Job Details
Mechanical Engineer (Manager or Director)
2026-01-15 Universities of Wisconsin all cities,AK
Description:
The Office of Capital Planning and Budget provides support to the Board of Regents, the 13 institutions of Universities of Wisconsin, in partnership with the Wisconsin Department of Administration Division of Facilities Development, and the State of Wisconsin Building Commission. The office offers institutional partners guidance and expertise in capital planning, budgeting, administration of the UWSA managed design and construction program, architectural/engineering assistance as well as real estate services to support the institutions in developing and maintaining their biggest single physical investment - university facilities. The office also develops the Board of Regents biennial capital budget request and submits it to the state's Department of Administration for its recommendation as part of the governor's biennial state building program.
Compensation:
The Mechanical Engineer (Manager) is a full-time, salaried (exempt), academic staff position.
The Mechanical Engineer (Director) is a full-time, salaried (exempt), limited position.
Well-qualified candidates for the Mechanical Engineer (Manager) role can expect a starting annual salary within a range of $120,000 - $140,000 commensurate with the candidate's education, related experience, and qualifications.
Well-qualified candidates for the Mechanical Engineer (Director) role can expect a starting annual salary within a range of $130,000 - $150,000 commensurate with the candidate's education, related experience, and qualifications.
Required Qualifications:
To be considered for this position, applicants must have:
Work Location:
An in-office requirement is expected three days per week with the option to work the remaining two days off-site/remote. Flexible Work Agreements are subject to change at any time.
Application Information:
To ensure full consideration, please submit application materials as soon as possible. Applicant screening will begin immediately and be ongoing through 11:59 pm, Monday, January 26, 2026. However, applications may be accepted until the position has been filled.
**In your application materials, please include the license number of your Professional Engineer credential**
Contact Information:
Questions may be addressed to: Shelby Buchanan, HR Manager, ...@wisconsin.edu
Accommodation Request
If you need to request an accommodation because of a disability, you can find information about how to make a request by contacting ...@wisconsin.edu.
Criminal Background Check and Reference Check Policy
This offer of employment is conditional pending the results of a criminal background check and a reference check process that includes questions regarding employee misconduct, sexual violence, and sexual harassment. If you have prior work history within the past 7 years with the Universities of Wisconsin, your personnel file will also be reviewed for employee misconduct. If the results are unacceptable, the offer will be withdrawn or, if you have started employment, your employment will be terminated.
Employment Authorization
Please note that successful applicants are responsible for ensuring their eligibility to work in the United States (i.e., a citizen or national of the United States, a lawful permanent resident, a foreign national authorized to work in the United States without the need of employer sponsorship) on, before, or after the effective date of appointment.
Confidentiality
The Universities of Wisconsin will not reveal the identities of applicants who request confidentiality in writing, except that the identity of the successful candidate will be released. See Wis. Stat. ยง. 19.36(7).
Benefits Information
Universities of Wisconsin employees receive an excellent benefits package. To learn more about the benefits package, review the Faculty, Academic Staff & Limited Appointees or University Staff Please see this link for total compensation information: Universities of Wisconsin Health & Retirement Contributions Estimator to provide you with total compensation information.
Clery Act information
The Universities of Wisconsin provides statistics on campus crime in its Annual Security Report. For more information on university campus statistics see
UW is an Equal Opportunity Employer
Qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, age, pregnancy, disability, status as a protected veteran, or any other bases protected by applicable federal or State law and UW System policies. We are committed to building a workforce that represents a variety of backgrounds, perspectives, and skills, and encourage all qualified individuals to apply.
Current Employees: If you are currently employed at any of the Universities of Wisconsin, log in to Workday to apply through the internal application process.
Position Title:
Mechanical Engineer (Manager or Director)
Job Category:
Limited
Employment Type:
Regular
Job Profile:
Arch & Eng Dir (Inst)
Job Duties:
This position is an advanced technical leadership position responsible for assisting in the development and protection of the more than 64 million gross square foot and $21 billion replacement value of Universities of Wisconsin facility infrastructure. This position reports to the Associate Vice President of Capital Planning and Budget. This position also supervises at least 2.0 FTE within the Office of Capital Planning and Budget. Final placement within the Mechanical Engineer (Manager) or Mechanical Engineer (Director) role will be based upon the selected candidate's qualifications and experience.
Key Job Responsibilities:
- Create and deliver capital budget and project progress/status reports.
- Exercise supervisory authority, including hiring, transferring, suspending, promoting, managing conduct and performance, discharging, assigning, rewarding, disciplining, and/or approving hours worked of at least 2.0 full-time equivalent (FTE) employees
- Develop and review plans, specifications, cost estimates, and requests for all proposed and pending construction and renovation capital projects to ensure efficient completion.
- Provide technical expertise and leadership for UWs institutions, UWSA leadership, and other individuals of authority regarding campus master, long-range, and biennial facilities planning.
