Chief Engineer Lake Forest, IL

Work Location: 100 Grainger Parkway, Lake Forest, IL 60045

About Grainger

W.W. Grainger, Inc. is a leading broad line distributor with operations primarily in North America and Japan. At Grainger, We Keep the World Working® by serving more than 4.6 million customers worldwide with maintenance, repair and operating (MRO) products and value-added solutions delivered through innovative technology and deep customer expertise. Known for its commitment to service and purpose-driven culture, the Company reported 2025 revenue of $17.9 billion.

Pay

The anticipated base pay compensation range for this position is $29.72 – $49.48 per hour. Individual base pay compensation will depend, in part, on factors such as geographic work location and relevant experience and skills. The range described is subject to change, and the compensation ultimately paid may be higher or lower.

Benefits

• Medical, dental, vision, and life insurance plans with coverage starting on day one of employment
• 6 free sessions each year with a licensed therapist to support emotional wellbeing
• 18 paid time off (PTO) days annually for full-time employees (accrual prorated based on employment start date)
• 6 company holidays per year
• 6% company contribution to a 401(k) Retirement Savings Plan each pay period, no employee contribution required
• Employee discounts, tuition reimbursement, student loan refinancing, and free access to financial counseling, education, and tools
• Maternity support programs, nursing benefits, and up to 14 weeks paid leave for birth parents and up to 4 weeks paid leave for non-birth parents

About the Role

The Chief Engineer leads day-to-day maintenance and engineering operations for Grainger's Corporate Headquarters and Data Center, ensuring safe, reliable, and efficient performance of building infrastructure, critical systems, and facility support services. This role provides technical leadership to maintenance technicians, oversees preventive and corrective maintenance strategies, manages vendors and projects, and partners across Corporate Real Estate, Business Continuity, Critical Space Operations, and other stakeholders to support uninterrupted business operations. You will serve as a subject matter expert for building automation, CMMS, maintenance planning, and engineering best practices while driving continuous improvement, equipment reliability, and team capability.

Responsibilities

• Lead daily engineering and maintenance operations to ensure safe, reliable performance of building mechanical, electrical, plumbing, HVAC, life safety, and critical infrastructure systems.
• Provide technical leadership, coaching, and hands-on training for maintenance technicians on work practices, troubleshooting techniques, engineering standards, and maintenance procedures.
• Prioritize preventive, predictive, corrective, and emergency maintenance work based on operational risk, business priorities, equipment criticality, and available resources.
• Manage maintenance, renovation, infrastructure, and capital improvement projects, including planning, budgeting, scope development, contractor coordination, execution, quality assurance, commissioning, closeout, and stakeholder communication.
• Manage vendor relationships and service contracts by setting performance expectations, monitoring service levels, resolving issues, reviewing invoices, and ensuring compliance with company and regulatory standards.
• Develop reliability-centered maintenance strategies that increase equipment availability, extend asset life, reduce downtime, optimize maintenance costs, and support continuous improvement.
• Partner with the Facility Manager to develop operating and capital budgets, forecast maintenance expenditures, assess lifecycle costs, identify replacement needs, and recommend cost-effective engineering solutions.
• Serve as a subject matter expert for CMMS, maintenance planning, business continuity, emergency response, and recovery activities while driving improvements in data quality, reporting, operational efficiency, energy management, technician productivity, and customer satisfaction.