How to hire a chief building engineer

How to hire a chief building engineer, step by step

Here's a step-by-step chief building engineer hiring guide:

• Step 1: Identify your hiring needs
• Step 2: Create an ideal candidate profile
• Step 3: Make a budget
• Step 4: Write a chief building engineer job description
• Step 5: Post your job
• Step 6: Interview candidates
• Step 7: Send a job offer and onboard your new chief building engineer
• Step 8: Go through the hiring process checklist

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1. Identify your hiring needs

   Before you start hiring a chief building engineer, identify what type of worker you actually need. Certain positions might call for a full-time employee, while others can be done by a part-time worker or contractor.

   Determine employee vs contractor status

   Is the person you're thinking of hiring a US citizen or green card holder?

   Yes

   No

   A chief building engineer's background is also an important factor in determining whether they'll be a good fit for the position. For example, chief building engineers from different industries or fields will have radically different experiences and will bring different viewpoints to the role. You also need to consider the candidate's previous level of experience to make sure they'll be comfortable with the job's level of seniority.

   Here's a comparison of chief building engineer salaries for various roles:

   Type of Chief Building Engineer	Description	Hourly rate
   Chief Building Engineer		$28-56
   Lead Mechanic	A lead mechanic coordinates the teams of mechanics and ensures the timely completion of repairs. Lead mechanics supervise their subordinates, order mechanical parts, and inspect their work making sure that the standards are met... Show more	$19-35
   Maintenance Supervisor	A maintenance supervisor is responsible for directing and managing the overall maintenance department, inspecting the safety of operation equipment, and ensuring that everyone follows the standards and regulatory procedures to keep the production area safe and efficient. Maintenance supervisor duties also include delegating tasks to the maintenance personnel, evaluating the site condition regularly, reviewing inventory, and requesting stocks as necessary... Show more	$19-37

   Show more

2. Create an ideal candidate profile

   Common skills:

   • HVAC
   • Plumbing
   • Emergency Situations
   • EMS
   • CMMS
   • Roofing
   • Preventive Maintenance
   • Building Operations
   • Fire Safety
   • Life Safety
   • Service Contracts
   • Capital Budgets
   • Project Management
   • Mechanical Systems

   Check all skills

   Responsibilities:

   • Respond quickly and appropriately to emergency situations; manage electrical and plumbing troubleshooting and repair, recommending equipment/service upgrades as needed.
   • Design and implement improved data mining and report handling programs, thereby improving logistics and maintenance material analysis.
   • Maintain existing programs/scripts and extend Linux system functionality as needed.
   • Configure RunDeck jobs for various application deployments of Java applications.

3. Make a budget

   Including a salary range in your chief building engineer job description is a great way to entice the best and brightest candidates. A chief building engineer salary can vary based on several factors:

   • Location. For example, chief building engineers' average salary in montana is 44% less than in district of columbia.
   • Seniority. Entry-level chief building engineers earn 50% less than senior-level chief building engineers.
   • Certifications. A chief building engineer with a few certifications under their belt will likely demand a higher salary.
   • Company. Working for a prestigious company or an exciting start-up can make a huge difference in a chief building engineer's salary.

   Average chief building engineer salary

   $84,249yearly

   $40.50 hourly rate

   ---

   Entry-level chief building engineer salary

   $59,000 yearly salary

   Updated December 16, 2025

4. Writing a chief building engineer job description

   A job description for a chief building engineer role includes a summary of the job's main responsibilities, required skills, and preferred background experience. Including a salary range can also go a long way in attracting more candidates to apply, and showing the first name of the hiring manager can also make applicants more comfortable. As an example, here's a chief building engineer job description:

   Chief building engineer job description example

   The purpose of this classification is to provide management within the Department of Building and Economic Development. The Building Official provides technical expertise to management and has final authority in the County regarding the interpretation of and compliance with all building codes and development regulations in the County.
   
   Supervises, directs, and evaluates assigned staff, processing employee concerns and problems, directing work, counseling, disciplining, and completing employee performance appraisals; conducts interviews and selects new employees; and responds to and resolves employee problems and customer complaints;
   
   Coordinates daily work activities; organizes, prioritizes, and assigns work; monitors status of work in progress and inspects completed work; ensures that inspections and plan reviews are completed in a timely manner according to department standards; confers with assigned staff, assists with complex/problem situations, and provides technical expertise; develops work schedules to ensure adequate coverage; and reviews/approves time sheets and leave requests.
   