- Assist in the development of facility engineering and sustainability related policies and standards for the Universities of Wisconsin. This includes active involvement in planning, identification, and evaluation of alternative concepts and problem solving; cost estimates; and programming for a wide variety of mechanical, electrical, sustainable, and civil engineering issues and projects.
- Represent the Universities of Wisconsin during project development and approval, architect/engineer/planner consultant selection, facility design, and providing general engineering consulting and technical assistance to all UWs institutions.
- Directly participate in developing the biennial capital budget and agenda materials for Board of Regent and State Building Commission meetings.
- Settle disputes in mechanical, electrical, and civil engineering issues within the Universities of Wisconsin.
The Office of Capital Planning and Budget provides support to the Board of Regents, the 13 institutions of Universities of Wisconsin, in partnership with the Wisconsin Department of Administration Division of Facilities Development, and the State of Wisconsin Building Commission. The office offers institutional partners guidance and expertise in capital planning, budgeting, administration of the UWSA managed design and construction program, architectural/engineering assistance as well as real estate services to support the institutions in developing and maintaining their biggest single physical investment - university facilities. The office also develops the Board of Regents biennial capital budget request and submits it to the state's Department of Administration for its recommendation as part of the governor's biennial state building program.
Compensation:
The Mechanical Engineer (Manager) is a full-time, salaried (exempt), academic staff position.
The Mechanical Engineer (Director) is a full-time, salaried (exempt), limited position.
Well-qualified candidates for the Mechanical Engineer (Manager) role can expect a starting annual salary within a range of $120,000 - $140,000 commensurate with the candidate's education, related experience, and qualifications.
Well-qualified candidates for the Mechanical Engineer (Director) role can expect a starting annual salary within a range of $130,000 - $150,000 commensurate with the candidate's education, related experience, and qualifications.
Required Qualifications:
To be considered for this position, applicants must have:
- Registration as a Professional Engineer in the State of Wisconsin. **Please include the license number of this credential in your application materials**
- Bachelor's degree in mechanical engineering.
- 5 years of experience in engineering planning, design and technical issues.
- 3 years of experience in physical facilities design and construction.
- Ability to travel up to 50 percent time.
- Experience in a public sector or large-scale multi-campus university setting of engineering systems planning, design and construction.
- Knowledge and skill in long-range utility and engineering systems planning, budgeting, and practices.
- Knowledge of engineering terminology and concepts.
- Knowledge of facilities operations.
- Excellent oral and written communication skills.
- Ability to establish and maintain effective working relationships, including the ability to negotiate and solve complex problems involving multiple constituencies.
- Excellent computer skills, including proficiency in Microsoft Excel, Word, Access, CADD, and other common computer tools.
Work Location:
An in-office requirement is expected three days per week with the option to work the remaining two days off-site/remote. Flexible Work Agreements are subject to change at any time.
Application Information:
To ensure full consideration, please submit application materials as soon as possible. Applicant screening will begin immediately and be ongoing through 11:59 pm, Monday, January 26, 2026. However, applications may be accepted until the position has been filled.
**In your application materials, please include the license number of your Professional Engineer credential**
Contact Information:
Questions may be addressed to: Shelby Buchanan, HR Manager, ...@wisconsin.edu
Accommodation Request
If you need to request an accommodation because of a disability, you can find information about how to make a request by contacting ...@wisconsin.edu.
Criminal Background Check and Reference Check Policy
This offer of employment is conditional pending the results of a criminal background check and a reference check process that includes questions regarding employee misconduct, sexual violence, and sexual harassment. If you have prior work history within the past 7 years with the Universities of Wisconsin, your personnel file will also be reviewed for employee misconduct. If the results are unacceptable, the offer will be withdrawn or, if you have started employment, your employment will be terminated.
Employment Authorization
Please note that successful applicants are responsible for ensuring their eligibility to work in the United States (i.e., a citizen or national of the United States, a lawful permanent resident, a foreign national authorized to work in the United States without the need of employer sponsorship) on, before, or after the effective date of appointment.
Confidentiality
The Universities of Wisconsin will not reveal the identities of applicants who request confidentiality in writing, except that the identity of the successful candidate will be released. See Wis. Stat. ยง. 19.36(7).
Benefits Information
Universities of Wisconsin employees receive an excellent benefits package. To learn more about the benefits package, review the Faculty, Academic Staff & Limited Appointees or University Staff Please see this link for total compensation information: Universities of Wisconsin Health & Retirement Contributions Estimator to provide you with total compensation information.
Clery Act information
The Universities of Wisconsin provides statistics on campus crime in its Annual Security Report. For more information on university campus statistics see
UW is an Equal Opportunity Employer
Qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, age, pregnancy, disability, status as a protected veteran, or any other bases protected by applicable federal or State law and UW System policies. We are committed to building a workforce that represents a variety of backgrounds, perspectives, and skills, and encourage all qualified individuals to apply.