Assistant Chief Engineer - Facilities

Job description

About the role

The Assistant Chief Building Engineer at CBRE delivers operational excellence, leadership, and technical oversight for a high-value, 100% uptime tiered data center. This critical role serves as the secondary leader for the site's engineering team, ensuring that all power, cooling, and safety systems operate without interruption.

What You’ll Do

Lead Team & Drive Operational Excellence

• Supervise and mentor a dedicated shift team of critical environment technicians and engineers.
• Coordinate daily work schedules, assign maintenance tasks, and manage vendor activities on-site.
• Act as the primary backup to the Chief Building Engineer, stepping in to lead site operations in their absence. Ensure Training, Safety, and Compliance
• Enforce a zero-harm safety culture by maintaining strict compliance with OSHA, NFPA 70E, and CBRE safety guidelines.
• Deliver continuous technical training and drills to ensure the engineering team can respond flawlessly to any site emergency.
• Oversee safety programs, including Lockout/Tagout (LOTO), electrical safety, and Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) compliance.

Document Control

MOP, SOP, and EOP

• Develop, review, and approve Method of Procedure (MOP) documents for all critical and non-critical maintenance window activities.
• Maintain and update Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) and Emergency Operating Procedures (EOPs/ESOPs) to guarantee high-reliability execution.
• Audit procedural compliance to ensure zero human-error downtime during maintenance windows.

In-Depth Infrastructure Maintenance & Repairs

• Manage hands-on maintenance, troubleshooting, and repairs of complex critical infrastructure.
• Oversee electrical systems, including medium/low voltage distribution, switchgear, UPS systems, central battery plants, and emergency diesel generators.
• Oversee mechanical systems, including chillers, cooling towers, CRAH/CRAC units, visual monitoring systems, and water treatment loops.
• Utilize EPMS and BMS systems to trend data, monitor site health, and preemptively identify equipment anomalies.

Incident Management & Escalation

• Lead the immediate technical response to infrastructure anomalies, equipment alarms, or component failures to protect the critical load.
• Execute escalation pathways swiftly, notifying senior management and clients according to strict service level agreements (SLAs).

Root Cause Analysis (RCA)

• Spearhead the post-incident investigation process to identify root causes and implement permanent corrective actions. Capital Planning, R&M, and Budgeting
• Partner with the Chief Engineer to manage the Repair and Maintenance (R&M) budget, ensuring cost-effective operations.
• Assess equipment lifecycles and provide technical data to support long-term Capital Expenditure (CapEx) planning.
• Track parts inventory and critical spares to eliminate supply-chain lag for emergency repairs. Why CBRE? +

World-Class Platform

CBRE is the global leader in commercial real estate and mission-critical services, offering unparalleled job stability, standard-setting tools, and structured operational frameworks. +

Career Growth

We invest heavily in our people. Through our dedicated Critical Environments training programs, you will have a clear, actionable pathway to advance into Chief Engineer, Facilities Manager, and Regional Leadership roles. +

Culture of Safety & Innovation

We offer an environment where technical expertise is deeply respected, safety is never compromised for speed, and cutting-edge data center technologies are the norm. +

Comprehensive Benefits

Enjoy competitive pay, premium health benefits, a robust 401(k) matching program, and generous paid time off.

Education & Experience

• A Bachelor’s degree in Engineering or a related technical discipline is preferred.

However, equivalent experience may be considered in lieu of a degree (e.g., 7+ years of hands-on critical environment experience combined with technical certifications or military training, such as US Navy Nuke).

Data Center Expertise

• Minimum of 5 years of experience in a tiered, mission-critical environment (Data Centers, Hospitals, or semiconductor facilities) with at least 2 years in a supervisory or team-lead capacity.

Technical Licensing

• Universal EPA Refrigerant Certifications, Journeyman/Master Electrician license, or highly rated high-pressure steam/refrigeration operator licenses are highly desirable.

Availability

• Must be willing to work flexible hours, remain on-call, and respond to emergency site pages 24/7/365.
• Meet the physical requirements of this role including stooping, standing, walking, climbing stairs/ladders, and the ability to lift/carry heavy loads of 50 lbs. or more.
• Ability to exercise judgment based on the analysis of multiple sources of information.
• Willingness to take a new perspective on existing solutions.
• In-depth knowledge of Microsoft Office products. Examples include Word, Excel, Outlook, etc.
• Organizational skills with an advanced inquisitive mindset.

Disclaimer

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

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 chart your own course and realize your potential. We welcome all applicants.

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.

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 [email protected] or via telephone at +1 866 225 3099 (U.S.) and +1 866 388 4346 (Canada).

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