), and share a specific project that demonstrates the proficiency with these types of projects.

  (Open Ended Question)

Required Documents

• Cover Letter


• Resume


• List of References and Contact Information

Optional Documents