NYBG Job Description

Title

Associate Director of Engineering

Reports to

Associate Vice President for Engineering

Position Summary:

Under the direction of the Associate Vice President for Engineering, the Associate Director of Engineering is responsible for the day-to-day operations of the Engineering Department across all NYBG facilities. This position provides both direct and indirect supervision of union trade staff across multiple shifts, manages task assignments, and oversees the operation and maintenance of critical facility systems.

Specific Duties & Responsibilities:

  • Supervise off-shift operations, including troubleshooting and repairs of all mechanical and utility systems: HVAC, steam, chilled/hot water, refrigeration, cooling towers, electrical distribution, emergency generators, domestic water, life safety/fire suppression systems, and related infrastructure.
  • Operate and monitor the Building Management System (BMS); respond to alarms related to temperature, humidity, and pressure across all buildings.
  • Lead and oversee preventive maintenance programs, physical plant inspections, system functionality and assessments to ensure regulatory and institutional compliance.
  • Manage environmental controls for all after-hours events, including temperature, heating, ventilation, and cooling conditions to ensure optimal comfort and functionality for guests, staff, and students.
  • Provide on-call technical support to the Engineering union staff.
  • Manage workforce scheduling and emergency coverage logistics.
  • Must be available to work weekends, evenings, and holidays, as needed.

Qualifications:

  • Minimum of 7 years of experience in the mechanical trades, including HVAC, plumbing, steam, chilled and hot water systems, cooling towers, refrigeration systems, electrical systems, power generation, and life safety/fire suppression systems.
  • Proven ability to troubleshoot and diagnose system issues effectively.
  • Minimum of 3 years supervisory experience, including leading union employees, coaching, and managing technical tradespeople.
  • High school diploma required.
  • Associate degree in Engineering or a related trade school certification is preferred.
  • Equivalent combinations of education and experience will be considered.

Required knowledge, skills and abilities:

  • Must have good analytical troubleshooting and HVAC maintenance management skills
  • Ability to read electrical, HVAC and plumbing schematics.
  • Working knowledge of power transfer technology including mechanics, pneumatics and hydraulics.
  • Knowledge of high and low voltage distribution.
  • Knowledge of chemical water testing and treatment methods and procedures.
  • Proficient in all HVAC, Electrical, Building Management Systems and specialty tools.
  • Good written and verbal communication skills, good documentation skills, organizational and interpersonal skills.

Required Licenses and Certificates:

  • Q0l- Refrigeration License (COQ)
  • EPA608 - Universal Technician Certification

Preferred Certifications:

  • 7G - Commercial Pesticide Applicator or Technician for Cooling Towers
  • S12 - City Wide Fire-Sprinkler System Operator
  • S13 - City Wide Standpipe System Operator
  • S95 - Supervision of Fire Alarm Systems
  • A35 - Operate and Maintain Air Compressors
  • P99 - Operate and Maintain Low Pressure Oil Burner

Physical Demands & Work Environment:

While performing the duties of this position, the employee is required to, at minimum, stand; walk; sit; use hands; handle tools; use motorized/heavy equipment; climb ladders; reach with hands and arms; climb stairs; balance; stoop, kneel, crouch or crawl. The employee must be able to lift and/or move up to 25 pounds. The employee must be able to work outdoors under a variety of weather conditions as well as under low, moderate or loud work conditions.

Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions of this position.

Baseline Work Schedule:

Wednesday to Sunday, 3pm-12am

Salary is commensurate with experience within the range of $105,000-$115,000.

About New York Botanical Garden

The New York Botanical Garden has been a connective hub among people, plants, and the planet since 1891. We’re rooted in the cultural fabric of New York City, here in the heart of the Bronx—its greenest borough. For more than 130 years, we’ve invited millions of visitors to make the Garden a part of their lives, exploring the joy, beauty, and respite of nature. NYBG’s 250 acres are home to renowned exhibitions, immersive botanical experiences, art and music, and events with some of the most influential figures in plant and fungal science, horticulture, and the humanities. We’re also stewards of globally significant research collections, from the LuEsther T. Mertz Library collection to the plant and fungal specimens in the William and Lynda Steere Herbarium, the largest such collection in the Western Hemisphere. At NYBG, we’re plant people—dedicated horticulturists, enthusiastic educators, and scientific adventurers—committed to helping nature thrive so that humanity can thrive. We believe in our ability to make things better, teaching tens of thousands of kids and families each year about the importance of safeguarding our environment and healthy eating. Our expert scientists work across the city, the nation, and the globe to document the plants and fungi of our world—and find actionable, nature-based solutions to our planet’s dual climate and biodiversity crises. And our eyes are always looking forward as we train the next generation of botanists, gardeners, landscape designers, and environmental stewards, ensuring a green future for all. At NYBG, we know that it’s nature—or nowhere.

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