Project Development Engineer / Project Developer (Job number: 1510)

Johnson Controls, Inc.; Arlington (VA); Hybrid; USD 120,000 - 150,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Benefits from first day of employment

3 weeks paid vacation

10 standard holidays

Job summary

A leading building technology company is seeking a Project Development Engineer to support U.S. military and federal agency projects. This remote role involves conducting site visits, leading design and cost development for HVAC mechanical projects, and collaborating with sales teams to meet customer goals. Candidates should possess a Bachelor’s degree in relevant engineering fields and experience in low-voltage building automation. Competitive compensation and excellent benefits are offered, supporting professional development and inclusion.

Qualifications

• Experience with mechanical and low-voltage building automation projects.
• Demonstrated expertise in HVAC and energy management systems.
• Strong estimating skills with RS Means or similar tools.

Responsibilities

• Conduct site visits and develop a Statement of Work for requests.
• Lead design and development of HVAC mechanical projects.
• Collaborate with Sales to understand customer needs and prepare proposals.

Skills

Project development for mechanical and low-voltage systems

Building automation and controls

Site surveys

Estimating skills

U.S. citizenship with security clearance

Education

Bachelor’s Degree in Mechanical or Electrical Engineering

Professional Engineering license

Tools

RS Means estimating tools

Job description

We are seeking a Project Development Engineer / Project Developer to join our federal team that specializes in supporting U.S. military and other U.S. federal government sites, primarily within the Mid‑Atlantic / National Capital Region (VA/MD/DC area). This remote position (work from home) requires the ability to visit project sites in the Washington D.C. Metro area when needed for site and equipment assessment. The role leads the design, development, scope definition (statement of work), and cost development for facility improvement projects for U.S. military and other federal government sites, focusing on building mechanical equipment and building automation systems (MEP, HVAC mechanical, HVAC controls and automation, lighting, utilities, etc.).

At Johnson Controls, we support our nation’s most critical facilities and help modernize U.S. military installations and federal agency facilities to be smarter, more resilient, efficient, sustainable, and secure.

Location & Remote Work

Remote / Virtual (work from home) with the ability to travel to project sites as needed. Must be based in the National Capital Region (VA/MD/DC area), preferably within an hour of Washington D.C./Northern Virginia.

Benefits

• Eligible for benefits on first day of employment.
• Paid time off: 3 weeks paid vacation, 5 sick days, 3 floating holidays, and 10 standard holidays per calendar year (6.5 weeks in total).
• Travel required: around 25%; mostly local travel.

Compensation

Pay range: $120,000 - $150,000 base salary based on experience.

Bonus eligible: Yes.

As a Project Development Engineer, you will:

• Conduct site visits and develop a Statement of Work (SOW) for customer requests.
• Lead the design, development, scope definition, and cost development for HVAC mechanical and low‑voltage controls projects for U.S. military and other federal government installations.
• Work closely with Sales Account Executives to understand customer goals and challenges, identify technical opportunities, and prepare concept presentations, sample Performance Work Statements, and preliminary equipment selections.
• Conduct site surveys, system assessments, and initial data collection to develop preliminary concepts for facility maintenance and improvement projects ranging in size from $100,000 to $2 million in scope.
• Review customer RFPs, Performance Work Statements (PWS), and design documents to ensure accurate pricing from subcontractors and suppliers, prepare RFIs to clarify requirements, and generate value‑engineering concepts.
• Write and edit technical proposal narratives describing the design‑build concept in response to an RFP, including a project schedule.
• Ensure project scope of work is well‑defined to verify feasibility, adhere to codes, standards, and agency requirements, and mitigate cost and schedule risks.
• Establish ongoing relationships with the technical personnel within the customer’s organization.
• Lead multi‑disciplinary teams to develop cost estimates, scopes, project requirements, and schedules; manage and track multiple concurrent projects.
• Support the Operations team in identifying risks, risk management strategies, staffing planning, and schedule development for project delivery.
• Support Operations in post‑award technical activities, including site surveys, design reviews, and submittal preparation.
• Perform other related duties as assigned.

Required Qualifications

• Experience with project development for mechanical and low‑voltage building automation and controls projects (MEP, HVAC mechanical, HVAC controls, utilities, SCADA, etc.).
• Demonstrated expertise with building mechanical equipment, HVAC, energy management systems, or low‑voltage building automation systems.
• Experience independently leading site surveys to assess facility systems and equipment.
• Strong estimating skills and experience, preferably with RS Means or other estimating tools.
• Capability to assess design risk.
• Comfortable presenting in customer‑facing situations.
• U.S. citizen with the ability to obtain and maintain required government security clearances and/or badges as required to perform site duties.

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience working with Mechanical Engineering, Value Engineering, MEP engineering, design‑build contracting, and/or energy savings performance contracts.
• Prior experience working on U.S. military installations or supporting projects for Department of Defense and other federal government customers.

Preferred Education

• Bachelor’s Degree in Mechanical Engineering, Electrical Engineering, or a related field, or equivalent experience.
• Professional Engineering license, CEM certification, and/or LEED AP accreditation.

Who We Are

At Johnson Controls (NYSE: JCI), we are One Team working collaboratively to create purposeful solutions that make a difference in the world. We are a Fortune 500 company with more than 100,000 employees worldwide offering the world’s largest portfolio of building technology products, solutions and services. As a member of our Federal Systems team, your work matters. We value and recognize your contributions, invest in our employees, and foster a culture of inclusion and respect.

Equal Employment Opportunity

Johnson Controls is an equal employment opportunity employer and all qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, protected veteran status, genetic information, sexual orientation, gender identity, status as a qualified individual with a disability, or any other characteristic protected by law. For more information, please view EEO is the Law. If you are an individual with a disability and require an accommodation during the application process, please visit www.johnsoncontrols.com/careers.