Project Manager / Clean Buildings Team Lead

Ecotope; Seattle (WA); Hybrid; USD 120,000 - 160,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Profit-sharing bonuses

Work-life balance

Vacation and winter break closure

Paid sick leave

Company holidays

Sabbatical after 10 years

Medical benefits

401k with employer contributions

Public transit/ORCA card provided

Training and development funds

Job summary

Ecotope in Seattle seeks a Project Manager / Clean Buildings Team Lead to oversee projects and daily team operations. You will manage from initiation to completion, coordinate with engineering and research, and drive high-quality energy-efficiency solutions for commercial and multifamily buildings.

The role blends project leadership with hands-on project production, requiring strong communication, technical expertise, and a commitment to Ecotope’s climate-focused mission.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree (or equivalent) in an engineering field.
• Professional Engineering (PE) license.
• Experience in HVAC system design.
• 8+ years of experience in the building sciences.
• 3+ years of project management experience.

Responsibilities

• Manage all aspects of assigned clean buildings consulting projects from initiation to completion.
• Calculate energy usage baselines for commercial and multifamily buildings.
• Conduct site assessments and ASHRAE Level 1 or Level 2 energy audits.
• Measure performance of existing buildings to determine energy-saving recommendations.
• Perform feasibility assessments for minor HVAC, plumbing, and electrical system retrofits.
• Collaborate with Engineering Team to develop high-quality solutions.
• Coordinate with Research Department to integrate new technologies into designs.
• Prepare audit reports, energy management plans and maintenance plans.

Skills

Project management

Communication

Team leadership

Strategic thinking

Education

Bachelor's degree in engineering

PE license

Tools

EnergyPlus

eQuest

IES

Job description

Project Manager / Clean Buildings Team Lead

Do you want to combat the climate crisis through transformative building solutions? We have an exciting opportunity where you can see your innovative ideas come to life!

Ecotope is looking for a creative, self-motivated, and organized Project Manager / Clean Buildings Team Lead to manage assigned projects while also overseeing day-to-day operations of the Clean Buildings consulting team. Expectation is approximately 15% of this role is spent executing managerial functions with the balance dedicated to project production. This position is accountable for the successful delivery of all projects within the Clean Buildings team.

About Ecotope:

We are a mission-driven company dedicated to transforming the building industry away from the use of fossil fuels to highly efficient all-electric systems. Our work at Ecotope focuses on three responses that the building industry needs to make to the climate crisis:

• Electrify Buildings: Stop burning fossil fuels in our buildings and transition to highly efficient heat pump systems and other electric technologies.
• Efficiency is Energy: Work towards driving down the energy use in buildings to free up grid capacity for electric vehicles and future development.
• When Matters: As our grid transitions to reliance on solar and wind generation, we strive to develop the technology to shift our energy use away from peak demand periods and into times of the day with plentiful solar energy.

At Ecotope, we value creative, focused, highly communicative, and thoughtful individuals who bring a “can do” attitude. We seek out individuals who are aligned with our mission and are not afraid to challenge the status quo with leading edge scientific advancements.

Duties and Responsibilities:

• Manage all aspects of assigned clean buildings consulting projects from initiation to completion.
• Calculate energy usage baselines for commercial and multifamily buildings.
• Conduct site assessments and either ASHRAE Level 1 or Level 2 energy audits.
• Measure performance of existing buildings to determine suitable recommendations for energy efficiency measures.
• Perform feasibility assessments for minor HVAC, plumbing, and electrical system retrofits.
• Collaborate with the internal Engineering Team to develop high-quality, efficient, and cost-effective engineering solutions.
• Coordinate efforts with Research Department to integrate cutting-edge technologies into potential designs.
• Prepare audit reports, energy management plans and operations and maintenance plans.
• Prepare and submit compliance documentation as required for various state and local building performance standards.
• Provide quality assurance / quality control for the team’s work products.
• Supervise direct reports. Provide support, coaching, and mentorship to assigned staff. Ensure the team functions smoothly.
• Forecast workload and revenue for team. Manage successful resourcing on projects within the team.
• Stay current on applicable building codes and standards. Maintain best practice standards and implement standards across the team.
• Cultivate a culture of continuous improvement.
• Support Principals with technical scoping and proposal development.
• Foster client relationships. Serve as the face of the company for assigned clients. Create raving fans.
• Participate in business development efforts including attending marketing and industry events.

Valuable Abilities/Attributes to Excel in this Position:

• Change-oriented and able to approach new problems with little ego and a child’s mind; always seeking a better and simpler way of doing things.
• Ability to take a first-principles physics, heat transfer, and thermodynamics approach to understanding energy use in buildings.
• Effective communication across disciplines – engineers, developers, owners, architects, analysts, policy experts, etc.
• Ability to communicate within team and across departments.

Minimum Qualifications:

• Bachelor’s degree (or equivalent) in an engineering field.
• Professional Engineering (PE) license.
• Experience in HVAC system design.
• 8+ years of experience in the building sciences.
• 3+ years of project management experience.

Desired Qualifications:

• Professional certification in an energy management field. Examples include Certified Commissioning Professional (CCP), Certified Energy Manager (CEM), or Energy Management Professional.
• Professional certification specific to the field of energy audits. Examples include Certified Energy Auditor (CEA) and Building Energy Assessment Professional (BEAP).
• Previous personnel management experience is a plus.
• Experience using energy modeling software (EnergyPlus, eQuest, or IES) preferred.

Work Arrangement:

• This position is hybrid. There is an expectation of 3 days a week minimum in downtown Seattle office.

Compensation:

• Eligible for profit-sharing bonuses
• We are committed to building a high-trust, low-stress workplace with excellent work-life balance
• 160 hours of annual vacation PLUS a paid winter break closure for the last week of the year
• Paid safe and sick leave
• 8 additional company holidays
• Four-week paid sabbatical once every six years (after employee’s 10-year anniversary)
• 100% paid medical benefits for employee
• 3% safe harbor to 401k regardless of whether the employee chooses to contribute
• Complimentary unlimited ORCA card
• Up to $2,000 annual training/development funds