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Barnard College · 2 weeks ago

Building Operations Engineer (Facilities)

New York City, NY

Full-time

Onsite

Mid, Senior Level

$120K/yr - $130K/yr

3+ years exp

Barnard College is seeking a Building Operations Engineer to oversee daily operations across campus buildings, including a complex science facility. The engineer will manage teams, budgets, and compliance while ensuring the infrastructure meets the needs of faculty, students, and staff.

Continuing EducationEducationHigher Education

H1B Sponsor Likely

Responsibilities

Provide comprehensive oversight of the installation, operation, maintenance, and repair of all building systems – including HVAC, electrical, plumbing, laboratory support systems, and life-safety equipment, Vivarium, EH&S – to ensure continuous, reliable, and safe facility operations

Coordinate preventative maintenance programs, system inspections, vendor services, and long-term infrastructure planning across campus buildings, including a science facility with specialized research and instructional spaces

Monitor building performance, identify operational inefficiencies, and implement corrective actions or upgrades to improve energy efficiency, sustainability, and occupant comfort

Recruit, train, schedule, and supervise a diverse team of operational, custodial, and technical staff members, ensuring high performance, accountability, and professional development

Develop, implement, and manage annual operating budgets, capital requests, and service contracts. Track expenditures, analyze cost drivers, and optimize resource allocation to support both day-to-day operations and strategic initiatives

Oversee contracted services – including maintenance vendors, environmental health and safety partners, and specialized technical providers – to ensure quality performance and adherence to institutional standards

Ensure full compliance with all occupational health and safety regulations, environmental standards, laboratory safety protocols, and college policies

Conduct regular safety audits, emergency preparedness planning, risk assessments, and incident reporting, addressing deficiencies promptly and implementing mitigation strategies

Serve as a primary point-of-contact for regulatory inspections and collaborate with Environmental Health & Safety (EH&S) teams to promote a culture of safety among building occupants. Collaborate with Facilities, public safety and compliance

Lead and support short- and long-term projects involving facility renovations, capital improvements, infrastructure upgrades, process optimization, and modernization initiatives

Develop project scopes, timelines, budgets, and implementation plans while coordinating with internal stakeholders, external contractors, and institutional planning and design teams

Support student, faculty, and research-driven initiatives – including lab reconfigurations, teaching space improvements, and grant-funded facility enhancements – ensuring timely execution and alignment with campus needs

Partner with faculty, researchers, department chairs, and administrative units to understand operational needs and ensure facilities are well-aligned with teaching, research, and programmatic priorities

Facilitate communication between building users and facilities teams, proactively addressing workflow challenges, space needs, and service requests

Support on-campus stakeholders in the coordination of building access, space utilization, event operations, and scheduling requirements to maintain highly functional learning and research environments

Maintain detailed records and documentation related to building operations, regulatory compliance, preventative maintenance, incident response, utility usage, and budget performance

Prepare routine and ad hoc reports for the Director of Maintenance and Trades and other university leadership, providing data-driven insights to inform strategic planning and resource decisions

Track and analyze key performance indicators (KPIs), implementing improvements based on trends, feedback, and operational metrics

Qualification

Mechanical EngineeringElectrical EngineeringFacilities ManagementProject ManagementSafety ComplianceBudget ManagementLaboratory OperationsDigital Tools ProficiencyLeadership SkillsCommunication SkillsOrganizational SkillsInterpersonal Skills

Required

Bachelor's degree in Mechanical or Electrical Engineering or 5 or more years of experience in the field

3-5 years of progressively responsible experience in facilities management, building operations, or project management, ideally involving complex or multi-building environments

Demonstrated leadership experience, including hiring, training, supervising, and evaluating staff, as well as managing cross-functional teams and coordinating work across diverse departments

Working knowledge of laboratory and research operations, including familiarity with lab infrastructure, specialized equipment, and support systems used in the campus or research facilities

Strong understanding of safety and compliance requirements, including occupational health standards, environmental regulations, hazardous materials handling, and institutional risk management practices

Excellent communication, organizational, and interpersonal skills, with the ability to collaborate effectively with faculty, researchers, administrators, students, and external vendors

Ability to manage budgets and resources, analyze operational needs, and prioritize tasks in a fast-paced environment with competing demands

Proficiency with digital tools and systems related to facilities management (e.g., work order management systems, building automation systems, project tracking tools, and/or asset management software)

Preferred

Advanced degree in a relevant field such as facilities management, engineering, environmental health and safety

Outstanding project management skills and specialized knowledge of building maintenance and/or construction along with an understanding of plumbing, electrical, HVAC-ECT, BMS, chemistry, and inspection, testing and maintenance procedures

Experience in higher education research-intensive environments, particularly in managing science buildings, research laboratories, or specialized facilities

Formal training or certification in areas such as project management (e.g., PMP), facilities management (e.g., CFM, FMP), building operations, or environmental health and safety (e.g., OSHA certification)

Knowledge of sustainability practices, energy management principles, and environmental stewardship strategies in facilities operations

Familiarity with union environments, collective bargaining agreements, or workforce management within structured labor frameworks

Proficiency in data analysis or performance metrics used for assessing building operations, energy usage, safety compliance, or staff productivity

Company

Barnard College

Barnard College provides liberal arts education to young women, offering the unparalleled advantages of an outstanding residential college.

Founded in 1889

New York, New York, USA

1001-5000 employees

https://barnard.edu/

H1B Sponsorship

Barnard College has a track record of offering H1B sponsorships. Please note that this does not guarantee sponsorship for this specific role. Below presents additional info for your reference. (Data Powered by US Department of Labor)

Distribution of Different Job Fields Receiving Sponsorship

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Trends of Total Sponsorships

2025 (5)

2024 (4)

2023 (6)

2022 (2)

2020 (3)