Senior Engineer, Building Optimization Team (BOT)

NYC Department of Citywide Administrative Services; New York (NY); On-site; USD 120,000 - 180,000; Full time

Job summary

NYC Department of Citywide Administrative Services (DCAS) seeks a Senior Engineer for the Building Optimization Team to lead high‑level building projects and create analytics that reduce energy use across City facilities.

Responsibilities include managing HVAC modernization, energy efficiency initiatives, and guiding agency coordination to ensure program success and ongoing improvements.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in engineering or related field; energy management or building science preferred.
• Four or more years in energy generation or conservation work; or equivalent combinations.
• Credentials such as CEM/CEA/CBCP favored.

Responsibilities

• Lead the management of a portfolio of highly technical building optimization projects with budgeting, scoping, and close-out.
• Provide technical oversight including designs, costs, inspections, and energy savings calculations.
• Monitor, report, and maintain KPI tracking for energy savings and GHG reductions.
• Engage with City agencies to drive project success and expectations.
• Support expansion of a city‑wide building optimization program using advanced analytics and automated controls.

Skills

Energy management

Project management

Building automation systems

CRM software

Excel

Education

Bachelor’s degree in engineering or related field

Tools

Salesforce

Monday.com

Excel

BAS

Job description

DCAS's mission is to make city government work for all New Yorkers. From managing New York City’s most iconic courthouses and municipal buildings, to purchasing over $1 billion annually in goods and services for more than 80 City agencies what we do ensures that all agencies can deliver on their mission. Our reach touches every facet of city government and is instrumental to the successful day-to-day operations of the City of New York.

Our Commitment To Equity, Effectiveness And Sustainability Guides Our Work Providing City Agencies With The Critical Resources And Support Needed To Succeed, Including

• Recruiting, hiring, and training City employees.
• Managing 56 public buildings.
• Acquiring, selling, and leasing City property.
• Purchasing over $1 billion in goods and services for City agencies.
• Overseeing the greenest municipal vehicle fleet in the country.
• Leading the City's efforts to reduce carbon emissions from government operations.

When you work at DCAS, you're not just working for one agency, but in service of them all. It's an opportunity to provide impactful support, quality customer service, and help protect the future of New York City for generations to come. Visit our website at nyc.gov/dcas to learn more about the work we do.

DCAS’s Division of Energy Management (DEM) leads the City’s efforts to reduce carbon emissions from government operations. Our goals are to reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions 40 percent by 2025 (40x25), 50 percent by 2030 (50x30), and 80 percent by 2050 (80x50). Additionally, DEM is tasked with completing work related to the City’s other energy‑related commitments, such as pledging to install 100 MW of solar photovoltaics on City buildings by 2025. DEM works toward achieving the above goals by managing the City’s utility accounts, developing the City’s annual utility energy budget; helping our agency partners identify and pursue energy‑saving opportunities at their facilities; leading energy efficiency and distributed generation projects across the City’s portfolio; and helping implement operations and maintenance best practices.

The Senior Engineer will work within the DEM’s Building Optimization Team (BOT), under the guidance of the Senior Program Manager but in extremely close coordination with DEM’s other units. In the first 18 months, it is expected that the Senior Engineer be able to manage building optimization projects successfully and independently. In the first 4 years, it is expected that the Senior Engineer will help stand up a robust program for the City to not only upgrade and maintain the City’s HVAC infrastructure but also develop advanced analytics to support improved building optimization.

BOT is a first‑of‑its kind program that is utilizing robust building data and advanced analytics to identify and implement building optimization opportunities that goes above and beyond a traditional operations and maintenance program. BOT is uniquely positioned within the City because it is the only program using advanced building technology to directly reduce the City’s greenhouse gas emissions and meet the ambitious Local Law 97 mandates.

The Senior Engineer, BOT will be charged with responsibilities including, but not limited to, the following:

• Project management | Lead the management of a portfolio of highly technical projects and opportunities at the City’s facilities with a range of project scope and budget, with support from the program’s Assistant Engineers. Project management will include but not be limited to budgeting, scoping, project implementation oversite, site inspections, and project close out.
• Technical oversight | Provide technical expertise on relevant projects that includes but is not limited to reviewing and approving the following for technical accuracy: (1) designs, (2) scope and project costs, (3) inspections of projects, (4) relevant energy savings calculators, and (5) providing ad hoc advanced technical support to both the City agencies and centrally at DEM.
• Performance management | Monitor, report, and maintain project‑level tracking of key performance metrics including recommended and implemented energy conservation measures (ECMs) and operations and maintenance measures (OMMs). This will also include associated energy, GHG and cost savings, and any associated measurement & verification work.
• Agency engagement | Facilitate routine correspondence with City agencies primarily to drive project management, setting clear expectations with city agencies on relevant work, and building professional connections to improve program success.
• Program further expansion | Support the senior leadership in the further expansion of an innovative City‑wide building optimization program that centers around preventative maintenance and utilizing advanced analytics to automate controls to optimize operational and energy efficiencies.

