Sustainable Engineer

At SOM, we are a collective committed to shaping a better future for our clients, communities and planet. We aspire to create the most sustainable, impactful work through creative, interdisciplinary teams with all the resources and diversity of a global firm.  We value those who are passionate about excellence, innovation, integrity, inclusivity, and collaboration.  Together we can achieve great things.

• Ideas:  We believe in a meritocracy of ideas.  We look to everyone to actively contribute to the discourse in the firm.  

• Knowledge:  We believe that expertise is the result of lifelong learning.  We are not expected to know everything, but rather to passionately pursue answers, develop new skills and deepen our knowledge.

• Product:  We strive for excellence in the concept, quality, and delivery of our work.

• Individual: We value individuals who bring the highest standards of professionalism and personal integrity in the way they work.  Each person can develop and contribute their wealth of attributes, skills and knowledge to support the overall health of the firm.

• Team: We value the power of interdisciplinary integration.  A positive team culture in which everyone collaborates openly towards common goals is essential.

• Firm: We have a history of making transformative contributions to the profession and our communities. We are constantly innovating and attempting to bring new approaches, solutions and processes to our work.

Position Responsibilities

You will be responsible for implementing SOM’s roadmap to carbon neutral design, by facilitating and integrating sustainable strategies and technologies into all project goals, priorities and project deliverables. Must be capable of clear communication among team members, sub-consultants and clients. Responsible for suggesting sustainable design strategies, monitoring performance and documenting project’s progress . Cultivates professional relationships within and outside of SOM and leads/mentors relevant SOM SES team members.

• Energy and carbon leader with respect to research, calculation, policy and application.

• Proactively seeks engagement in projects to integrate sustainable strategies and ensure sustainable thinking is at the core of SOM designs.

• Communicates sustainable design and engineering systems ideas to clients and consultants through graphics, images and analyses and is able to sustain technical discussions.

• Challenges and peer-reviews energy, water, carbon-related, as well as other sustainability ideas from external consultants.

• Engages in external collaborations with academia, governments and private entities to advance SOM’s position in the industry.

• Remains current on issues related to sustainable and green building design and related regulations (e.g. LL97) and various versions of different environmental certifications (LEED, EGC, ENERGY STAR, Indoor airPLUS, Passive House, WELL, LBC, etc.)

• Inspires, mentors and educates designers on sustainable design and the latest engineering systems and technologies.

• Manages team resourcing, project budget and develops proposals.

• Contributes to firmwide innovation for zero carbon design

• Contributes to the development of standards, procedures and tools for operational energy and embodied carbon reduction.

• Actively leads projects, teams and initiatives.

• Actively engages in internal and external professional development opportunities.

• Effective at communicating and promoting the work of the firm.

• Directly trains and mentors team members and, more broadly, architectural, engineers, interior designers, planning and graphics staff in the office and at large, as appropriate.

• Develops and/or manages, in collaboration with team members, a clear and consistent work plan to achieve the project budget, deliverables and schedule.

• Supports business development, public relations, and marketing opportunities.

Leadership Responsibilities

• Actively leads a project team.

• Directly supervises, trains, and mentors team members.

• Engages in talent strategy to find specialists, leaders, and future professionals for the firm through resume review and interviews.

• Demonstrates leadership in the implementation of sustainable strategies in all project assignments and the associated development of staff knowledge.

• Creates and drives new ways of working through contributions to the development of services, standards, procedures and tools based on an understanding of the business principles that protect SOM from financial and legal risk.

Minimum Qualifications

• Bachelor’s Degree in architecture, engineering, environmental engineering or other related field is required; Master’s Degree in architecture, engineering, environmental engineering or other related field is preferred.

• Architecture or Engineering License and/or 3 certifications in recognized green building rating programs such as LEED, WELL, BEMP, RESET AP

• Must be a HERS Rater, Energy Rater or LEED-Homes Green Rater. 

• Demonstrated knowledge and use of USGBC’s LEED program(s), Passive House, WELL, Enterprise Green Communities, ENERGY STAR, DOE Zero Energy Ready Homes, Indoor airPLUS, and other green building rating programs. 

• Minimum 8 years of experience or equivalent knowledge, skills and abilities in sustainable design and/or mechanical system design. 

• Must have demonstrated experience with the New York Metropolitan region residential industry and be familiar with the local agencies like NYSERDA, NYC HPD, NYS HCR etc. 

• Must have a strong understanding of New York Local Laws. 

• Active participation in a professional organization/s leading sustainable or green building initiatives.

• Demonstrated ability to perform independent research on state-of-the-art technologies and integrated design strategies for high performance design.

• Excellent written and verbal communication skills and commitment to work within the integrated design team structure.

• Demonstrated technical knowledge of sustainable design strategies and systems, including renewable energy and low-carbon technologies, and implementation through building design and construction phases.

• Proficiency in Adobe Creative Suite including Photoshop, Illustrator, InDesign preferred.

• Strong knowledge of HVAC systems and heat transfer principles.

• Knowledge of current environmental simulation tools and engineering technologies.

• Knowledge of climate science and effects of climate change.

• Knowledge of human comfort, health, and wellness.

• Ability to work on multiple projects and assignments firmwide.

• Excellent team player.

Our Benefits:

Health and Wellness: Medical, dental, vision, disability, and life & accident insurance

Savings: 401K matching, pre-tax spending accounts, and employee discount programs

Work/Life Balance: Inquire about our hybrid/flexible schedules, paid family leave, paid vacation, backup child and elder care, and an employee assistance program

Professional Development: Reimbursement for professional licenses, associated renewals, and exam fees as well as specialized in-house career development 

Compensation for this role is based upon experience, qualifications, location, and education and typically ranges from $100,000 to $130,000. 

Our Culture:

Our creative, interdisciplinary teams work like small, dynamic studios, with all the resources and diversity of a global firm. Here, you’ll collaborate with industry experts on some of the most exciting and transformative architecture, engineering, and planning projects in the world.

We believe an inclusive environment improves our teams, our firm, and our communities and are passionate about Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion. Our DEI Action Plan was created to bring meaningful change to our profession, starting with our own culture and practices. 

We are proud to be an equal opportunity and affirmative action employer. Visit this page to learn more about SOM's employment policy as well as additional information such as a privacy notice for California residents and how to apply offline.

Portfolios must be submitted for all design and project management positions (Architecture, Interiors, City Design, Graphics, etc). Applications without work samples will not be reviewed.  Portfolios should be one PDF attachment, 10-20 pages, maximum 5 MB. Submit portfolios as part of your application in the section where the application asks you for your Resume or CV.