Director of Engineering

Director of Engineering

Syracuse, NY | Full-Time, Permanent

Who is CenTrio?

CenTrio is a leading provider of sustainable energy solutions for higher education campuses, including its long-term partnership with Syracuse University. At the Syracuse location, CenTrio is responsible for operating and maintaining the campus utility infrastructure that delivers critical services such as steam, hot water, chilled water, and electricity across the university.

Through this partnership, CenTrio supports Syracuse University’s operational reliability and sustainability goals by optimizing energy systems, reducing costs, and lowering emissions. The team manages complex district energy assets that serve a large, integrated campus environment, ensuring consistent performance and resilience for academic, research, and residential facilities.

As part of a broader national portfolio spanning 10 U.S. cities and over 170 million square feet, CenTrio combines local operational expertise with the financial strength and long-term investment strategy of a global infrastructure consortium. This enables continued investment in system modernization, innovative energy technologies, and future campus growth.

Why Join CenTrio?

CenTrio offers a dynamic and friendly work environment, dedicated to nurturing a top-notch team culture! Additionally, CenTrio offers an array of fabulous benefits and perks.

• Medical Benefits first day of hire
  • Medical, dental, vision, Life & AD&D benefits
  • Option of supplemental Life & AD&D benefits
  • Company paid High Deductible Healthcare Benefit Plan
• 401k plan with % match
• Training Opportunities and career progression
• Competitive salaries that reflect the value of skills and experience
• Dynamic and friendly work environment in a rapidly expanding industry with a national presence
• Remote, Hybrid, and In Office schedules available dependent on job responsibilities
• 24-hour Employee Assistance Program/Hotline
• Corporate discounts (Travel, Entertainment, Home, Auto, Apparel, Health and Wellbeing, and other various retail options)

Job Summary

The Director of Engineering will be a key member of the Syracuse Management/Operations team and a technical lead for the Company, reporting directly to the SVP of Concessions. The group operates under a flat structure, and the successful candidate will have regular visibility and direct access to various leadership. We are looking for someone that has experience and ability to perform the duties of the Director of Engineering.

Technical Skill Requirements

• Expertise in utility and district energy systems (steam, chilled water, HVAC, CHP)
• Strong background in HVAC design and ASHRAE standards
• Proven experience in energy analysis, KPI tracking, and system optimization
• Experience managing engineering design and construction projects end-to-end
• Ability to read and interpret engineering drawings and construction documents
• Knowledge of environmental and regulatory compliance (e.g., Title V Air Permitting)
• Experience with capital planning, SOW development, and infrastructure projects
• Proficiency with MS Office and project scheduling tools (e.g., MS Project)
• Strong troubleshooting and root cause analysis capabilities in complex systems

Engineering & Utility Systems Expertise

• Demonstrated experience with utility or district energy systems (e.g., steam, hot water, chilled water, CHP systems) [
• Hands-on experience with HVAC system design and application, including familiarity with ASHRAE standards
• Experience with piping systems, controls engineering, and facility system optimization
• Strong understanding of energy infrastructure systems within large-scale facilities or campus environments

Energy Analysis & Data Management

• Proven experience analyzing energy consumption data and identifying system optimization opportunities
• Experience developing and tracking operational KPIs for plant or utility systems
• Ability to manage and interpret operational data, including maintaining system performance databases
• Experience conducting root cause analysis on system performance or operational issues

Capital Projects & Engineering Design

• Experience leading engineering design efforts for infrastructure or capital projects
• Demonstrated involvement across the full project lifecycle (design, bid, construction, commissioning)
• Experience developing scopes of work (SOW), capital plans, and budgets
• Ability to coordinate multi-discipline engineering and construction teams

Regulatory & Environmental Compliance

• Experience supporting or leading environmental reporting and compliance (e.g., Title V Air Permitting or similar regulations)
• Working knowledge of energy, safety, and environmental regulations applicable to utility systems
• Familiarity with regulatory standards impacting infrastructure, emissions, and system operations

Engineering Documentation & Technical Interpretation

• Proven ability to read, interpret, and apply engineering drawings and construction documents
• Experience preparing technical reports, documentation, and operational procedures
• Strong technical writing and documentation skills in an engineering or operations environment

Operations Support & System Reliability

• Experience supporting operations teams with troubleshooting and system optimization
• Demonstrated ability to develop preventative maintenance strategies and equipment lifecycle plans
• Experience specifying, selecting, and managing technical equipment and materials
• Focus on improving system reliability, efficiency, and performance

Technical Tools & Software

• Proficiency in Microsoft Office Suite (Excel, Word, Outlook) for engineering analysis and reporting
• Experience using project management and scheduling tools (e.g., MS Project or similar)
• Familiarity with data tracking and reporting tools used in operational or engineering environments

Industry & Domain Knowledge

• Experience working within utility, district energy, or large-scale infrastructure environments
• Knowledge of boilers, chillers, and thermal energy systems
• Experience with heating and cooling distribution systems in campus or municipal settings
• Exposure to emergency response planning and system resilience strategies within utility operations

Physical Demands:

This role involves both office and field-based work supporting active utility and infrastructure systems.

• Regularly required to reach with hands and arms, talk or hear, and smell.
• Frequently is required to stand, walk, use tools, or controls, and climb or balance.
• Occasionally required to sit and stoop, kneel, crouch, or crawl.
• Must occasionally lift and/or move up to 50 pounds. Specific vision abilities required by this job include close vision, distance vision, peripheral vision, depth perception, and the ability to adjust focus.
• Occasionally required to work in tight and confined space areas where temperature and humidity is higher than normal environments.
• Occasionally required to work on roofs of tall building, top of cooling towers, and other elevated locations.

Health, Safety & Environment (HSE)

Your accountability for HSE also includes:

• Promote, ensure, and maintain a safe and healthy environment for your fellow workers and yourself so that everyone goes home injury-free,
• Work in compliance with the provisions of the Occupational Health and Safety Act, Industrial Regulations, Environmental Protection Act and Regulations and HSE policies, programs, and procedures,
• Responsible for identifying and reporting workplace HSE hazards and concerns to your supervisor/Operations Director immediately and providing solutions (if aware of any) to address these concerns as requested, and
• Immediate reporting of all work-related injuries/illness to your supervisor

Conditions of Employment

• Travel is required from time to time across all CenTrio locations
• Only authorized employees are permitted to use company vehicles, this includes Industrial trucks (forklifts, scissor lifts, etc.) and electric vehicles/golf carts. To be an authorized employee, you must be at least 21 years old, hold a current valid State Drivers' license and demonstrate a clean driving record. The driver must be on an approved list for company insurance purposes. Your driving record will be screened as part of the pre-employment process and annually in December.