Job Posting 

The Chief Engineer for the Obama Presidential Center, will oversee campus systems to ensure seamless operations and integrity in maintaining the services of the campus. This role will support the Superintendent in coordinating mechanical, electrical, plumbing, and safety systems critical to Center functions on a daily basis for internal personnel and visitors. The role also necessitates close interaction with other operations personnel for smooth service delivery. 

As the Obama Presidential Center’s Chief Engineer, you’ll be reporting directly to the Director of Campus Facility Operations, OPC.

Core Job Responsibilities

●      Serve as the main point of contact for campus services across the Operations and Maintenance team for day-to-day operations and cross team coordination.

●      Operate and maintain the mechanical, electrical, plumbing, and life-safety systems across the Obama Presidential Center, responding to campus needs in a timely manner.

●      Delegate tasks across the Operations and Maintenance team as campus facilities necessitate in alignment with Obama Presidential Center goals, utilizing a work order system to address issues and assignments in a timely manner.

●      Hire, train, and supervise engineers; coordinating with adjacent trades onsite as necessary to maintain and repair facilities.

●      Oversee and update an effective preventative maintenance program in alignment with industry best practices and Obama Presidential Center Obama Presidential Center standards.

●      Manage programming and operation of automated systems and equipment.

●      Perform other duties as assigned.

Key Deliverables / Outcomes

●      Serve as key contact during the transition in commissioning, punch list and start-up items toward campus operations. Develop deferred maintenance plans with the Superintendent and Director of Campus Facility Operations, facilitating the implementation and campus coordination as needed.

●      Oversee direct interior and exterior facility system maintenance, meeting with department leaders to ensure facility operations are effective. Manage engineering operations budgets and cost, estimating and ordering materials for inventory and equipment.

●      Maintain a working knowledge of building facilities including but not limited to sustainable systems such as geothermal and solar energy systems, glass and bronze features, lighting and shade systems, and other integrated campus features. Track and report on energy efficient operations, supervising operation and repairs of facility systems, issue permits if required.

●      Support management in planning of capital improvement plans for the Obama Presidential Center campus.

●      Collaborate with internal teams such as Events, Building Services, and Integrated Systems to facilitate integration with campus operations during open hours.

●      Serve as a first responder in the event of emergencies in close collaboration with the Security team, following campus protocols and assisting with evacuation as needed.

●      Ensure adequate coverage on shifts to meet varying workload needs; supervising inspection and repairs of campus assets to ensure general facility safety; and communicating incidents and emergencies to the Superintendent.

Required Qualifications

●      Experience in managing new building start-ups and transitions from construction phase to operations, including implementing and managing building automation systems. Proven track record of processing work orders and producing facility management reports. Ideally, experience in the management of geothermal and sustainable energy systems.

●      Working proficiency in modeling and addressing duties of trade expertise, including the management of a diverse team of staff. Ideally a customer service oriented background, with a focus on client satisfaction through managing building systems to support large public audiences.

●      Contractor management experience, ideally with experience in the facilitation of bidding documents for vendor bidding and proposals. 

●      Progression through a registered apprenticeship program and at least ten years of relevant engineering experience.

●      Flexibility of hours, including but not limited to early morning, late night, weekends, and holidays across campus in both indoor and outdoor environments. Ability to work out of the Obama Presidential Center in Jackson Park and/or other Obama Foundation locations in Chicago.

This role is permanent, full-time and anticipates minimal travel. While we are open to considering candidates who currently reside in a number of US jurisdictions, this role will require several days per week in the Chicago office and relocation to the area is expected within two months of hire. Apply Here!

Don’t check off every box in the requirements listed above? Please apply anyway! Studies have shown that marginalized communities - such as women, LGBTQ+ and people of color - are less likely to apply to jobs unless they meet every single qualification. The Obama Foundation is dedicated to building an inclusive, diverse, equitable, and accessible workplace that fosters a sense of belonging – so if you’re excited about this role but your past experience doesn’t align perfectly with every qualification in the job description, we encourage you to still consider submitting an application. You may be just the right candidate for this role or another one of our openings!

Equal Opportunity Employer 

The Foundation is committed to creating a diverse work environment and is proud to be an equal opportunity employer. The Foundation does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, sex, gender identity, religion, sexual orientation, age, disability, parental status, veteran status, or any other protected status under applicable laws. We encourage individuals of all backgrounds to apply. If you are a qualified candidate with a disability, please email us at [email protected] if you require a reasonable accommodation to complete this application.

Core Competencies

●      Deliver Results - We achieve high quality outcomes reliably and quickly. We set a clear goal and path for our work. We require minimal supervision and above all—we own the outcome.

●      Embrace Improvement - We constantly challenge ourselves to grow, and to do better for our team, and for the mission. We seek feedback proactively, learn from failure, and we invest in growing our colleagues.

●      Advance a Great Culture - We multiply the power of the team around us. We embrace and include differences, we communicate, we solve problems constructively. We are a positive part of our team’s day.

We hope you consider applying here!