Senior Mechanical Engineer – Lead Construction Projects

McKinstry Co; Portland (OR); Hybrid; USD 111,420 - 177,650; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

401(k) with company match

Paid time off and holidays

Medical, dental, vision

Parental leave up to 16 weeks

Professional development

Job summary

McKinstry’s growing New Construction team in the Pacific Northwest seeks an Associate Mechanical Engineer to design, coordinate, and manage high-performance mechanical systems for large-scale projects. You’ll collaborate across preconstruction, detailing, and field teams to deliver constructible solutions that operate efficiently over a building’s lifetime.

The role emphasizes leadership, resource planning, and design excellence, with the DBOM process guiding decisions from concept through

Qualifications

• 10+ years of experience in engineering design or related field with at least 3 years of project and people management.
• Valid Professional Engineer (PE) registration
• Demonstrated experience leading engineering teams on complex, multi-discipline projects.
• Load calculation experience through IES VE, Carrier HAP, Trane Trace, Elite CHVAC, or equivalent.
• Advanced knowledge of Revit and Bluebeam.
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office Suite including Microsoft Teams.
• Energy modeling experience highly preferred.
• Onsite construction experience highly preferred.
• Master’s degree in engineering or related discipline preferred.
• LEED, WELL, or other sustainability accreditation preferred.

Responsibilities

• Leads and manages a team of engineers, delegating design tasks and overseeing project deliverables across multiple projects.
• Drives coordination between internal design, construction, and cross-functional teams.
• Proactively identifies and secures resource needs to meet project deadlines and quality standards.
• Actively mentors and develops lead and project engineers, providing technical guidance and career development support as their direct manager.
• Owns project correspondence, issue tracking, decisions, and direction across assigned projects.
• Champions the development and adoption of standardized design tools across the team.
• Manages team workload and capacity planning to consistently deliver projects on time and within budget.
• Leads engineering analysis in support of sales pursuits and early-stage design efforts.
• Defines, communicates, and manages scope, design intent, and design process with minimal oversight.
• Anticipates and proactively manages changes in scope, schedule, budget, or client expectations.
• Demonstrates command of overall project objectives and drives creative, resourceful solutions to complex challenges.
• Serves as a technical authority in mechanical systems design, including calculations, airside and piping systems, equipment selection, and multidiscipline coordination; coaches and delegates to lead and project engineers.
• Independently performs, directs, and reviews engineering calculations, design, and drafting tasks across the full project lifecycle.
• Oversees and contributes to the production of design drawings and building information models for construction.
• Leads coordination efforts with both internal and external project stakeholders.
• Drives process and technology improvement initiatives across the team.
• Leads investigation, evaluation, and troubleshooting of complex new and existing systems.
• Working autonomously, presents and advocates for design direction, system selection, energy conservation, and cost savings strategies.
• Leads regular design meetings with customers and external stakeholders, often serving as the primary McKinstry point of contact.
• Represents McKinstry with credibility and professionalism in the broader community.
• Actively engages and holds leadership roles in professional organizations critical to McKinstry's line of business.
• Builds and sustains long-term client relationships that enhance McKinstry's reputation and support business development.
• Prepares proposals for new scopes of work and change orders, leads design project pursuits independently or in support of internal partners, and engages in customer relationship management.

Skills

Load calculations

Energy modeling

MS Office

Onsite construction

Team leadership

Project management

Education

PE registration

Master’s degree preferred

Tools

IES VE

Carrier HAP

Trane Trace

Elite CHVAC

Revit

Bluebeam

Job description

McKinstry’s growing New Construction team in the Pacific Northwest seeks an Associate Mechanical Engineer to design, coordinate, and manage high-performance mechanical systems for large-scale projects. You’ll collaborate across preconstruction, detailing, and field teams to deliver constructible solutions that operate efficiently over a building’s lifetime.

The role emphasizes leadership, resource planning, and design excellence, with the DBOM process guiding decisions from concept through