Lead Mechanical Design Engineer

Role Summary

The Lead Mechanical Engineer is the senior hands-on technical lead for mechanical engineering on assigned pursuits and projects. Reporting to the Engineering Manager, Mechanical, this role leads technical design review, coordinates mechanical design across project teams, and supports the delivery of complex healthcare, institutional, and mission-critical projects. Success means delivering compliant, constructible, and cost-effective mechanical solutions while providing strong technical leadership and mentorship.

Why This Role Matters to Modern Niagara

The Lead Mechanical Engineer helps ensure complex projects move from design into construction with the right technical solutions in place. Their expertise helps reduce design and construction risk, identify value-engineering opportunities, strengthen coordination between Engineering and Operations, and maintain Modern Niagara’s standards for safety, quality, compliance, and constructability.

Key Impact / Purpose

• Lead mechanical design review and technical decision-making on assigned pursuits and projects.
• Drive practical, value-minded solutions that balance compliance, cost, constructability, maintainability, and schedule.
• Strengthen project delivery by coordinating across Engineering, VDC,
• Estimating, Operations, consultants, and trade partners.
• Mentor engineers and engineers-in-training while contributing lessons learned and technical best practices across the Engineering team.

Duties and Responsibilities:

• Lead detailed technical reviews of consultant mechanical designs, including drawings, schematics, calculations, equipment schedules, specifications, and supporting reports.
• Review agreements, project output specifications, and technical requirements to confirm the mechanical basis of design and identify risks, scope gaps, ambiguities, and potential overdesign.
• Provide technical input into design schedules, including long-lead mechanical equipment, sleeving requirements, procurement considerations, and IFC milestones.
• Develop and evaluate value-engineering options based on compliance, cost, schedule, constructability, and maintainability, supporting the lowest-cost compliant solution without compromising safety or quality.
• Review HVAC, plumbing, hydronic and steam piping, controls, fire protection, and associated mechanical systems.
• Support healthcare-specific design requirements, including isolation and pressure-controlled spaces, specialty ventilation and exhaust, medical gas, pneumatic tube, and processed water systems.
• Coordinate mechanical design with VDC, Estimating, Operations, consultants, controls teams, trade specialists, and other engineering disciplines.
• Review Revit and Navisworks models to support coordinated, clash-free, constructible, and maintainable designs.
• Assess technical and cost impacts of design changes and support documentation through RFIs, meeting minutes, design reviews, and other formal project channels.
• Perform mechanical engineering calculations, including loads, ventilation, duct and pipe sizing, pumps and fans, and thermal expansion.
• Provide technical support to Estimating and project teams on scope, equipment selection, pricing, and value-engineering alternatives.
• Mentor mechanical engineers and engineers-in-training through technical review, coaching, and knowledge sharing.
• Capture lessons learned and contribute to the continuous improvement of engineering standards and practices.
• Travel to project sites and offices as required.

Must Haves:

• Bachelor’s degree in Mechanical Engineering or equivalent.
  P.Eng. in good standing with Professional Engineers Ontario, or eligibility to obtain Ontario licensure within six months of hire.
• 5 to 8+ years of progressive mechanical design experience within consulting, contracting, or a related environment.
• Healthcare and/or institutional design or project delivery experience.
  Experience providing technical guidance or mentorship to engineers or engineers-in-training.
• Strong knowledge of applicable codes and standards, including OBC, CSA Z317 and Z8000, ASHRAE 170, 90.1 and 62.1, NFPA, SMACNA, and ASME/TSSA.
• Strong knowledge of HVAC, plumbing, piping, controls, and fire protection systems.
• BIM/VDC literacy, including Revit and Navisworks model review.
• Proficiency with Bluebeam and Microsoft Office.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills.

Nice to Haves:

• Data centre or mission-critical project experience, including high-density cooling and Tier-level concepts.
• LEED accreditation and/or energy modelling experience.
• Design-build, design-assist, P3, or progressive project delivery experience.
• Professional engineering licensure in additional Canadian provinces.

This is a new position. Expected annual compensation; $110,000 - $150,000.

Modern Niagara offers a competitive total compensation package including:

• Performance based bonus opportunities
• Defined Contribution Pension Plan with a generous employer contribution
• Flexible Health and Dental benefits with tiered options to meet the needs of you and your family
• An annual health spending account to support your overall wellness
• 24/7 confidential support through our Employee and Family Assistance Program with access to comprehensive resources and professional services
• A competitive vacation package with additional vacation granted throughout your tenure with the organization.
• Employer Paid Parental Leave Top Up
• Annual Community Day dedicated to volunteering and giving back to the communities where we live and work
• Corporate Discounts through various vendors across Canada for programs such as fitness, mobile phones, travel, home and auto insurance and many others

Here at Modern Niagara, because we know our people are the best in the industry, we pride ourselves on providing a total compensation package that rewards employees for their hard work and supports employees and their families in their overall wellbeing.

About Modern Niagara

Who We Are

Modern Niagara helps building owners, managers, and general contractors meet the mechanical, and electrical needs of their buildings across Vancouver, Calgary, Edmonton, Toronto, Southwestern Ontario, and Ottawa. We are committed to having a positive and meaningful impact on Canada’s infrastructure — and on the communities where we live, learn, work, and heal. We build for life.

Our Culture & Values

We value passion, initiative, determination, professionalism, and teamwork. Health and safety are embedded in everything we do, and our award-winning safety culture consistently performs well above industry standards.

Diversity, Equity & Inclusion at Modern Niagara

We are committed to building a diverse, equitable, and inclusive organization where everyone has access to opportunity, feels a sense of belonging, and can thrive. We actively work to remove barriers faced by members of equity-seeking groups (including women, Indigenous, Black, racialized, 2SLGBTQIA+ people, people with disabilities, and newcomers to Canada) in the construction industry. We encourage applications from candidates of all backgrounds and lived experiences and are committed to a barrier-free hiring process. If you require accommodation at any stage of the recruitment process, please contact us at [email protected] so we can make appropriate arrangements.

We appreciate every applicant’s interest in joining Modern Niagara. Only those selected for an interview will be contacted.