Mechanical Operations & Engineering Manager - Washington, DC with Security Clearance

Unofficial M.C. Dean

Washington (District of Columbia)

On-site

USD 104,000 - 130,000

Full time

19 hours ago
Be an early applicant

A complete application in a minute

Tailored resume and cover letter, ready to send.

Get past ATS filters

Benefits offered by this job

Competitive salary
Health insurance
401k plan
Paid time off
Tuition reimbursement
Maternity leave

Job summary

M.C. Dean is seeking a Mechanical Operations & Engineering Manager to lead mechanical systems, including HVAC, chilled water, and hydronic networks, at a mission-critical facility. The role emphasizes technical oversight, vendor management, and continuous improvement in complex environments.

The position requires advanced engineering expertise, government-grade facility experience, and a proactive leadership approach to ensure reliability and safety within established site processes and SOPs.

Qualifications

  • Bachelor's degree in Engineering or related field with 5+ years in facilities ops/engineering
  • High School Diploma with 10+ years of experience in facilities operations or maintenance
  • Demonstrated leadership in multidisciplinary teams (engineering, maintenance, trades)
  • Expert knowledge of HVAC and mechanical systems
  • Strong knowledge of asset management, PM/RCM, planning, scheduling, vendor management

Responsibilities

  • Serve as the site SME for HVAC, chilled water, and hydronic systems.
  • Lead troubleshooting and root-cause analyses for mechanical issues.
  • Provide vendor technical oversight and validate proposals and scopes.
  • Review SOO and coordinate with controls/BAS teams for optimization.
  • Support maintenance strategies and reliability-centered maintenance initiatives.
  • Mentor and guide field technicians and operation staff.

Skills

Leadership experience
HVAC expertise
Troubleshooting
Vendor management
Communication
Facilities operations
Project management
RCM knowledge
BAS/Controls knowledge

Education

Bachelor's degree in Engineering
High School Diploma
Equivalent experience considered

Tools

CMMS platforms
Work management systems
Performance tracking tools

Job description

Overview About M.C. Dean M.C. Dean is Building Intelligence. We design, build, operate, and maintain cyber-physical solutions for the nation's most mission‑critical facilities, secure environments, complex infrastructure, and global enterprises. With over 7,000 employees, our capabilities span electrical, electronic security, telecommunications, life safety, automation and controls, audiovisual, and IT systems. Headquarters in Tysons, Virginia, M.C. Dean delivers resilient, secure, and innovative power and technology solutions through engineering expertise and smart systems integration.

Why Join Us?

Our people are passionate about engineering innovation that improves lives and drives impactful change. Guided by our core values-agility, expertise, and trust-we foster a collaborative and forward‑thinking work environment. At M.C. Dean, we are committed to building the next generation of technical leaders in electrical, engineering, and cybersecurity industries.

Clearance Requirement

Applicants selected will be subject to a government security investigation and must meet eligibility requirements, including U.S. Citizenship, for access to classified information; HSPD-12 & Secret Clearance required.

Responsibilities

The Mechanical Operations & Engineering Manager serves as the site’s lead mechanical subject matter expert (SME), responsible for ensuring the performance, reliability, and technical integrity of mechanical systems. This role supports mission‑critical and facility operations through advanced troubleshooting, system optimization, and technical oversight of vendors across HVAC, chilled water, steam, and hydronic systems. Operating within established Work Control, Quality Control (QC), and standard operating frameworks, this position is execution‑focused and reports directly to site leadership without independent program or operational authority.

Mechanical Systems Technical Authority

Serve as the primary SME for chilled water systems, cooling towers, condenser water systems, steam and hydronic systems, and HVAC equipment including AHUs, FCUs, VAVs, and CRAH units. Evaluate system performance, identify deficiencies, and assess operational risks while supporting system stabilization and performance improvement efforts.

