Chief Engineer- Perlen House

Silver Ventures

San Antonio, TX

Estimated pay: Est. $27–$44/hr (market estimate, not employer-stated)

Shift: Full time

**Summary/Objective**

The Chief Engineer serves as the strategic and technical leader responsible for maintaining the physical assets, infrastructure, and engineering operations of the hotel. This role ensures all building systems, equipment, and facilities operate safely, efficiently, and reliably while supporting the exceptional guest experience that defines the property. The Chief Engineer leads preventative maintenance programs, capital improvement initiatives, regulatory compliance efforts, and engineering team development while fostering a culture of safety, accountability, and service excellence.

As a member of the hotel leadership team, the Chief Engineer partners closely with operational departments to ensure the property's infrastructure supports both current business needs and long-term asset preservation. The role requires a proactive leader who can balance technical expertise, financial stewardship, team leadership, and luxury hospitality standards.

**Essential Functions**

**Engineering Operations and Asset Management**

• Lead the daily operation, maintenance, repair, and optimization of all building systems, including HVAC, plumbing, electrical, mechanical, life safety, building automation, water systems, and related infrastructure.
• Develop, implement, and continuously refine preventative maintenance programs designed to maximize asset life, minimize downtime, and support uninterrupted hotel operations.
• Monitor system performance, analyze trends, and identify opportunities to improve operational reliability, efficiency, sustainability, and guest comfort.
• Provide advanced troubleshooting and technical guidance for complex equipment failures, facility emergencies, and critical infrastructure issues.
• Oversee engineering work orders, maintenance records, inspections, and documentation to ensure accuracy, compliance, and operational transparency.

**Leadership and Team Development**

• Lead, coach, and develop engineering supervisors, technicians, and support personnel through clear expectations, accountability, and professional development opportunities.
• Foster a high-performing culture centered on safety, responsiveness, technical excellence, collaboration, and guest service.
• Conduct regular team meetings, performance discussions, and training initiatives to ensure team members have the skills and resources required to succeed.
• Provide leadership during emergency situations while maintaining composure and directing appropriate response efforts.

**Safety, Compliance, and Risk Management**

• Maintain a safety-first culture by ensuring compliance with all federal, state, local, and company safety standards.
• Lead routine inspections of equipment, facilities, and work environments to identify risks and implement corrective actions.
• Ensure compliance with fire and life safety requirements, environmental regulations, permits, and operating standards.
• Develop and maintain emergency preparedness plans and ensure engineering team readiness for operational disruptions and critical incidents.

**Financial and Vendor Management**

• Develop and manage the departmental operating budget, capital expenditure plans, and long-range asset replacement strategies.
• Review and manage vendor relationships, service contracts, and contractor performance to ensure quality, cost effectiveness, and compliance with company standards.
• Identify opportunities to reduce costs, improve efficiencies, conserve resources, and support sustainability initiatives without compromising service quality.
• Support capital projects and renovations through planning, execution, vendor coordination, and operational integration.

**Guest Experience and Cross-Functional Partnership**

• Partner closely with Rooms, Food & Beverage, Security, Housekeeping, and other operating departments to ensure engineering services support exceptional guest experiences.
• Respond promptly and professionally to engineering-related guest concerns and service recovery opportunities.
• Support hotel events, activations, and special operational needs by ensuring facility readiness and reliability.
• Build strong partnerships across departments while serving as a trusted technical resource for hotel leadership

**Required Education and Experience**

• Bachelor's degree in Engineering, Facilities Management, Construction Management, Mechanical Engineering, or a related field preferred; equivalent experience may be considered.
• Minimum of seven years of progressive engineering, facilities management, or building operations experience with increasing leadership responsibility.
• Minimum of three years managing engineering, maintenance, or facilities personnel.
• **Luxury hotel, resort, full-service hospitality, or lifestyle hospitality** **experience strongly** **preferred.** Experience supporting guest-facing operations while maintaining exceptional service standards is highly desirable.
• Demonstrated expertise in HVAC, plumbing, electri