Automation & Control Systems Design Engineer

Utopiadesign; South Africa; On-site; ZAR 600,000 - 900,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Global exposure

International team

High ownership

Growth opportunities

Flexible collaboration formats

End-to-end projects

Cross-disciplinary collaboration

Visa sponsorship not provided

Job summary

Utopia Design in South Africa is seeking a dynamic AV & BMS Design Engineer to support design development of luxury villas and boutique hotels worldwide, focusing on hospitality assets. You will deliver innovative engineering solutions while upholding high aesthetic and functional standards.

You will collaborate with architects, interior designers, and other engineers, report to an MEP design manager, and drive the development of detailed drawings, documentation, and system specifications using

Qualifications

• Degree in Electrical or Building Engineering with a concentration in AV & BMS systems.
• 4–10 years of experience in design consultancy or general contractor.
• Experience on luxury hospitality projects (villas, hotels, resorts).
• Excellent communication and presentation skills.
• Proficiency in AutoCAD.
• Professional level of English (written and spoken).

Responsibilities

• Design AV & BMS engineering systems for luxury villas and boutique hotels, ensuring compliance with codes and client requirements.
• Collaborate with architects, interior designers, and engineers to integrate systems into the project.
• Coordinate spatially with architectural/structural models and research efficient methodologies.
• Timely resolve technical issues during the design phase.
• Lead development of detailed drawings, technical documentation, and system specifications with BIM support.
• Perform market research for updated features and equipment.
• Oversee equipment selection aligning with project requirements and sustainability goals.
• Provide input during value engineering to balance cost, quality and performance.
• Supervise design development and approve deliverables of third party designers/consultants.
• Stay updated on technologies, trends, and regulations related to AV & BMS in luxury hospitality.

Skills

Communication skills

English proficiency

Education

Degree in Electrical or Building Engineering (AV & BMS focus)

Tools

AutoCAD

Job description

We are looking for dynamic and experienced AV & BMS Design Engineer to support ongoing design development of several luxury projects worldwide focusing on boutique hospitality assets.

This role requires a creative and technical professional who can deliver efficient and innovative engineering solutions while maintaining the aesthetic and functional standards expected in luxury developments.

In this role, you will be responsible for design development of luxury villas and boutique hotels engineering systems. You should be able to work independently throughout the day, coordinate with the team when needed, and deliver intermediate results weekly. You will report to a MEP design manager, but collaborate with the entire design team, including but not limited to architects, interior designers, structural engineers, the FF&E procurement team, and client representatives.

To succeed in this role, you should have excellent communication and presentation skills, be punctual, detail-oriented, self-organized, and motivated to deliver quality results.

Responsabilities

• Design AV&BMS engineering systems for luxury villas and boutique hotels, ensuring compliance with local building codes, industry standards and client requirements
• Collaborate closely with architects, interior designers, and other engineers to integrate systems seamlessly into the overall project
• Proactively participate in spatial coordination with architectural and structural model, research efficient methodologies, equipment, systems to secure the initial design intent and high-end user experience
• Timely resolve technical issues and challenges during the design phase
• Lead the development of detailed drawings, technical documentation, and system specifications using CAD tools, with the support of BIM modelers
• Perform market research for most updated features and equipment
• Oversee equipment selection, ensuring it aligns with project requirements and sustainability goals
• Provide input during value engineering discussions to achieve the best balance between cost, quality, and performance
• Supervise the design development, review and approve deliverables of third party designers, consultants, surveyors
• Stay updated on the latest technologies, trends, and regulations related to AV & BMS systems in the luxury and hospitality sectors

Requirements

• Degree in Electrical or Building Engineering with a concentration in AV & BMS systems
• 4 to 10 years of experience in design consultancy or general contractor
• Experience working on low-rise residential and hospitality projects - private homes and villas, hotels and resorts
• Excellent communication and presentation skills
• Proficiency in AutoCAD
• Professional level of English, both written and verbal

Benefits

• Global project exposure — contribute to luxury hospitality developments across Europe, Africa, and Latin America
• A truly international team — collaborate across cultures, disciplines, and time zones with people bringing diverse perspectives and expertise
• High ownership environment — we value initiative, independent thinking, and people who take responsibility for meaningful work
• Growth opportunities — as we scale, we create new roles internally and support team members in expanding their scope and responsibilities
• Flexible collaboration formats — depending on the role, we offer fully remote, hybrid, and on-site opportunities designed to support effective collaboration and individual productivity
• Work on projects from concept to realization — contribute across the full architectural and engineering journey, from early design through execution
• Cross-disciplinary collaboration — engage directly with interiors, architecture, landscape, construction, and operations teams from the earliest project stages

Utopia does not provide visa sponsorship for this position.