Advanced Troubleshooting & Root Cause Analysis

Lead the diagnosis of complex mechanical and controls‑related issues, including chiller and cooling tower instability, hydronic flow imbalances, and BAS sequence misalignment. Develop and document root cause analyses, corrective actions, and preventative recommendations to improve system reliability.

Vendor Technical Oversight

Provide technical oversight of mechanical vendors and contractors by reviewing and validating proposals, scopes of work, field findings, and installation quality. Ensure all vendor activities align with site standards, specifications, and operational objectives.

Sequence of Operations & System Optimization

Review and validate sequences of operation (SOO) for mechanical systems, identify discrepancies between design intent and actual performance, and coordinate with controls/BAS teams to optimize system functionality.

Reliability & Preventative Maintenance Optimization

Analyze recurring failures and performance trends to recommend enhancements to preventative maintenance strategies, intervals, and scope. Support the development of reliability‑centered maintenance practices and contribute to System Operational Risk Assessments (SORA), Facility Condition Index (FCI) evaluations, and spare parts/inventory strategies.

Field Support & Technical Mentorship

Provide technical guidance and mentorship to mechanical technicians, supporting field execution during major repairs, outages, and system transitions. Enhance overall team capability in troubleshooting and system operations. Develop training plans for HVAC/Mechanical team members. As our organization is evolving, this role may formally manage and supervise HVAC technicians, mechanics, and operating engineers.

Operational Integration

Work within established site processes including Work Control, Quality Control (QC), and Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs), supporting leadership initiatives while maintaining an execution‑focused role without independent operational authority.

Authority & Reporting Structure

This position reports directly to the Assistant Chief Engineer and operates as a technical resource within the site’s organizational structure.

Success Criteria
  • * Have an attitude of extreme ownership.
  • * Are highly motivated, proactive, and drive projects to completion.
  • * Thrive in challenging, dynamic environments with complex mechanical challenges.
  • * Take a systems approach to identifying and solving problems and root cause.
  • * Are motivated to implement standards and structure into an operational environment.
  • * Have expert level communication skills, and are able to convey complex issues and solutions to a wide range of peers, customers, and others.
Qualifications
  • * High School Diploma with Minimum10+ years of experience
  • * Bachelor's degree in Engineering (Mechanical, Electrical, Civil), Facilities Management, Construction Management, or a related technical field (Equivalent experience may be considered in lieu of degree) with 5 + years of progressive experience in facilities operations, engineering, or maintenance management, including complex or mission‑critical facilities
  • * Demonstrated leadership experience managing multidisciplinary teams (engineering, maintenance, trades, subcontractors)
  • * Expert level knowledge and field experience with HVAC and mechanical systems.
  • * Strong knowledge of other building systems:
    • * Experience with preventive/predictive maintenance programs, asset management, and reliability‑centered maintenance (RCM)
    • * Planning and management acumen, including labor forecasting, scheduling, cost controls, vendor management, and performance monitoring & reporting.
    • * Working knowledge of codes, standards, and compliance requirements, such as:
      • * Strong client‑facing and stakeholder communication skills, including briefing senior leadership
      • * Proficiency with CMMS platforms, work management systems, and performance tracking tools
Clearance Requirement

Applicants selected will be subject to a government security investigation and must meet eligibility requirements, including U.S. Citizenship, for access to classified information; HSPD-12 & Secret Clearance required.

Desired Qualifications
  • * Professional certifications, such as:
    • * CFM (Certified Facility Manager)
    • * PE (Professional Engineer)
    • * PMP (Project Management Professional)
  • * Experience supporting government, defense, healthcare, data center, or mission‑critical facilities
  • * Demonstrated success driving operational improvements, including:
    • * KPI development and tracking
    • * Continuous improvement initiatives
    • * Productivity and lifecycle cost reduction
    • * Familiarity with energy management, sustainability initiatives, or utility optimization programs
    • * Strong understanding of risk management, life‑safety planning, and business continuity
    • * Advanced experience with vendor management, subcontractor oversight, and SLA enforcement
Benefits

