Union Chief Engineer

CBRE; Lisle (IL); On-site; USD 101,000 - 123,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

401(K)

Dental insurance

Health insurance

Life insurance

Vision insurance

Job summary

CBRE is seeking a Union Data Center Team Lead to oversee the on-site team responsible for M&E systems in a data center environment. You will drive maintenance programs, mentor technicians, and coordinate responses to outages to ensure 100% uptime.

You will act as the senior on-site technical authority, ensuring safety, documentation, and adherence to corporate standards while collaborating with vendors, management, and cross-functional teams.

Qualifications

• High School Diploma, GED, or trade school diploma with 3–4 years of job-related experience.
• Standing, stooping, lifting 50 lbs+, and ability to climb.
• Strong analytical and organizational skills.

Responsibilities

• Oversee operation, maintenance, and reliability of all critical M&E systems (chillers, CRAC/CRAH, generators, UPS, BMS).
• Lead preventive, predictive, and corrective maintenance aligned with data center standards.
• Respond to emergencies, coordinate technical response, and perform post-incident analysis.
• Provide coaching to engineering and technician teams for safe, high-quality maintenance.
• Review system readings and manage spare parts inventory.

Skills

Leadership

Root-cause analysis

Troubleshooting

Education

High School Diploma / GED

Tools

MS Office

Job description

About the Role:

As a CBRE Union Data Center Team Lead, you will oversee the team responsible for performing

preventative maintenance and complex corrective repairs within a Data Center operation. This role i s

crucial in ensuring the smooth operation of critical client environments.

What You’ll Do:

• Oversee the operation, maintenance, and reliability of all critical mechanical and electrical (M&E) systems, including chillers, cooling towers, CRAC/CRAH units, generators, switchgear, UPS systems, PDUs, fire/life-safety systems, and building automation/BMS controls. Act as the senior on-site technical authority for all infrastructure systems.
• Perform advanced troubleshooting, root-cause analysis, and corrective actions on complex mechanical, electrical, and controls-related equipment issues to ensure 100% uptime of critical environments.
• Lead and execute preventive, predictive, and corrective maintenance programs in alignment with our mission-critical facilities; ensure maintenance is performed safely, thoroughly, and documented accurately.
• Respond to and manage emergency events including system failures, alarms, and unplanned outages —coordinating technical response, communicating impacts, implementing remediation, and performing detailed post-incident analysis.
• Direct daily site inspections of all M&E systems to verify proper operating conditions, identify risks, and ensure environmental stability across data hall, mechanical spaces, and electrical rooms.
• Provide expert level support, coaching, and guidance to engineering and technician teams, ensuring strong technical competency, safe work practices, and high-quality maintenance performance.
• Serve as the primary technical escalation point for issues involving mechanical, electrical, controls, and environmental systems, collaborating closely with internal teams, vendors, and facility management leadership.
• Oversee vendor and contractor activities to ensure full compliance with technical specifications, safety policies, and contractual requirements; accompany vendors as needed for maintenance, commissioning, or complex repairs.
• Review, interpret, and validate critical system readings, including UPS performance, breaker status, load levels, temperatures, water chemistry, and utilities consumption; ensure accurate and complete documentation.
• Maintain oversight of spare parts inventory, including critical spares for mechanical and electrical equipment, ensuring availability for emergency repairs and preventive tasks.
• Develop, refine, and enforce standard operating procedures (SOPs), MOPs, EOPs, Job Hazard Analyses, and other critical facility documentation, ensuring they meet corporate, regulatory, and data center industry standards.
• Manage permit-to-work and lockout/tagout (LOTO) safety programs to ensure strict adherence to safety protocols during maintenance and high-risk activities.
• Support continuous improvement initiatives, including system optimization, energy efficiency improvements, and automation enhancements to improve reliability and reduce operating costs.
• Collaborate with data center management and cross-functional teams to ensure facility readiness, operational excellence, and alignment with business objectives.
• Model and reinforce safety-first behaviors while promoting CBRE RISE values, leading by example, and ensuring a strong culture of operational discipline and accountability.
• Support the inhouse Data Center IT technicians needs and workload
• Other duties as assigned.

What You’ll Need:

• High School Diploma, GED, or trade school diploma with 3-4 years of job-related experience. In lieu of a diploma, a combination of experience and education will be considered.
• Meet the physical requirements of this role including stooping, standing, walking, climbing stairs/ladders, and the ability to lift and carry heavy loads of 50 lbs. or more.
• Understanding of existing procedures and standards to solve complex problems.
• Ability to analyze possible solutions using technical experience to apply appropriate judgment and precedents.
• In-depth knowledge of Microsoft Office products. Examples include Word, Excel, Outlook, etc.
• Strong organizational skills with an inquisitive mindset.
• Ability to work shits that may include weekends and holidays. As well as being on call

Why CBRE

When you join CBRE, you become part of the global leader in commercial real estate services and investment that helps businesses and people thrive. We are dynamic problem solvers and forward-thinking professionals who create significant impact. Our collaborative culture is built on our shared values — respect, integrity, service and excellence — and we value the diverse perspectives, backgrounds and skillsets of our people. At CBRE, you have the opportunity to realize your full potential.

Our Values In Hiring

At CBRE, we are committed to fostering a culture where everyone feels they belong. We value diverse perspectives and experiences, and we welcome all applications.

Disclaimers

Applicants must be currently authorized to work in the United States without the need for visa sponsorship now or in the future.

Applicant AI Use Disclosure

We value human interaction to understand each candidate's unique experience, skills and aspirations. We do not use artificial intelligence (AI) tools to make hiring decisions, and we ask that candidates disclose any use of AI in the application and interview process.

About CBRE Group, Inc.

CBRE Group, Inc. (NYSE:CBRE), a Fortune 500 and S& P 500 company headquartered in Dallas, is the world’s largest commercial real estate services and investment firm (based on 2024 revenue). The company has more than 140,000 employees (including Turner & Townsend employees) serving clients in more than 100 countries. CBRE serves clients through four business segments: Advisory (leasing, sales, debt origination, mortgage serving, valuations); Building Operations & Experience (facilities management, property management, flex space & experience); Project Management (program management, project management, cost consulting); Real Estate Investments (investment management, development). Please visit our website at www.cbre.com.

CBRE carefully considers multiple factors to determine compensation, including a candidate’s education, training, and experience. The maximum salary of $112,112 annually. The compensation offered to a successful candidate will depend on their skills, qualifications, and experience.

This role will provide the following benefits:

• 401(K)
• Dental insurance
• Health insurance
• Life insurance
• Vision insurance

Equal Employment Opportunity: CBRE is an equal opportunity employer that values diversity. We have a long-standing commitment to providing equal employment opportunity to all qualified applicants regardless of race, color, religion, national origin, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, pregnancy, age, citizenship, marital status, disability, veteran status, political belief, or any other basis protected by applicable law.

Candidate Accommodations:

CBRE values the differences of all current and prospective employees and recognizes how every employee contributes to our company’s success. CBRE provides reasonable accommodations in job application procedures for individuals with disabilities. If you require assistance due to a disability in the application or recruitment process, please submit a request via email at [e-mail] or via telephone at [phone] (U.S.) and [phone] (Canada).

CBRE, Inc. is an Equal Opportunity and Assertive Action Employer (Women/Minorities/Persons with Disabilities/US Veterans)