FST Technical Services is hiring a Lead Mechanical Engineer to support a semiconductor industry project in the Santa Clara, California area. This is a Senior Engineering role responsible for technical direction, team leadership, client management, project planning, budget and forecasting oversight, and successful delivery of mechanical engineering and commissioning activities.
The successful candidate will have significant experience working within the semiconductor, advanced manufacturing, high-technology, or similarly complex industrial environment, with a strong understanding of mechanical systems, project execution, commissioning, construction, and client requirements.
Position Overview
The Lead Mechanical Engineer will provide overall leadership for mechanical engineering, commissioning, and field execution activities associated with a major semiconductor industry project.
This role combines technical leadership, team management, client leadership, project controls, budget management, forecasting, and project delivery . The successful candidate will work closely with the client, engineering and design teams, contractors, vendors, project management, and FST leadership to ensure project objectives are achieved.
The ideal candidate will be comfortable operating in a fast-paced, technically complex environment and will have demonstrated experience leading multidisciplinary teams and managing projects from planning and design through construction, commissioning, turnover, and closeout.
What You’ll Do
Lead and provide technical direction to mechanical engineering, commissioning, and field teams.
Manage team performance, priorities, staffing, development, and resource requirements.
Serve as a senior technical and operational point of contact for the client and key project stakeholders.
Lead client meetings, project reviews, technical discussions, and progress updates.
Build strong client relationships and identify opportunities for future business.
Develop and manage project budgets, forecasts, staffing plans, and resource projections.
Monitor project financial performance, identify risks and scope changes, and support commercial discussions.
Provide leadership through project planning, design, construction, commissioning, startup, turnover, and closeout.
Coordinate mechanical activities with contractors, vendors, engineering consultants, and other disciplines.
Review mechanical designs, specifications, submittals, schedules, testing requirements, and commissioning documentation.
Monitor project progress, identify schedule risks, and lead technical issue resolution and field troubleshooting.
Ensure work meets client requirements, applicable codes, quality standards, and FST procedures.
Oversee commissioning, startup, testing, documentation, deficiencies, and project turnover.
Provide clear project status, financial, and operational reporting to FST leadership and the client.
The Lead Engineer will ensure project documentation is accurate, complete, timely, and aligned with client requirements. The role will also be responsible for identifying documentation gaps, unresolved technical issues, and project risks that could impact schedule, cost, quality, or client acceptance.
Mechanical Systems Experience
Candidates should have experience with complex mechanical infrastructure within semiconductor, advanced manufacturing, high-technology, industrial, or similarly demanding environments.
Relevant experience may include: HVAC and environmental control systems
Chilled water and process cooling systems
Central utility and mechanical plant systems
Cooling towers and heat rejection systems
Pumps and hydronic systems
Air Handling Units (AHUs)
Process and facility utility systems
Exhaust and ventilation systems
Mechanical equipment and associated controls
Building Management Systems (BMS)
Mechanical controls and sequences of operation
Equipment startup and commissioning
Mechanical system testing and functional performance…