We offer an excellent benefits package including:

  • * A competitive salary
  • Medical, dental, vision, life, and disability insurance
  • Paid time off
  • Tuition reimbursement
  • 401k Retirement Plan
  • Military Reserve pay offset
  • Paid maternity leave
Abilities
  • * Exposure to computer screens for an extended period of time.
  • * Sitting for extended periods of time.
  • * Reach by extending hands or arms in any direction.
  • * Have finger dexterity in order to manipulate objects with fingers rather than whole hands or arms, for example, using a keyboard.
  • * Listen to and understand information and ideas presented through spoken words and sentences.
  • * Communicate information and ideas in speaking so others will understand.
  • * Read and understand information and ideas presented in writing.
  • * Apply general rules to specific problems to produce answers that make sense.
  • * Identify and understand the speech of another person. Pay Range USD $104,240.00 - USD $130,300.00 /Yr.
Get your free, confidential resume review.

or drag and drop your file here.

Similar jobs

Similar jobs worth comparing

Mechanical Operations & Engineering Manager - Washington, DC
Mechanical Operations & Engineering Manager - Washington, DC

M.C. Dean, Inc. • Washington

On-site
USD 104,000 - 130,000
Salary
Insurance
Paid time off
+4
Senior Mechanical Systems & Operations Manager
Senior Mechanical Systems & Operations Manager

M.C. Dean, Inc. • Washington

On-site
USD 104,000 - 130,000
Salary
Insurance
Paid time off
+4
Mechanical Engineer 2 - Active Top Secret
Mechanical Engineer 2 - Active Top Secret

M.C. Dean • Alexandria (VA)

On-site
USD 91,000 - 136,000
Competitive salary
Medical, dental, vision insurance
Paid time off
+4
Senior Mechanical Engineer - Design, Bid & Field Oversight
Senior Mechanical Engineer - Design, Bid & Field Oversight

M.C. Dean, Inc. • Alexandria (VA)

On-site
USD 125,000 - 188,000
Medical, dental, vision insurance
Paid time off
Tuition reimbursement
+3
Mechanical Engineer 4 - Active Top Secret
Mechanical Engineer 4 - Active Top Secret

M.C. Dean, Inc. • Alexandria (VA)

Hybrid
USD 125,000 - 188,000
Medical, dental, vision insurance
Paid time off
Tuition reimbursement
+3
Mechanical Engineer II: Mission-Critical Systems & Design
Mechanical Engineer II: Mission-Critical Systems & Design

M.C. Dean, Inc. • Alexandria (VA)

On-site
USD 91,000 - 136,000
Competitive salary
Medical insurance
Dental insurance
+8
Mechanical Engineer 4 - Tysons, VA with Security Clearance
Mechanical Engineer 4 - Tysons, VA with Security Clearance

Unofficial M.C. Dean • Fairfax (VA)

On-site
USD 125,000 - 188,000
Competitive salary
Medical, dental, vision, life, anddisb
Paid time off
+4
Mission-Critical HVAC Technician | BAS & Controls Expert
Mission-Critical HVAC Technician | BAS & Controls Expert

M.C. Dean, Inc. • Washington

On-site
USD 69,000 - 76,000
Competitive salary
Medical, dental, vision, life, and DI
Paid time off
+4
Mechanical Engineer 4 - Tysons, VA
Mechanical Engineer 4 - Tysons, VA

M.C. Dean, Inc. • Tysons (VA)

On-site
USD 125,000 - 188,000
Medical, dental, vision, life, and.dis
Paid time off
Tuition reimbursement
+3
Mechanical Engineer 2 - Active Top Secret
Mechanical Engineer 2 - Active Top Secret

M.C. Dean, Inc. • Alexandria (VA)

Hybrid
USD 91,000 - 136,000
Competitive salary
Medical insurance
Dental insurance
+8