Principal, Facility Engineering

Location: Cambridge, Massachusetts, United States. The role includes periodic field investigations and facility assessments, including access to mechanical spaces, rooftops, utility areas, ladders, and stairs; field work represents approximately 10–20% of the role.

Salary: $100,000–$275,000 base salary per year

Company

hirify.global is an independent nonprofit research and development company working on national challenges across defense, space exploration, biomedical engineering, laboratory operations, and manufacturing.

What you will do

• Serve as the highest-level technical authority for mechanical, electrical, plumbing, HVAC, building automation, and critical utility systems.
• Develop long-term facility infrastructure strategies covering growth, reliability, capacity planning, modernization, and capital investment.
• Lead complex capital projects and infrastructure programs from concept development through design validation, engineering reviews, commissioning, and operational handoff.
• Resolve multidisciplinary facility-system issues, lead root-cause investigations, and evaluate system performance.
• Establish engineering standards, design criteria, specifications, best practices, and code-compliance practices.
• Lead cross-functional teams and represent engineering interests with contractors, consultants, regulators, auditors, architects, and external partners.

Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree in Mechanical Engineering or a related engineering discipline.
• Minimum 10 years of progressive facilities engineering experience.
• Expert knowledge of MEP, HVAC, building automation, and critical utility systems.
• Experience leading large-scale capital projects, infrastructure programs, and multidisciplinary engineering initiatives.
• Advanced knowledge of facility lifecycle management, asset reliability, infrastructure planning, and engineering design principles.
• Ability to perform physical field investigations, including lifting, carrying, positioning equipment, and safely using ladders.

Nice to have

• Experience in laboratory, manufacturing, pharmaceutical, biotechnology, data center, or other highly regulated critical-facility environments.
• Knowledge of applicable codes and ASHRAE standards.

Culture & Benefits

• Work in a collaborative multidisciplinary research and development environment.
• Workplace flexibility programs supporting work-life balance.
• Employee clubs, including photography and yoga.
• Health and finance workshops, off-site social events, and discounts to local museums and cultural activities.
• Selected applicants may be required to obtain and maintain a government security clearance.