UNIVERSITY OF WASHINGTON: FACILITIES CONTROLS ENGINEER

As a UW employee, you have a unique opportunity to change lives on our campuses, in our state and around the world. UW employees offer their boundless energy, creative problem solving skills and dedication to build stronger minds and a healthier world.

UW faculty and staff also enjoy outstanding benefits, professional growth opportunities and unique resources in an environment noted for diversity, intellectual excitement, artistic pursuits and natural beauty.

UW Facilities manages the University’s buildings, infrastructure and land, with more than 1,100 employees in a variety of fields. The Asset Management group includes Capital & Space Management, Real Estate, Sustainability and other teams responsible for planning and workload management. The Operations group includes Project Delivery, Maintenance & Construction, Campus Utilities & Operations, Building Services, Transportation Services and Safety. Supporting these groups, as well as the separate Emergency Management team, are the Business Intelligence & Information Technology group and the Finance & Administration group.

Asset Management has an outstanding opportunity for a Facilities Controls Engineer to support the University of Washington.

This position is part of Engineering Services group, which provides professional engineering support and is responsible for all facilities information and design standards.

Under general supervision, provide expertise and oversight for the planning, design, construction, commissioning, operation, and maintenance of building systems. Troubleshoot and resolve problems with buildings or plant operations, facilities, or utility systems. Perform engineering review of the design, construction, and commissioning of Capital Projects. Apply engineering principles in various assignments such as Building Systems and Controls integration, development of controls standards and details, and commissioning of complex controls strategies. Perform general engineering assignments which require application of a wide variety of engineering procedures, principles, and practices.

UW’s Seattle main campus comprises over 300 buildings and 15 million gross square feet, including a major medical center/teaching hospital, state of the art research facilities, classrooms, offices, sport and recreation facilities, dormitories, utility distribution systems, 8 miles of utility tunnels and two central utility plants. Other UW campuses and facilities comprise over 230 buildings and 4.5 million gross square feet including the University of Washington Tacoma and Bothell campuses, Pack Forest, Forks, Sand Point, Friday Harbor, and the UW Tower complex.

Primary Duties and Responsibilities

• Provide expertise in mechanical engineering and controls during the planning, design, construction, commissioning, operation, and maintenance of various building systems, including Building Automated Systems (BAS) and Direct Digital Control (DDC) for HVAC systems, Lighting control, Building Access and Security systems, life safety systems, occupancy sensors, lighting sensors, automated windows, window shades, etc.
• Provide technical expertise and oversight during all phases of Capital Projects, including major capital and minor capital projects. Ensure projects comply with UW’s Facilities Design Standards, identify value-engineering ideas, actively observe construction and commissioning activities, visit construction sites and write observation reports, and confirm delivery of turnover-to-operation deliverables.
• Provide technical assistance, recommendations, calculations, and engineering solutions to campus planning, operation, maintenance, and construction units. Troubleshoot and recommend solutions to resolve major operational and maintenance problems. Identify life-cycle cost optimization and operational efficiencies. Coordinate with shop personnel for building and utility renewal projects and assessments, corrective engineering, preventative and deferred maintenance. Act as commissioning authority to commission new installations, replacements, and retrofits.
• Conduct condition assessments to determine existing system condition. Prepare analysis to identify deficiencies of electrical system needs. When additional forensics/ investigation is needed, prepare scope-of-work for consultant services. Develop proposed project scopes-of-work to renovate and upgrade building electrical systems for the Building and Utility Renewal Program.
• Champion environmental stewardship and sustainability. Be knowledgeable of green building best practices, application of new emerging technologies, and conservation strategies to reduce energy, water, and greenhouse gas emissions.
• Participate in business continuity planning and emergency response efforts. Engineering Services performs ATC-20 post-earthquake inspections that are essential for post-earthquake recovery and restoration of services. Engineering Services also provides support for utility outages, critical system failures and other emergency events.
• Contribute to the development and update of UW’s Facilities Design Standards. The FDS guides project teams to implement design consistency, maintainability, future flexibility and lowest life cycle costs of new building construction and renovations. Develop standards for products, sequence of operations, setpoints, point naming nomenclature, details, etc. Keep abreast of new controls products and strategies and foresee its impact on maintainability.
• Work with Facilities shops and EH&S in efforts to make the Campus a safe work environment.
• Perform other duties as assigned.

Core Competencies

• Demonstrate personal integrity and trustworthiness.
• Manage stressful situations and changing priorities effectively.
• Anticipate, recognize, and resolve problems.
• Be responsible and accountable.
• Use organizational skills and provide attention to details.
• Maintain a positive, optimistic, and success-oriented attitude.
• Exercise professionalism, which includes being tactful and courteous.
• Exhibit a professional work ethic.
• Continuously promote a safe work environment.

