Position Announcement: Assistant Director for Project Management – Mechanical Engineering

Description:

The University of Illinois Chicago (UIC), a major urban research university with an operating budget of over $3.4 billion, is seeking an experienced professional to serve as the Assistant Director for Project Management-Mechanical Engineering within the Project Management Unit in the Office of Planning, Sustainability and Project Management. UIC serves over 34,000 students comprising what is among the most diverse student bodies in the nation with 16 colleges, the University Library and just under 17,000 faculty and staff. UIC enrolled a record number of students at its campus again this fall, continuing a seven-year upward trend. UIC operates the state’s major public medical center and serves as the principal educator of Illinois’ physicians, dentists, pharmacists, nurses and other health-care professionals. Visit UIC’s website (www.uic.edu) for more information.

The Office of Planning, Sustainability and Project Management (PSPM) is responsible, in collaboration with faculty, staff and students, for guiding the development of UIC’s physical campus and its sustainability initiatives in support of the University’s mission. This includes coordinating development of the campus master plan, initiating space and capital planning projects, overseeing the design and construction of new facilities and major renovation projects, setting forth UIC’s sustainability goals, developing programs to achieve the UIC Climate Commitments, maintaining campus facility records, and managing over 14 million net usable square feet of space in 190 buildings across over 250 acres.

Job Summary:

With minimal supervision, the Assistant Director manages the planning, design, remodeling and construction of new buildings, additions to existing buildings, site development and infrastructure improvements. Oversight of these functions is a major factor in planning for the safety and security of campus visitors, students, faculty and staff. Writes policies on topics governing the construction and renovation of the campus physical assets.

Job Responsibilities (Essential Duties):

Provides project management and contract administration services for capital projects, including new construction, renovation, infrastructure and site-work; serves as the Owner’s Representative and provides professional support for all phases of a project, including feasibility, design, construction document preparation, bidding, construction and post construction; interacts with a diverse group of clients, design teams, contractors and external regulatory agencies.

Writes and administer contracts with outside architect/engineer (A/E) consultants and contractors.

Exercises discretion and independent judgement to lead all aspects of project management, including A/E team-building, scope-of-work and contract development, contract execution and dispute resolution.

Applies professional judgement to review, critique and approve plans, specifications and bidding documents for contract work developed by architects and engineers.

Assists in the evaluation of requirements for new space and for reconfiguration of existing facilities; develops the preparation of programs, scopes of work and project budgets.

Coordinates the development of programs, drawings and specifications; administers contracts for professional service consultants.

Develops and manages project schedules and analyzes critical paths; aligns project requirements with design documents developed by multi-disciplinary design teams; manages project budgets and ensures thorough communication with all project stakeholders.

Reviews design and construction documents for compliance with applicable local, state, federal and/or industry codes and with Campus Building Standards.

Coordinates activities with external groups, including the Illinois Capital Development Board, U.S Department of Health and Human Services, Illinois Department of Public Health, Illinois Medical District, City of Chicago and other federal, state and municipal agencies.

Leads collaborative cross-functional teams in collaborating with other campus stakeholders to address issues such as Campus Building Standards and project design reviews.

Performs other related duties and participate in special projects as assigned.

Minimum Qualifications:

Requires a Bachelor’s degree in Mechanical Engineering or related field.

A minimum of 5 years of experience in project management, scheduling, cost estimating and construction contract administration; preference given to experience at an urban public research university, with projects at large tertiary care hospitals and with complex MEP construction and renovation projects.

Desired qualities include the capability to think creatively, a solid knowledge of design, cost estimating, scheduling and construction principles as well as of applicable codes, accessibility standards and basic safety and legal issues.

Ability to produce documents for the design of building systems; proficiency with CAD software.

Strong interpersonal, management and communication skills; ability to manage multiple priorities.

Proficiency with MS Word, scheduling software (MS Project, Netpoint) and MS Excel.

Preferred Qualifications:

Master’s Degree in Mechanical Engineering or related field preferred.

ASHE Health Care Construction Certificate or similar preferred.

Certificate of registration as a Professional Engineer is preferred; Certificate as a Project Management Professional (PMP) is preferred.

Experience with project management software such as e-Builder, FAMIS or PRZM is preferred.

For fullest consideration, please send a letter of interest, current resume and the contact information for up to three professional references by November 5, 2021 to: https://jobs.uic.edu (Ref: HireTouch Job ID 153385).

As an EOE/AA employer, the University of Illinois encourages applications from individuals regardless of an applicant’s race, color, religion, sex, gender identity, sexual orientation, national origin, and Veteran or disability status.

The University of Illinois will conduct background checks on all job candidates upon acceptance of a contingent offer of employment. Background checks will be performed in compliance with the Fair Credit Reporting Act.

The University of Illinois System requires candidates selected for hire to disclose any documented finding of sexual misconduct or sexual harassment and to authorize inquiries to current and former employers regarding findings of sexual misconduct or sexual harassment. More information on this policy.

For more information, please contact:
Deborah Brooks
dbrooks@uic.edu