Head of Engineering

Position Profile

Location:

Location: Minneapolis, MN
Position Title: Head of Engineering / Mechanical Engineer

This is a rare, high‑impact opportunity for an experienced Mechanical Engineer to step directly into the leadership of an established engineering function—an essential role created due to retirement after decades of organizational continuity. As the new Head of Engineering, you will immediately influence the technical direction, risk management practices, and design quality of a respected mechanical contracting organization serving a diverse mix of commercial and industrial sectors.

This firm operates in the most interesting and complex segments of the mechanical systems world—healthcare facilities, industrial manufacturing, retrofit environments, data centers, and specialized process applications. In this role, your engineering expertise directly shapes solutions for some of the most challenging HVAC, plumbing, piping, steam, medical gas, and process systems in the region.

You will function as the technical authority for the business, enabling a large team of project sales engineers and managers, serving as the internal go‑to for design decisions, supporting field superintendents, and guiding a team of junior engineers and drafting professionals. Your work will significantly influence profitability, quality, customer satisfaction, and company reputation—while also relieving the Engineering Director from currently wearing two hats.

For the right engineer, this is a chance to take ownership, make the role your own, and step into a leadership position that will meaningfully shape the future of the organization.

For more than eight decades, this organization has built a reputation as a trusted, high‑integrity mechanical contractor serving a wide variety of commercial and industrial customers. The company designs, installs, and services HVAC, plumbing, sheet metal, automation, millwright, and industrial mechanical systems—delivering year‑round solutions that keep businesses operating safely and reliably.

Employees describe the culture as exceptionally collaborative, supportive, humble, empowered, and united in doing the right thing. The environment strikes a rare balance: a diverse team of personalities and backgrounds paired with a strong sense of unity, shared standards, and willingness to help each other. When one person is out, others step in seamlessly.

As part of a large national ownership group, the company benefits from significant backing—capital investment, tooling and fleet purchasing, and strategic support—while maintaining full autonomy over culture, operations, and decision‑making. The ownership group provides resources without imposing disruption or bureaucratic oversight.

You will report directly to a long‑tenured Engineering Director—an experienced, hands‑on leader who values autonomy, mentorship, technical rigor, and developing people. His leadership style is grounded in:

• Leading by example
• Providing guidance rather than micromanagement
• Creating supportive guardrails (“bumpers”)
• Investing time in mentoring and developing talent
• Setting people up for success

He has performed this exact role in the past and understands the support an engineer needs to succeed. He views this hire as critical—not only to relieve bandwidth constraints, but to strengthen the technical backbone of the company for years to come.

The Head of Engineering will serve as the organization’s top technical authority and primary designer across a wide range of commercial and industrial mechanical systems. This individual will:

• Lead mechanical design for projects ranging from $100K to $2M
• Provide technical oversight and evaluate risk on complex design decisions
• Serve as the engineering partner to a large team of project managers/sales engineers
• Support field superintendents and foremen with construction‑phase problem solving
• Manage and mentor three junior engineers/drafters
• Engage directly in customer meetings to scope needs and craft design solutions
• Take ownership of design‑build projects (the entire workload for this role)
• Act as a quality and risk backstop for the entire…