Vanderbilt University

The Engineer is part of the Facilities Engineering team in the Facilities Maintenance & Operations Department at Vanderbilt University. The Engineering team supports the planning and operations of the campus to keep it safe, park like, invigorating, comfortable, efficient, and sustainable. The engineering team is recruiting an engineer to increase the team’s strength.

About the Work Unit:

Facilities provides facilities support for all construction, renovation, and routine maintenance of University space and facilities; housekeeping services for approximately 5.8 million square feet of academic, administrative, residential, and recreational space; grounds care for 330 acres that are a registered arboretum; turf care for athletic fields; and utilities for the University Central and the Medical Center. The Facilities department is comprised of Campus Planning & Construction, Vanderbilt University Maintenance and Operations, the Business Operations Center and Real Estate.

The campus and medical center consist of approximated 14,000,000 square feet and more than 200 buildings. The University purchases electricity, and natural gas to provide steam and electricity to these facilities with in-house gas turbine electricity generators and heat recovery steam generators. The utility system and campus buildings are designed to Facilities standards and maintained by the Facilities staff.

Facilities annual budget exceeds $100 million in operating expenses and includes over 500 employees. This branch manages major capital project expenditures totaling ~$150 million annually and facility renewal, replacement, and large maintenance project expenditures totaling ~$20 million annually. 

Key Functions and Expected Performance:

The Engineer will help the team with the following initiatives that support capital projects, facility stewardship, and utility master planning:

• Generate and maintain a masterplan and models for campus utilities. This includes the energy conversion plants and all distribution. It must be presentable, defendable, understandable, and attractive.
• Work with VU stakeholders to set building operation standards for availability (uptime), indoor conditions, outdoor environment, energy efficiency, and sustainability. 
• Support capital project engineering and construction by working with project managers to design and construct the appropriate project quality. For example:
• Provide input for campus architectural and engineering design and construction guidelines.
• Ensure the guidelines are incorporated in all operations, design, and construction.
• Manage studies for maintaining or upgrading campus or building systems
• Provide review and approval for any new products or design approaches.
• Guide construction by providing design, pricing and submittal review
• Help the team direct and manage the commissioning process 
• Identify and Solve problems in existing buildings and utility infrastructure.
• Find systemic problems with original design or operational misconceptions
• Help troubleshoot the central utilities system that provides electricity, steam, chilled water and heating hot water from central plants.

Generally, this position’s workload is 60% for capital projects, 20% for utilities master planning, and 20% for engineering support of maintenance and operational problems.

Supervisory Relationships:

This position does not have supervisory responsibility. This position reports administratively and functionally to the Campus Engineer. 

Education and Certifications:

• Bachelor's degree in engineering is required. 
• Professional engineering license is strongly preferred.

Experience and Skills:

• A minimum of 4 years of relevant experience is required. 
• Strong organizational skills, with an emphasis on managing multiple tasks and proven capability to meet deadlines is required.
• Effective oral and written communication skills is required.
• Experience with design and construction of mechanical, electrical and plumbing systems is preferred.
• Operational experience with mechanical and electrical systems is preferred.
• Knowledge of switchgear, transformers, gas turbine generators, steam turbine generators, HVAC equipment, controls equipment, and diesel generators is preferred.

At Vanderbilt University , our work - regardless of title or role - is in service to an important and noble mission in which every member of our community serves in advancing knowledge and transforming lives on a daily basis. Located in Nashville, Tennessee, on a 330+ acre campus and arboretum dating back to 1873, Vanderbilt is proud to have been named as one of “America’s Best Large Employers” as well as a top employer in Tennessee and the Nashville metropolitan area by Forbes for several years running. We welcome those who are interested in learning and growing professionally with an employer that strives to create, foster and sustain opportunities as an employer of choice.

We understand you have a choice when choosing where to work and pursue a career. We understand you are unique and have a story. We want to hear it. We encourage you to apply today so that you might become a part of our story.

Vanderbilt University is an equal-opportunity, affirmative action employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, or status as a protected veteran, or any other characteristic protected by law.