Only permanent employees in the civil service title of Energy Conservation Specialist, and comparable title, exam passers, and those that are reachable on the Energy Conservation Specialist civil service list (Exam # 6055) are eligible to apply.

This position is also open to qualified persons with a disability who are eligible for the 55-a Program. Please indicate at the top of your resume and cover letter that you would like to be considered for the position through the 55-a Program.

ENERGY CONSERVATION SPECIALIST - 22430

Minimum Qualifications

• A baccalaureate degree from an accredited college or university in architecture or architectural technology; biology; building science; chemistry; construction management; energy management; engineering, engineering technology; environmental science; facilities management; physics; or a related field; or
• Completion of an apprentice program, a minimum of two (2) years in length, in a construction trade with an emphasis on energy efficiency for buildings and two (2) years of satisfactory, full‑time experience in energy generation or conservation work such as planning, developing, implementing, inspecting, analyzing, testing, and verifying interventions to generate clean energy or reduce energy usage; or
• Four (4) years of satisfactory, full‑time experience in energy generation or conservation work such as planning, developing, implementing, inspecting, analyzing, testing, and verifying interventions to generate clean energy or reduce energy usage; or
• Education and/or experience equivalent to “1,” “2,” or “3” above. One (1) year of acceptable experience will be credited for every 30 semester credits of undergraduate education in any of the fields described in “1” above. One (1) year of acceptable experience will be credited for a master’s degree in any of the fields described in “1” above.

Special Note

To be eligible for placement in Assignment Level II, candidates other than Professional Engineers or Registered Architects must have either:

• A Bachelor of Architecture degree that is the first professional degree in architecture from an accredited college; or
• A baccalaureate degree from an accredited college or university and a master’s degree in building science, energy management, or engineering from an accredited college or university; or
• After meeting the minimum qualification requirements, a master’s degree in any of the fields described in “1” above.
• After meeting the minimum qualification requirements, one (1) additional year of experience as described in “4” above; or

To be eligible for placement in Assignment Level III, candidates other than Professional Engineers or Registered Architects must have, after meeting the requirements for Assignment Level II, one (1) additional year of experience as described in “3” above.

To be eligible for placement in Assignment Level IV, candidates must have either:

• A license as a Professional Engineer or Registered Architect issued pursuant to the New York State Education Law and at least one year of experience as described in “3” above as a major contributor or a project leader on a complex project requiring additional and specific expertise in the necessary disciplines as described in “1” above; or
• In addition to meeting the requirements for Assignment Level III, one (1) additional year of experience in a supervisory capacity, or as a major contributor or a project leader on a complex project requiring additional and specific expertise in the necessary disciplines as described in “1” above.

License Requirement

A Motor Vehicle Driver License valid in the State of New York may be required for certain assignments. This license must be maintained for the duration of the assignment.

Incumbents may be required to update existing and/or obtain additional professional industry‑standard certification(s) and licenses.

Preferred Skills

• Thorough knowledge of building science and energy‑consuming building processes and equipment, including lighting systems, electrical systems, HVAC systems, plumbing systems, building automation systems (BAS), and energy distribution systems (chilled water, steam, and hot water). - Experience with technical project management operations, including project planning, scope development, design and construction management, operations transfer, and project close‑out. - Familiarity with customer relationship management (CRM) software (i.e., Salesforce, Monday.com, etc.) - Familiarity with project management software (i.e., Salesforce). - Ability to read and interpret controls drawings, mechanical drawings and wiring diagrams. - Knowledge of energy savings calculation, greenhouse gas emissions calculation methodologies, and NYC Local Laws addressing green buildings and energy efficiency. - Knowledge of and experience with ASHRAE or AEE procedures for Commercial Building Energy Audits and Energy Management as well as NYC Energy Conservation Code (NYCECC). - Credentials as one or more of the following: Certified Energy Manager (CEM), Certified Energy Auditor (CEA), and/or Certified Building Commissioning Professional (CBCP). - Strong experience in effective communication (both oral and written), including proficiency in Microsoft Word and PowerPoint. - Strong experience in quantitative analysis, including proficiency in Microsoft Excel.

55a Program

This position is also open to qualified persons with a disability who are eligible for the 55-a Program. Please indicate at the top of your resume and cover letter that you would like to be considered for the position through the 55-a Program.

Public Service Loan Forgiveness

As a prospective employee of the City of New York, you may be eligible for federal loan forgiveness programs and state repayment assistance programs. For more information, please visit the U.S. Department of Education’s website at https://studentaid.gov/pslf/.

Residency Requirement

New York City Residency is not required for this position.

Additional Information

The City of New York is an inclusive equal opportunity employer committed to recruiting and retaining a diverse workforce and providing a work environment that is free from discrimination and harassment based upon any legally protected status or protected characteristic, including but not limited to an individual's sex, race, color, ethnicity, national origin, age, religion, disability, sexual orientation, veteran status, gender identity, or pregnancy.