Vice President, Mechanical Engineer/Project Manager

Vice President, Mechanical Engineer/Project Manager

(Mechanical and Plumbing Healthcare Leader for Southern California)

At Salas O'Brien we tell our clients that we're engineered for impact. This passion for making a difference applies just as much to our team as it does to our projects. That's why we're committed to living our values every day: inspiring, achieving, and connecting as shared owners of our success with a focus on a sustainable future.

Building for the long-term means that all of our team members can expect to work on amazing projects with a people-first approach to problem solving. It also means that each member of our team has truly limitless potential to build a unique, meaningful, and high-impact career-and they'll receive great total rewards along the way.

About Us:

Founded in 1975, Salas O'Brien is an employee-owned engineering and professional services firm focused on achieving impact for our clients, our team, and the world. We know that tomorrow's requirements are today's opportunities, and we are here to design lasting solutions for pressing challenges.

We work across a variety of industries providing integrated engineering and consulting services. Our specialized experience includes design for data centers, healthcare, science and technology, high-rise buildings, clean energy, education, and other building types as well as structural and building sciences, infrastructure asset management, advanced robotics, and more.

Our technical expertise is paired with an exceptional team of business development, human resources, finance and accounting, information technology, and marketing professionals, all of whom play a key role in bringing our commitments to life every day.

Job Summary: We are seeking a dynamic Vice President, Mechanical Engineer / Project Manager to join our Southern California team with a distinct leadership role in driving our Healthcare market strategy. This is not a traditional engineering position - it is a high-impact opportunity for a proven technical leader who is ready to shape, build, and lead a regionally specialized mechanical and plumbing team focused on healthcare.

Responsibilities:

• Healthcare Market Leadership:
  Serve as a primary leader for the Southern California Mechanical team, with a focus on building and leading a dedicated team in San Diego. You'll lead strategy, growth, and technical delivery for healthcare, science, and technology clients.
• Team Development:
  Build and grow a specialized team of mechanical and plumbing engineers and designers focused on healthcare, science, and technology projects. Team members will report directly to you, with full support from regional leadership.
• Project Management & Technical Oversight:
  Act as both Project Manager and Engineer-of-Record on your projects. Coordinate with local mechanical leaders to supplement team resources as project needs evolve.
• Strategic Integration:
  Play a key role in connecting and strengthening our healthcare MEP offerings across Southern California, collaborating with counterparts in other disciplines and offices to deliver integrated solutions.
• Collaboration & Resource Alignment:
  Work closely with local leaders for BIM and setup support-your team will not be expected to manage these aspects, allowing them to focus on core engineering and design.
• Client Development & Support:
  Support and expand key projects while pursuing and winning new clients and projects in the healthcare, science, and technology sectors.
• Travel Expectations:
  Travel will be required and is anticipated to be weekly to bi-weekly, based on project and client needs.

Qualifications and Experience:

• Educational Background: Bachelor's or Master's degree in an Engineering field.
• Licensed Mechanical Engineer (PE) in California preferred
• Minimum of 10 years of experience in mechanical engineering and project management, with a strong portfolio of healthcare projects
• Demonstrated leadership in building and managing high-performing technical teams
• Strategic thinker with the ability to influence, integrate, and align teams across regions
• Strong client relationship and business development skills
• Effective communicator and collaborator with internal teams and external partners

Why This Role Stands Out:

This is more than a mechanical engineering role. It's a leadership opportunity to shape a regional practice, lead strategy in a specialized market, and leave a lasting impact on how we deliver healthcare projects across Southern California. You'll have the autonomy to build your team, grow your practice, and play a pivotal role in a collaborative and visionary firm.

Location: San Diego with regular travel and use of local offices

Travel: Up to 25%

Compensation & Benefits:

Salas O'Brien health and welfare benefits are designed to invest in you, and in the things you care about. Your health. Your well-being. Your security. Your future. Team members have access to medical, dental, vision, and basic life insurance, a 401(k) plan, and the ability to purchase company stock at a discount. Salas O'Brien has both U.S. and Canadian (PTO) plans for full-time salaried, exempt and non-team members, 10 paid holidays, and paid leave programs for military service and new parents. And certain roles may be eligible for additional rewards, including merit increases, performance discretionary bonus, and stock.

The base salary range for this position is $175k-210k. Within the range, individual pay is determined by work location and additional factors, including job-related skills, experience, and relevant education or training.

Equal Opportunity Employment Statement

Salas O'Brien provides equal employment opportunities to all employees and applicants for employment and prohibits discrimination and harassment of any type without regard to race, colour, religion, age, sex, national origin, disability status, genetics, protected veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, or any other characteristic protected by federal, state/provincial, or local laws. Salas O'Brien will accommodate the disability-related needs of applicants as required by law.

Equal Opportunity Employer/Protected Veterans/Individuals with Disabilities
This employer is required to notify all applicants of their rights pursuant to federal employment laws. For further information, please review the Know Your Rights notice from the Department of Labor.