Requirements include:

• A Bachelor of Science degree in Engineering.
• A minimum of 5 years work experience in building systems engineering for HVAC, plumbing, controls, lighting, fire alarm, or other communication systems.
• Familiarity with applicable building codes.
• Excellent oral and written communications and presentation skills.
• High degree of professionalism, integrity and ownership needed; must be customer-focused and results-oriented, innovative, creative, highly motivated, and team-oriented.
• Ability to establish and maintain effective working relationships, e.g. clients, regulatory agencies and personnel, health/safety professionals, consultants, management, peers, etc. to accomplish goals that are in the best interest of the university.
• Familiarity with facilities-related computer software, including design tools, construction management software, computerized maintenance management systems, and the full Microsoft Office suite of applications.
• Ability to respond to emergency situations and changing needs.
• Record of success in electrical systems design and installation.

Equivalent education/experience will substitute for all minimum qualifications except when there are legal requirements, such as a license/certification/registration.

Desired:

• Licensed Mechanical Professional Engineer in the State of Washington.
• Experience with Johnson Controls, Alerton by ATS Automation, and Siemens building automation systems. Experience with lighting control systems and software. Experience with BAS integration, including BACnet, Modbus and proprietary protocols.
• Experience in the design, operation, or maintenance of Programmable Logic Controllers (PLCs), variable frequency drives, and proprietary equipment controllers.
• Understanding of cyber security principles including access control, encryption, and best practices.
• Broad experience with converting or integrating vintage or legacy pneumatic or direct digital control systems to current technologies and industry standards.
• Experience with institutional/government/public works projects.

Conditions of Employment:

• Must be able to work in mechanical/electrical spaces, utility tunnels, outdoors, confined spaces, around operating equipment such as boilers, pumps, and transformers, and on active construction sites.
• Must be able to work beyond standard business hours, including weekends, as needed. Position requires flexibility to deal with emergency situations, meetings, or other scheduled work that may fall outside normal work hours. Additionally, this position is designated as performing an essential service and is required to report to work during any suspension of University operations, unless specifically notified otherwise.
• Ability to operate motor vehicles such as UW vans and cars for transport to various jobs sites and remote campuses.
• Must have a valid Washington Driver License.
• Professional travel may be required.
• Must be able to work in non-smoking environment.
• Regular and predictable attendance is required.
• Must be able to lift 50 pounds.

As a UW employee, you will enjoy generous benefits and work/life programs. For a complete description of our benefits for this position, please visit our website, https://hr.uw.edu/benefits/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2018/02/benefits-professional-staff-librarians-academi-staff-20210208.pdf.

TO VIEW THE POSTING IN ITS ENTIRETY AND TO APPLY:
-please visit www.uw.edu/jobs
-click FIND A JOB
-search for Req #185051

The application process for UW positions may include completion of a variety of online assessments to obtain additional information that will be used in the evaluation process. These may include Work Authorization, Cover Letter and/or others. Any assessments that you need to complete will appear on your screen as soon as you select “Apply to this position”. Once you begin an assessment, it must be completed at that time; if you do not complete the assessment, you will be prompted to do so the next time you access your “My Jobs” page. If you select to take it later, it will appear on your “My Jobs” page to take when you are ready. Please note that your application will not be reviewed, and you will not be considered for this position until all required assessments have been completed.

Applicants considered for this position will be required to disclose if they are the subject of any substantiated findings or current investigations related to sexual misconduct at their current employment and past employment. Disclosure is required under Washington state law.

Committed to attracting and retaining a diverse staff, the University of Washington will honor your experiences, perspectives and unique identity. Together, our community strives to create and maintain working and learning environments that are inclusive, equitable and welcoming.

The University of Washington is a leader in environmental stewardship & sustainability, and committed to becoming climate neutral. The University of Washington is a leader in environmental stewardship & sustainability, and committed to becoming climate neutral.

The University of Washington is an affirmative action and equal opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, national origin, age, protected veteran or disabled status, or genetic information.

To request disability accommodation in the application process, contact the Disability Services Office at 206-543-6450 or dso@uw.edu.

Per Governor Inslee’s Proclamation 21-14.1, employees of higher education and healthcare institutions must be fully vaccinated against COVID-19 no later than October 18, 2021 unless a medical or religious exemption is approved. Being fully vaccinated means that an individual is at least two weeks past their final dose of an authorized COVID-19 vaccine regimen. As a condition of employment, newly hired employees will be required to provide proof of their COVID-19 vaccination. Updated information about how to provide proof of vaccination or request a medical or religious accommodation will be posted as soon as it is known.