Senior Project Manager (Hybrid - Arlington, VA)

About the role

The Senior Project Manager will support Chinook’s government‑focused clients by coordinating and delivering engineering, code compliance, and commissioning‑related services throughout the facility planning, design, construction, warranty, and operations lifecycle. The role leverages a strong engineering background and broad technical experience to evaluate complex facility systems, coordinate multidisciplinary project activities, and provide technically sound solutions to project challenges. The senior‑level position offers considerable latitude in determining objectives and approaches, provides technical guidance to project teams, and reviews the work of others as appropriate. The incumbent is expected to be diligent, proactive, solution‑oriented, and a facilitator of success for both internal and external team members.

Schedule

Hybrid schedule: a minimum of three days per week on‑site at the client location, with the remaining time split between the Arlington, VA headquarters office and remote work, based on project and client needs.

Citizenship / Clearance Requirements

Must be a U.S. citizen and able to obtain and maintain a Secret security clearance based on customer and project requirements.

Key Responsibilities

• Manage and coordinate multiple concurrent engineering, code compliance, and commissioning projects for new and existing federal facilities in a deadline‑driven environment.
• Analyze and interpret RFPs, scopes of work, design and construction documents, applicable codes and standards, project schedules, and contract deliverables.
• Provide senior‑level engineering and technical oversight throughout planning, design, construction, testing, turnover, warranty, and operations activities.
• Coordinate multidisciplinary technical reviews, including design reviews, submittal reviews, RFIs, field observations, inspections, testing documentation, O&M manuals, and closeout deliverables.
• Evaluate engineering designs and installations for technical adequacy, constructability, reliability, maintainability, resiliency, and conformance with project requirements and applicable codes and standards.
• Apply commissioning principles and processes to support planning, design reviews, pre‑functional activities, functional performance testing, issue resolution, and systems turnover.
• Coordinate reviews of commissioning plans, specifications, checklists, functional performance test procedures, startup reports, test reports, and other commissioning documentation for technical completeness and alignment with project requirements.
• Conduct site observations and participate in or witness system startup, testing, functional performance testing, and other verification activities as required.
• Identify and resolve technical and coordination issues affecting system installation, startup, testing, performance, and project completion.
• Collaborate with government clients, architects, engineers, contractors, commissioning providers, facility personnel, and other stakeholders to support effective project execution.
• Provide technical and analytical guidance to project teams and serve as a senior technical resource for complex engineering issues.
• Prepare and maintain project estimates, schedules, work plans, action items, risk items, and status reports or presentations for the company and/or client.
• Monitor project scope, schedule, budget, quality, and deliverables; proactively identify risks or issues requiring resolution or escalation.
• Conduct quality assurance reviews of project deliverables and technical activities to verify completeness, accuracy, consistency, and compliance with contractual requirements.
• Develop and maintain effective working relationships with internal staff, external team members, contractors, design professionals, and government clients.
• Demonstrate strong leadership across all areas of responsibility, fostering an environment that supports high‑level achievement.

Minimum Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in engineering or a related discipline.
• At least 10 years of progressively responsible engineering and project delivery experience involving planning, design, construction, inspection, testing, or operation of building and facility systems.
• Experience coordinating or managing engineering‑related projects through multiple phases of the facility lifecycle, including design and construction.
• Strong working knowledge of engineering principles, construction practices, design and construction documentation, and applicable building codes and standards.
• Experience coordinating multidisciplinary engineering activities and resolving technical issues among designers, contractors, clients, and facility stakeholders.
• Experience reviewing technical designs, submittals, reports, test documentation, and other engineering deliverables for completeness, quality, and compliance with project requirements.
• Experience supporting federal government projects or facilities and familiarity with federal project delivery requirements, documentation, and stakeholder coordination.
• Proficiency with the Microsoft Office Suite (Excel, Word, Outlook, Teams, Project, PowerPoint).
• Valid state‑issued driver’s license and ability to travel to various work sites.

Preferred Qualifications

• Active Secret or higher security clearance.
• Professional Engineer (P.E.) license or Registered Architect.
• Project Management Professional (PMP) certification or equivalent.
• Experience working on federally funded projects and with Federal customers.

Physical Considerations

• Ability to work in an office environment.
• Ability to walk construction sites with uneven surfaces, carry up to 25 lb., climb stairs and ladders, and work both indoors and outdoors in severe weather, confined spaces, and dust‑generating environments.
• Maintain spatial awareness and comply with safety standards while working near mechanical and electrical building equipment and systems.
• Ability to wear personal protective equipment (PPE) where required.

Pay

Annual salary range: $135,000 – $165,000, dependent upon qualifications and experience.

Company Overview

Chinook Systems, Inc. is a leader in delivering lifecycle energy security solutions to mission‑critical government and commercial facility owners. The company specializes in the engineering, construction, commissioning, and operations of intelligent, cyber‑secure, code‑compliant, and energy‑efficient building systems. Chinook’s solutions save millions of dollars in utility costs, reduce harmful emissions, and mitigate cyber‑attacks on facilities. Employees enjoy a fast‑growing, innovative, entrepreneurial, and collaborative work environment.