About UMass Amherst
The flagship of the Commonwealth, the University of Massachusetts Amherst is a nationally ranked public land-grant research university that seeks to expand educational access, fuel innovation and creativity, and share and use its knowledge for the common good. Founded in 1863, UMass Amherst sits on nearly 1,450-acres in scenic Western Massachusetts and boasts state-of-the-art facilities for teaching, research, scholarship, and creative activity. The institution advances a diverse, equitable, and inclusive community where everyone feels connected and valued—and thrives, and offers a full range of undergraduate, graduate and professional degrees across 10 schools and colleges, and 100 undergraduate majors. We believe every member of our university community can contribute to our ongoing success by striving for the highest level of excellence as we seek breakthrough solutions to mounting environmental, social, economic, and technological challenges in our world.
Job Summary
The Assistant Director of Building Maintenance Engineering is responsible for leading and managing the engineering functions of campus facilities, ensuring the safe, efficient, and reliable operation of critical building systems. This position oversees a multidisciplinary team of managers and engineers and plays a pivotal role in developing and implementing maintenance strategies that align with the University's mission of education, research, and sustainability.
The role supports the University’s strategic goals, including achieving sustainability targets, improving energy efficiency, and maintaining operational excellence. The Assistant Director collaborates closely with campus leadership, academic departments, and research teams to ensure facilities operations meet the diverse needs of the University community.
This position champions innovation in building system operations, fosters a culture of continuous improvement, and ensures facilities readiness during emergencies or critical events.
Essential Functions
- Provide leadership to a team of engineers and managers for plumbing, electric, controls, water treatment, HVAC/refrigeration's, and preventative maintenance.
- Foster a collaborative, inclusive, and performance-driven culture that reflects the University's goals and values.
- Mentor and develop staff to build a high-performing team capable of meeting current and future challenges.
- Develop and implement strategies to maintain and improve critical building systems, including plumbing, electrical, HVAC, water treatment, controls, and preventative maintenance.
- Ensure compliance with applicable regulatory codes, safety standards, and environmental policies.
- Monitor and manage budgets, resources, and staff assignments to achieve operational efficiency and effectiveness.
- Lead engineering and maintenance projects, ensuring they are completed on time, within budget, and to the highest quality standards.
- Collaborate with internal stakeholders and external contractors to plan, design, and execute projects supporting campus infrastructure needs.
- Develop and implement long-term maintenance plans for campus facilities, emphasizing preventative and predictive maintenance programs.
- Identify and implement opportunities for sustainability initiatives, energy efficiency improvements, and carbon reduction strategies.
- Align maintenance and engineering activities with the University's sustainability and climate goals.
- Serve as a liaison between Facilities Management, academic departments, research teams, and other campus stakeholders to ensure their needs are met effectively.
- Provide regular updates on maintenance activities, project progress, system performance, and energy management initiatives.
Other Functions
Perform other duties as assigned.
Minimum Qualifications (Knowledge, Skills, Abilities, Education, Experience, Certifications, Licensure)
- Bachelor’s degree in Engineering (Mechanical, Electrical, Civil, or a related field) or equivalent experience required.
- Minimum of 8–10 years of progressive experience in facilities management, engineering, or maintenance within a large, complex organization.
- Experience in higher education, research institutions, or similar environments is highly desirable.
- Proven leadership experience managing multidisciplinary teams and complex building systems.
- In-depth knowledge of building systems, including HVAC, electrical, plumbing, water treatment, energy systems, and controls.
- Strong project management, analytical, and organizational skills.
- Exceptional communication and interpersonal skills for engaging with diverse campus stakeholders.
- Familiarity with regulatory compliance, safety standards, and sustainability practices.
- Proficiency in computerized maintenance management systems (CMMS) and reporting tools.
Preferred Qualifications (Knowledge, Skills, Abilities, Education, Experience, Certifications, Licensure)
- Master’s degree or equivalent professional development.
- Professional Engineer (PE) licensure in mechanical or electrical engineering.
- Certification as a Certified Energy Manager (CEM) or LEED AP.
- Experience in a university, government, or similar institutional setting.
- Expertise in HVAC, electrical systems, DDC, water distribution, and renewable energy technologies.
- Experience with utility contract management, grant writing, and securing energy program funding.
- Demonstrated ability to implement energy-efficient construction and maintenance programs.
- Demonstrated knowledge of management and operations of energy programs that use central heating (steam generation) plants with absorbers.
- Knowledge of HVAC, electrical, DDC, water distribution, and photovoltaic systems.
- Demonstrated expertise in energy efficiency measure identification and analysis, including lifecycle cost analysis.
- Demonstrated experience working with building controls and metering systems hardware, software, and analytics.
- Knowledge of renewable energy technologies.
- Experience in grant writing, with success in obtaining grants and incentives for energy
Physical Demands/ Working Conditions
- On-call availability to address emergencies and critical system failures.
- Work may involve exposure to mechanical rooms, outdoor weather conditions, and confined spaces.
- Regular interaction with campus-wide departments, contractors, and external agencies.
Work Schedule
- Monday–Friday, first shift.
- Must be available for nights, weekends, or irregular hours during campus emergencies or special events.
Salary Information.
Level 32
Exempt Hiring Ranges
Special Instructions to Applicants
Please complete the application in full and provide a resume and cover letter. Three professional references are required.
UMass Amherst is committed to a policy of equal opportunity without regard to race, color, religion, caste, creed, sex, age, marital status, national origin, disability, political belief or affiliation, pregnancy and pregnancy-related condition(s), veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity and expression, genetic information, natural and protective hairstyle and any other class of individuals protected from discrimination in employment, admission to and participation in academic programs, activities, and services, and the selection of vendors who provide services or products to the University. To fulfill that policy, UMass Amherst is further committed to a program of affirmative action to eliminate or mitigate artificial barriers and to increase opportunities for the recruitment and advancement of qualified minorities, women, persons with disabilities, and covered veterans. It is the policy of UMass Amherst to comply with the applicable federal and state statutes, rules, and regulations concerning equal opportunity and affirmative action.