Senior Mechanical Engineer
At Salas O’Brien we tell our clients that we’re engineered for impact. This passion for making a difference applies just as much to our team as it does to our projects. That’s why we’re committed to living our values every day: inspiring, achieving, and connecting as shared owners of our success with a focus on a sustainable future.
Building for the long-term means that all of our team members can expect to work on amazing projects with a people-first approach to problem solving. It also means that each member of our team has truly limitless potential to build a unique, meaningful, and high-impact career—and they’ll receive great total rewards along the way.
About Us:
Founded in 1975, Salas O’Brien is an employee-owned engineering and professional services firm focused on achieving impact for our clients, our team, and the world. We know that tomorrow’s requirements are today’s opportunities, and we are here to design lasting solutions for pressing challenges.
We work across a variety of industries providing integrated engineering and consulting services. Our specialized experience includes design for data centers, healthcare, science and technology, high-rise buildings, clean energy, education, and other building types as well as structural and building sciences, infrastructure asset management, advanced robotics, and more.
Our technical expertise is paired with an exceptional team of business development, human resources, finance and accounting, information technology, and marketing professionals, all of whom play a key role in bringing our commitments to life every day.
Job Summary:
The Senior Mechanical Engineer serves to work in a fast-paced multi-discipline team environment. The position responsibilities primarily are focused on the design of mechanical systems for new facilities, additions, and renovation projects. This will require providing technical leadership for the creation of construction drawings and specifications, existing system studies and master planning efforts. Qualified candidates will meet with clients, project teams, code officials, contractors, and others to address mechanical issues to develop effective working relationships. The project clientele includes High-Rise, Commercial, Health Care, Higher Education, Mixed-Use, Science and Technology and Data Centers.
In this role, you will:
- Develop and lead the design of HVAC system of a given project based on scope of work and/or client RFPs
- Provide engineering design, evaluation, and planning of mechanical systems for a variety of building types
- Perform Load calculations with software such as Trace 700/3D, IES and similar programs
- Conduct existing building surveys and documentation of existing HVAC systems
- Develop system design calculations and selection of equipment for use in buildings
- Write/edit project specifications
- Prepare detailed design documents, reports, and studies
- Complete code compliance research
- Coordinate work with other disciplines
- Provide construction administration services
- Perform QA/QC of design work
- Mentor and develop junior engineers and designers
- Lead project teams and serve as the primary contact for clients
- Assist in the procurement of new work, including the development of client relations and participation in project interviews
You will be a great fit if:
- You have a bachelor’s degree in mechanical engineering or Architectural Engineering with mechanical emphasis
- You possess Professional Engineer (PE) license
- You have a minimum of 8 years of design experience
- You have a minimum of 2 years of project management experience (preferred)
- You have knowledge in the design of HVAC systems
- You have knowledge and understanding of codes, standards, and design guidelines
Skills/abilities:
- Excellent work ethic and attitude
- Good communication skills, combined with organizational skills, the ability to plan, balance and prioritize work
- Ability to lead a team and work as a team
- Proficiency in Auto CAD, Revit, and MS Office
- Ability to travel
Location: Chicago, IL (Hybrid)
Travel required: Yes
Compensation: $120,000 or higher depending on experience
Compensation & Benefits:
The expected base salary range for this role is $120,000 USD per year or higher depending on experience. Actual compensation will be determined based on a number of factors including skills, experience, qualifications, and location.
This role is also eligible for performance-based bonuses and a comprehensive U.S. based benefits package, including:
- Medical, dental, and vision insurance
- 401(k) with company match
- Paid time off and company holidays
- Wellness programs and employee assistance resources
- Professional development support
For more information, visit our full benefits overview here.
Equal Opportunity Employment Statement
Salas O’Brien provides equal employment opportunities to all employees and applicants for employment and prohibits discrimination and harassment of any type without regard to race, colour, religion, age, sex, national origin, disability status, genetics, protected veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, or any other characteristic protected by federal, state/provincial, or local laws. Salas O’Brien will accommodate the disability-related needs of applicants as required by law.
Qualifications Education Required Bachelors or better. Experience Required A minimum of 8 years of design experience Preferred A minimum of 2 years of project management experience (preferred) Equal Opportunity Employer/Protected Veterans/Individuals with DisabilitiesThis employer is required to notify all applicants of their rights pursuant to federal employment laws. For further information, please review the Know Your Rights notice from the Department of Labor.
Skills Required
- Bachelor's degree in Mechanical Engineering or Architectural Engineering with mechanical emphasis
- Professional Engineer (PE) license
- Minimum of 8 years of mechanical design experience
- Knowledge in design of HVAC systems
- Knowledge and understanding of codes, standards, and design guidelines
- Perform load calculations using Trace 700/3D, IES or similar software
- Proficiency in AutoCAD, Revit, and MS Office
- Ability to travel
- Minimum of 2 years of project management experience
- Ability to lead teams and mentor junior engineers and designers
Salas O'Brien Compensation & Benefits Highlights
The following summarizes recurring compensation and benefits themes identified from responses generated by popular LLMs to common candidate questions about Salas O'Brien and has not been reviewed or approved by Salas O'Brien.
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Healthcare Strength — Healthcare options include multiple medical, dental, and vision plans with an individual medical option at no premium, plus no‑cost preventive medications and mental‑health resources. Employer‑paid disability and life coverage further strengthen the safety net.
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Leave & Time Off Breadth — Time off includes a base PTO allotment plus company office‑closure days and paid parental leave for births, adoptions, and foster placements. Feedback suggests the breadth of leave is a standout component of the package.
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Retirement Support — Retirement benefits include a 401(k) employer match with a potential additional company stock contribution, along with RRSP support in Canada and a student‑loan payment 401(k) match in the U.S. These features provide structured long‑term savings support beyond base pay.
Salas O'Brien Insights
What We Do
Salas O’Brien is an employee-owned engineering and technical services firm focused on advancing the human experience through the built environment. Our team is engineered for impact™, helping clients achieve critical goals, advancing our team members through growth and opportunity, and operating at the center of important global issues, including sustainability and decarbonization. We are a top firm as ranked by Engineering News-Record and Consulting-Specifying Engineer, and we have appeared for over a decade on the Inc. 5000 list of North America’s fastest-growing private companies.









