Mechanical/HVAC Lead Engineer, Life Sciences (Chicago)

About Us

Clayco is a full-service, turnkey real estate development, master planning, architecture, engineering, and construction firm that safely delivers clients across North America the highest quality solutions on time, on budget, and above and beyond expectations. With $8.1 billion in revenue for 2025, Clayco specializes in the art and science of building, providing fast track, efficient solutions for mission critical, industrial, life sciences, power & energy, aviation, commercial, institutional, residential and sports & entertainment related building projects.

About LJC

LJC Design & Engineering is a full-service architecture, engineering, and design firm committed to enhancing the quality of the human experience through integrated design. We are a team of high-energy professionals who share a passion for design, a collaborative approach, and a casual culture. We solve challenges by leveraging the collective expertise and ingenuity of the best and brightest minds across development, design, and construction.

The Role We Want You For

LJC is seeking a Mechanical / HVAC Lead Engineer to provide technical leadership in the planning, design, and delivery of building mechanical systems for life sciences manufacturing facilities, including pharmaceutical and biotechnology production environments. This role focuses on air-side systems and building-side mechanical utilities that support manufacturing operations, cleanrooms, and controlled environments, with laboratory and office spaces comprising a smaller portion of overall project scope.

The Mechanical / HVAC Lead Engineer plays a key role in early project definition, system strategy development, and multidisciplinary coordination within a design-build delivery model. This position is suited for a licensed mechanical engineer experienced in manufacturing-focused life sciences facilities and complex, regulated environments.

The Specifics of the Role

• Lead the design of building mechanical systems for life sciences manufacturing projects, including HVAC and building-side wet utilities, from early planning through construction support.
• Develop air-side system strategies that support manufacturing cleanrooms and controlled environments, including pressure relationships, air change rates, filtration, redundancy, and system resiliency.
• Plan and coordinate building-side wet utilities such as plant steam, heating hot water, chilled water, condenser water, domestic water, and sanitary and industrial waste systems.
• Collaborate with architects, engineers, and construction teams to integrate mechanical systems with manufacturing layouts, equipment rooms, and support spaces.
• Support front-end project efforts by contributing to proposals, system narratives, conceptual layouts, and client presentations.
• Lead technical discussions with clients related to system performance, operational reliability, energy use, maintainability, and lifecycle considerations.
• Coordinate with construction teams to support design-build delivery, constructability reviews, and phased execution strategies.
• Develop and/or review calculations, drawings, and specifications to ensure quality, consistency, and alignment with project and regulatory requirements.
• Ensure compliance with applicable codes, standards, and guidelines, including ASHRAE, NFPA, GMP/GxP, and local regulations.
• Participate in multidisciplinary coordination reviews to ensure mechanical systems are fully integrated with architectural and other engineering systems.
• Mentor and support the development of junior mechanical engineers and designers.
• Contribute to the development of LJC’s mechanical design standards, tools, and best practices for life sciences manufacturing facilities.

Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree in Mechanical Engineering or a related field.
• Professional Engineer (PE) licensure required.
• 10–20+ years of experience designing building mechanical systems for life sciences manufacturing, pharmaceutical, biotechnology, or other regulated production facilities.
• Demonstrated experience leading HVAC and building-side mechanical utility design on manufacturing-focused projects.
• Strong understanding of air-side systems and building-side wet utilities supporting manufacturing cleanrooms and controlled environments.
• Experience coordinating mechanical systems with manufacturing layouts, electrical systems, and building infrastructure.
• Working knowledge of applicable codes and standards, including ASHRAE, NFPA, GMP/GxP, and relevant local regulations.
• Experience working in a design-build or fast-track project delivery environment preferred.
• Strong communication skills, with the ability to lead technical discussions, client meetings, and pursuit presentations.
• Familiarity with Revit and BIM-based coordination workflows.
• Ability to collaborate effectively across multidisciplinary teams and manage multiple priorities.

Some Things You Should Know

• Our clients and projects are nationwide
• No other builder can offer the collaborative design-build approach that Clayco does.
• We work on creative, complex, award-winning, high-profile jobs.
• The pace is fast!

Why Clayco and LJC?

• 2025 Best Places to Work – St. Louis Business Journal, Los Angeles Business Journal, and Phoenix Business Journal.
• 2025 ENR Top 400 – Top Data Center Contractor (Top 3).
• 2025 ENR Top 100 Design-Build Firms – Design-Build Contractor (Top 5).
• 2025 ENR Top 100 Green Contractors – Green Contractor (Top 3).

Benefits

• Discretionary Annual Bonus: Subject to company and individual performance.
• Comprehensive Benefits Package Including: Medical, dental and vision plans, 401k, generous PTO and paid company holidays, employee assistance program, flexible spending accounts, life insurance, disability coverage, learning & development programs and more!

Compensation

• The salary range for this position considers a wide range of factors in making compensation decisions including but not limited to: Education, qualifications, skills, training, experience, certifications, internal equity, and location. It is not typical for an individual to be hired at or near the top of the range for the role and compensation decisions are dependent on the facts and circumstances of each case. The Clayco Nationwide salary range for this position is approximately $125,000 - $175,000 +/- annually (not adjusted for location).