Director of MEP Engineering

Housing for the greater good

At Vecino, we believe engineering can do more than make buildings work. It can help make communities better. Our vertically integrated team brings Development, Design, Creative/Branding, Construction, and Asset/Property Management together through One Table Development: a collaborative process that connects early decisions to how our buildings are constructed, maintained, and experienced by residents.

Vecino Design is seeking a Director of MEP Engineering to lead and develop our in-house mechanical, electrical, and plumbing practice. This senior leader will own departmental performance, strengthen technical capabilities, and build the people and processes needed for reliable project delivery. We value an engineer who leads through sound judgment, open collaboration, and a willingness to step into technical work when needed.

What you will lead

• Build and lead the MEP department: supervise and mentor staff, develop individual capabilities and succession plans, anticipate staffing needs, lead recruiting and interviews, and partner with Vecino Design leadership on hiring and resource planning.
• Establish scalable engineering practices through consistent QA/QC, standards, specifications, coordinated documentation, staff training, and continuous process improvement.
• Direct MEP design from early feasibility through construction administration; guide system selection, technical decisions, and cross-discipline coordination, and contribute directly to design or production when the team needs support.
• Collaborate daily with Architecture, Development, Construction, and Asset/Property Management to align cost, constructability, energy use, and long-term building performance; turn lessons learned from occupied properties into better future designs.
• Own departmental performance and project execution: set responsibilities and milestones, monitor workload, schedule, hours, and deliverable quality; identify risks early, resolve issues proactively, and improve efficiency and accountability.
• Serve as Engineer of Record for work within your technical competence, under your responsible charge, and in jurisdictions where licensed; develop the in-house technical and PE licensure coverage needed across MEP disciplines and project states.

What you will bring

• An active Professional Engineer (PE) license in a U.S. state and a bachelor’s degree in mechanical, electrical, or a related engineering discipline. Missouri PE licensure is preferred at hire; ability and willingness to obtain it after hire are required.
• 10+ years of progressively responsible building-systems engineering experience, including successful team leadership, staff development, and accountability for project delivery.
• Strong mechanical/HVAC experience is especially valuable; senior engineers from another MEP discipline with broad coordination and leadership capabilities are also encouraged to apply.
• Experience evaluating systems, applying building and energy codes, producing or directing technical documents, and delivering construction-phase engineering support.
• A leadership-first, hands-on approach: coach others, make timely decisions, accept feedback, solve problems, and contribute to technical reviews, design, and production when to help the team deliver.
• Experience in multifamily, affordable/supportive housing, mixed-use, or historic/adaptive-reuse projects is desirable. Familiarity with Revit/BIM workflows is expected; hands-on Revit proficiency and AutoCAD experience are preferred.

Why Vecino

This is a chance to build the capabilities of an in-house engineering team and influence more than a drawing set. Our engineers collaborate with colleagues who finance, design, build, and operate the same projects, using operational feedback to improve future work. We value initiative, humility, daily collaboration, and leaders who hold themselves and their teams accountable. This is an in-office role in Springfield, Missouri; applicants from outside the area must be willing to relocate.

• Competitive compensation commensurate with experience and performance-based bonus opportunities.
• Employer-paid employee-level Bronze medical coverage after the plan waiting period; dental and vision options; wellness programs and employee assistance.
• 401(k) company match of up to 3%, eight paid holidays, and unlimited PTO eligibility.
• Paid parental leave and professional development support, including an annual allowance for licensed employees.