Senior HVAC Design Engineer

United Mechanical; San Jose (CA); On-site; USD 86,000 - 106,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Health Care Plan

Retirement Plan

Paid Time Off

Job summary

United Mechanical is seeking a Senior Mechanical Engineer in California to act as a hands-on technical lead. You will ensure code-compliant, buildable permit and construction documents and drive designs from concept to field installation, receiving direct feedback from the site.

The role emphasizes QA/QC, mentoring junior engineers, and coordination with project managers and field teams to achieve predictable project outcomes.

Qualifications

• 7–10 years of experience in commercial construction.
• 4-year engineering degree or equivalent.
• PE license preferred but not required.
• Excellent understanding of engineering fundamentals, HVAC systems, equipment, installation standards and procedures.
• Ability to interface and communicate with others is essential.
• Fully versed in California and applicable local building codes.
• Proficient in AutoCAD; Revit experience preferred.

Responsibilities

• Own mechanical design execution from basis-of-design through IFC deliverables.
• Lead Designer: establish basis of design, system selection, equipment sizing, control intent, and document strategy from kickoff through IFC.
• Design and troubleshoot air-side and water-side systems.
• Apply California codes and local requirements including AHJ amendments and energy code.
• Provide field support during construction: submittal review, RFIs, clarifications.

Skills

HVAC systems

Leadership

QA/QC

Coordination

Field collaboration

Education

B.S. in Engineering

Tools

AutoCAD

Revit

Carrier HAP

Energy Pro

Job description

Description

The Senior Mechanical Engineer is one of our Engineering Department’s hands‑on technical lead designers. This role is accountable for code‑compliant, buildable, well‑coordinated permit and construction documents. At UMI, our designs get built. You won’t just issue drawings; you’ll watch your designs get installed, started up, and perform, giving you direct feedback from the field. This position has project and deliverable accountability with no direct personnel responsibility. The Senior Engineer mentors junior engineers, raises the bar on QA/QC, and serves as a trusted technical partner to Project Managers and the field. The intent is to deliver designs that support smooth field execution, clear client communication, and predictable project outcomes.

Description

The Senior Mechanical Engineer is one of our Engineering Department’s hands‑on technical lead designers. This role is accountable for code‑compliant, buildable, well‑coordinated permit and construction documents. At UMI, our designs get built. You won’t just issue drawings; you’ll watch your designs get installed, started up, and perform, giving you direct feedback from the field. This position has project and deliverable accountability with no direct personnel responsibility. The Senior Engineer mentors junior engineers, raises the bar on QA/QC, and serves as a trusted technical partner to Project Managers and the field. The intent is to deliver designs that support smooth field execution, clear client communication, and predictable project outcomes.

Responsibilities

Technical ownership

• Own mechanical design execution from basis-of-design through permit and issued-for-construction (IFC) deliverables.
• Serve as Lead Designer: establish the basis of design, system selection, equipment sizing, control intent, and document strategy from kickoff through IFC.
• Design and troubleshoot both air-side (VAV, DOAS, exhaust, pressurization, filtration, heat recovery, etc.) and water-side (hydronic plants, pumping, control valves, coils, heat rejection, etc.) systems.
• Apply California codes and local requirements, including AHJ amendments and applicable energy code.

QA/QC + standards

• Own QA/QC: loads/assumptions, duct/pipe sizing, schedules, details, sequences, coordination, and general “will this actually work” sanity checks.

Coordination + field integration

• Assist Project Managers in presenting and explaining proposals, systems, findings and options to clients, general contractors and engineers
• Participate in site walks and existing conditions investigations
• Work with Project Managers and the engineering staff to prepare or refine the project scope
• Provide field support during construction: submittal review, RFIs, and design clarifications.

Mentorship + leadership

• Direct and coordinate the project-based engineering activities of both in-house and outsourced engineering teams
• Guide and mentor junior engineers through real project work: fundamentals, codes, design judgment, and document quality.
• Give Engineering leadership clear feedback on training needs, performance growth, and where the team needs better tooling or standards.

Requirements

• 7-10 years’ experience in the commercial construction space
• 4-year engineering degree or equivalent
• Professional Engineer (PE) license preferred, but not required
• Excellent understanding of engineering fundamentals, HVAC system types, equipment, installation standards, and procedures.
• The ability to assume responsibility, interface, and communicate with others is essential
• Must be fully versed in California and applicable local building codes
• Proficient in the use of Carrier HAP, Energy Pro, or equivalent
• Proficient in AutoCAD: Revit experience preferred

Benefits

• Health Care Plan (Medical, Dental & Vision)
• Retirement Plan (401k with 4% company match)
• Paid Time Off (PTO & Paid Holidays)

Compensation

$62.50 - $76.92 per hour

United Mechanical is an Equal Opportunity Employer and embraces diversity in our employee population. We provide equal opportunity to all qualified applicants and employees without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, age, disability, protected veteran status, special disabled veteran, marital status, pregnancy, genetic information, or any other legally protected status