Senior Professional Engineer, Mechanical - Commercial & Industrial HVAC

TKDA; Milwaukee (WI); Hybrid; USD 118,300 - 175,700; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Health Benefits

Annual Incentive Plan

HSA Contributions

401(k) Match

ESOP

Paid Time Off

Eight paid holidays

Job summary

TKDA, a 100% employee‑owned engineering, architecture and design firm, seeks a Senior Professional Mechanical Engineer to join our Facilities Engineering division. The role supports projects across the Midwest and may be based in Milwaukee, WI, with a hybrid work environment.

You will lead the mechanical design of HVAC, plumbing and industrial systems, focusing on process and power, industrial manufacturing, agriculture, food & beverage, and HVAC systems.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's Degree in Mechanical Engineering required.
• 12–25 years of progressive experience in mechanical facility systems design (HVAC, ventilation, process systems).
• Experience with piping and plumbing design.
• Professional Engineer (PE) license (Minnesota or ability to obtain).
• Understanding of project development and coordination with other disciplines during design/construction.
• Ability to coach, mentor, and develop junior professionals with focus on standards, quality, and best practices.
• Experience leading QA/QC reviews.
• Strong MS Office skills (Word, Excel, Outlook, Teams).
• Valid driver’s license; travel up to 10% for meetings and site visits; overnight travel as needed.

Responsibilities

• Lead mechanical design of HVAC, plumbing, and industrial systems across projects.
• Collaborate with engineers and architects to deliver integrated solutions for industrial, agricultural, food & beverage, education and commercial clients.
• Mentor junior staff and support business development through TKDA’s Seller‑Doer model.

Skills

Project management

Mentoring

QA/QC reviews

MS Office Suite

Driver's License

Travel up to 10%

Education

Bachelor's Degree in Mechanical Engineering

Tools

AutoCAD

Revit MEP

Plant 3D

Trane TRACE

Job description

TKDA is a 100% employee‑owned engineering, architecture, and design firm seeking a Senior Professional Mechanical Engineer to join our Facilities Engineering division. This role supports projects across the Midwest and may be based in Bloomington, MN; Milwaukee, WI; Duluth, MN; or Downers Grove, IL, with a hybrid work environment.

In this senior role, you will lead the mechanical design of complex HVAC, plumbing, and industrial systems, with a strong focus on Process and Power, Industrial Manufacturing, Agriculture, Food & Beverage, and HVAC systems. You will contribute across the full project lifecycle, supporting projects from concept through construction. Project management experience is a plus.

You’ll collaborate closely with engineers and architects to deliver integrated solutions for industrial, ag, food and beverage, education, and commercial clients. This role also includes mentoring junior staff and supporting business development through TKDA’s Seller‑Doer model, helping strengthen client relationships and grow our market presence.

Hybrid Work Environment

Tuesday - Thursday In‑Office | Monday & Friday WFH

Required Qualifications

• Bachelor’s Degree from an accredited college or university in Mechanical Engineering.
• Twelve to twenty‑five years of progressive experience with an emphasis on the design of mechanical facility systems, including HVAC, industrial ventilation, and process‑related systems for commercial and/or industrial facilities.
• Experience with piping and plumbing design.
• Professional Engineer (PE) license (Minnesota or ability to obtain).
• Demonstrated working knowledge of the project development process, including coordination with other disciplines during design and construction.
• Demonstrated ability to coach, mentor, and develop less experienced professionals with an emphasis on technical standards, quality control, and best practices.
• Prior experience providing and leading Quality Assurance / Quality Control (QA/QC) reviews.
• Strong working knowledge of MS Office Suite (Word, Excel, Outlook, Teams, etc.).
• Valid Driver’s License with a clean driving record and flexibility to travel up to 10% for meetings, site visits, and construction support; occasional overnight travel required.

Advantageous Qualifications

• Professional registration in additional states, with preference for Wisconsin, Illinois, South Dakota, and Iowa.
• Working knowledge of AutoCAD, Revit MEP, and/or Plant 3D.
• Experience with energy modeling software such as Trane TRACE or similar.
• Experience designing boiler and chiller systems, process utilities, and central plant systems.
• Experience with district heating and cooling, laboratory ventilation, or fire protection systems.
• Experience developing air balance diagrams, process flow diagrams (PFDs), piping and instrumentation diagrams (P&IDs), equipment layouts, and HVAC/piping plans.
• Experience designing systems for food production, ag processing, or industrial manufacturing facilities. Project management experience.
• LEED certification.

Pre‑Employment Screening

Upon acceptance of a conditional offer of employment, the selected candidate will be required to complete a standard pre‑employment background screening, which consists of Social Security verification, educational verification, review of criminal convictions, and driving history.

Legal Requirements

To be considered for this opportunity and to perform the assigned responsibilities, candidates must be legally authorized to work in the United States and must be able to complete and pass any background, security, and drug test requests required by TKDA, clients, and state and/or federal agencies.

Benefits

Health Benefits: Enjoy medical, dental, vision, and life insurance from day one.

Annual Incentive Plan: Eligible for discretionary bonuses.

HSA Contributions: Receive monthly employer contributions if you choose an HSA‑eligible plan.

401(k) Match: Get employer matching on your 401(k) deferrals.

ESOP: Benefit from our Employee Stock Ownership Plan, funded entirely by company profits.

Paid Time Off: Accrue PTO based on your professional experience and enjoy eight paid holidays per year.

Salary Ranges

Milwaukee: $118,300.00 – $171,500.00
Downers Grove: $121,200.00 – $175,700.00

Equal Opportunity Employer

TKDA is committed to creating a diverse environment and is proud to be an equal opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, disability, or veteran status, gender identity, or any other characteristics protected by law. We celebrate diversity and are committed to creating an inclusive environment for all employees, all applicants are strongly encouraged to apply.

All applicants must be authorized to work in the United States for any employer without current or future visa sponsorship needs or requirements. TKDA does not sponsor any type of employment visas, including but not limited to H‑1B, F‑1 OPT/CPT, TN, or other work authorization programs.