Director of Engineering

Resource Innovations is currently seeking a Director of Engineering for our Solutions Delivery Business Unit in Chicago, IL. This position will be responsible for overseeing engineering functions and teams. The mission of the Director of Engineering is to ensure the Engineering function within Resource Innovations (RI) provides best in class engineering services for contracts RI delivers to electric and gas utilities and/or energy end-users. The Director of Engineering will ensure their Engineering team is leveraging industry and organizational best practices and that the development, maintenance, and application of engineering tools are being done so in a high-quality fashion. The Director of Engineering will directly supervise Engineering Managers and will support the recruitment, development, and resource balancing of the Engineering resources to support existing and new contracts focused on commercial, industrial, agricultural, residential and multifamily sectors.

Our expert technical capabilities, as well as our oral and written skills, are critical to our success; therefore, the Director of Engineering will provide leadership, mentorship, technical support, quality control reviews, communications around best practices and emerging technologies, process direction, and facilitate the creation of processes and tools to ensure consistent and quality deliverables for our utility clients and their customers. The Director of Engineering will keep their personal technical and customer service skills sharp by continuing to support engineering services.

Resource Innovations (RI) is a women-led energy transformation firm focused on impact. Building on our expertise in energy efficiency, we're constantly expanding our portfolio of clean energy solutions to guide utilities through increasingly complex, connected challenges. Load flexibility. Electrification. Carbon reduction. With every step, we're leading the charge to power change.

Duties and Responsibilities

Leadership

• Act as a trusted technical advisor to engineers, program teams, and leadership.
• Ensure engineering team skills and qualifications align with contract requirements.
• Collaborate with organizational leaders to ensure engineering resources effectively support client contracts (skills, availability, etc.).
• Support talent processes including recruiting, interviewing, onboarding, and training.
• Coach and mentor engineers, partnering with Directors to plan for future development needs.
• Make sound decisions quickly, even in uncertain situations, and guide others to do the same.
• Model accountability, taking ownership of your work and holding team members to the same standard.

Continuous improvement

• Promote ongoing education (internal and external) to keep the engineering team current and a reliable resource on emerging technologies.
• Facilitate technical working groups to share best practices, tools, and innovations across the engineering function.
• Encourage continuous improvement, including updating standard tools and refining processes to reduce inefficiencies.
• Research cost-effective technologies that maintain technical accuracy and improve operational efficiency.
• Maintain high-quality deliverables and communication, reviewing for technical accuracy and consistency.
• Provide feedback to engineers and managers, ensuring deliverables meet standards and client expectations.
• Oversee client communications, periodically reviewing messages to ensure clarity and minimize unnecessary requests.
• Support resource planning, aligning staffing with project forecasts and budget constraints.
• Monitor project time and effort, identifying opportunities to improve processes and profitability.
• Identify and relay client concerns to program teams to enhance deliverables and practices.
• Facilitate knowledge sharing among engineers at regional, state, and national levels.

Managing technical aspects of engineering services

• Provide technical guidance on complex project reviews and data needs to ensure efficient and timely evaluations.
• Conduct quality control (QC) reviews for high-impact projects involving savings, incentives, or other critical outcomes.
• Review and approve measurement and verification (M&V) plans as needed.
• Perform other duties as assigned.

• Bachelor’s or master’s degree in engineering, mechanical, electrical, building science, or similar
• Minimum 12 years of experience within energy efficiency, building efficiency industry, demand management, or energy management
• At least 5 years of leadership experience
• At least 5 years of hands-on engineering experience in an individual contributor role
• Excellent attention to detail, writing, interpersonal, training and analytical skills
• Demonstrated ability to manage teams, clients, and time effectively, consistently meeting deadlines and anticipating potential challenges.
• Exceptional communication skills—listening, oral, written, and presentations—paired with strong problem-solving and decision-making abilities and ability to influence outcomes through clear, data-supported dialogue with clients and third parties.
• Proven expertise in energy calculations and analysis tools and methods
• Computer proficiency including Microsoft Office, Excel, and other cloud-based computing platforms
• Willingness to travel

Preferred skills or experience

• P.E. in Mechanical or Electrical Engineering, with additional certifications in energy (e.g., CEA, CEM, CBCP, CDSM, CMVP, CP EnMS)  
• Technical expertise in energy auditing and retro-commissioning, with practical experience applying these methods to improve building performance and efficiency.
• Experience working with mechanical and electrical contractors
• Hands-on experience with mechanical, electrical, and control systems
• High level technical skill with mechanical/electrical systems coupled with a strong knowledge of building controls systems/software-based monitoring platforms, energy management, and commissioning processes with the ability to run deep analytics and develop insights
• Demonstrated proficiency with energy modeling platforms and software
• Demonstrated continuous improvement of programs, processes, systems, tools, or software

About Resource Innovations

Resource Innovations (RI) is a women-led energy transformation firm focused on impact. Building on our expertise in energy efficiency, we’re constantly expanding our portfolio of clean energy solutions to guide utilities through increasingly complex, connected challenges. Load flexibility. Electrification. Carbon reduction. With every step, we’re leading the charge to power change.

Resource Innovations is an Equal Opportunity Employer, committed to ensuring equal employment opportunities for all job applicants and employees without regard to race, color, religion, national origin, gender, age, disability, marital status, genetics, protected veteran status, sexual orientation, or any other protected status. In addition to federal law requirements, Resource Innovations complies with applicable state and local laws governing non-discrimination in employment in every location in which the company does work.

Compensation & Benefits

Resource Innovations offers competitive salaries based on a candidate's skills, experience and qualifications for the position.  The compensation range for the base salary for this position is $140,000 - $190,000.  In addition to base pay, employees are eligible for a discretionary annual bonus.  The stated salary represents the expected compensation for this position.  Final compensation will be determined based on factors such as the candidate's experience, education and location. 

We also offer a comprehensive benefits package that includes three weeks of paid vacation per year; paid holidays; a 401(k)-retirement plan with employer matching; health, dental and vision insurance; and other supplemental benefits. 

Employment with Resource Innovations is contingent upon the successful completion of a comprehensive background check and reference check. If applicable to the position, a pre-employment drug screen may also be required.

The above job description and job requirements are not intended to be all inclusive. Resource Innovations retains the right to make changes or adjustments to job descriptions and/or job requirements at any time without notice.