   Ensures staff compliance with all applicable laws, rules, regulations, standards, policies and procedures; ensures adherence to established safety procedures; monitors work environment and use of safety equipment to ensure safety of employees and other individuals; initiates any actions necessary to correct deviations or violations.
   
   Interprets, applies, and enforces the provisions of standard building codes, electrical codes, plumbing codes, mechanical codes, fire prevention codes, life/safety codes, energy codes, handicapped accessibility codes, and other applicable federal, state and local codes, laws, rules, regulations, specifications, standards, policies and procedures; researches code-related issues in code books as needed; initiates any actions necessary to correct deviations or violations; and issues decisions regarding the County's official interpretation of building codes and standards.
   
   Serves as a liaison between the department and the development community: responds to questions regarding codes, procedures, and other inquiries; and attends meetings of the builders' association; provides information and technical assistance concerning code interpretation, code requirements, plan reviews, building inspections, code violations, and related issues; discusses problem areas with property owners, developers, contractors, engineers, and architects; responds to complaints and questions related to division operations, activities, and employees; responds to questions or complaints concerning code violations or potential contractor violations; researches problems/complaints and initiates solutions to problems; provides information and technical expertise to other staff members.
   
   Coordinates the administrative management of the division: develops and implements long and short term plans, goals, and objectives for the division; evaluates efficiency and effectiveness of division operations, methods, procedures, and use of resources; implements improvements as needed; develops and implements division budget; monitors expenditures to ensure compliance with approved budget; coordinates vehicle maintenance; and coordinates division work activities with those of other divisions, other departments, contractors, outside agencies, or others as needed.
   
   Oversees and assists as needed with site inspections of residential/commercial buildings and industrial properties (including construction work, remodeling work, building systems, and premises) for compliance with applicable codes, specifications, and approved construction plans; monitors activities for the proper use of enforcement mechanisms such as stop work orders, warning notices, etc.; monitors activities involving failed inspections and issuance of violation notices and stop work orders; oversees follow-up inspections; coordinates and participates in prosecution of violators in court.
   
   Oversees and assists as needed with review of building plans, site plans, plan revisions, specifications, previous inspection records, or other documents to ensure compliance with applicable codes.
   
   Oversees preparation and maintenance of accurate records of department activities, plan reviews, inspections, and other documentation.
   
   Conducts inspections as necessary to assist with the workload in the division: inspects construction methods and materials for compliance with code; verifies contractor licensure and proper permitting of construction work; inspects existing buildings for safety and use issues; identifies code violations, deficiencies, hazardous conditions, structural failures, or improper uses; explains violations, recommends corrective actions, and advises of changes required for code compliance; issues warning notices, violation notices, or stop work orders as appropriate; and issues Certificates of Occupancy or Certificates of Completion for approved construction work.
   
   Investigates complaints against contractors, developers, property owners, building tenants, or other individuals regarding defective construction, unsafe buildings, unlicensed or non-permitted construction, or other issues; researches complaints, initiates appropriate corrective action, and records results of investigations.
   
   Prepares or completes various forms, reports, correspondence, logs, inspection/re-inspection requests, route sheets, inspection reports, Certificates of Occupancy, Certificates of Correction, warning notices, violation notices, stop work orders, drawings, vehicle maintenance records, or other documents.
   ADDITIONAL FUNCTIONS
   
   This classification is designated as a safety sensitive position which is subject to random drug and alcohol testing and any other drug testing methods as stated in policies adopted by Forsyth County concerning drug and alcohol.
   
   Performs general/clerical tasks, which may include answering telephone calls, sending/receiving faxes, making copies, filing documentation, or processing incoming/outgoing mail.
   
   Provides assistance to other employees or departments as needed; performs other related duties as required.
   
   Minimum Qualifications
   
   High school diploma or GED; supplemented by vocational/technical training in general building construction, construction trades, and a variety of building inspection specialties; supplemented by five (5) years of progressively responsible experience that includes general building construction, construction trades, building plan review, code enforcement/interpretation, and a variety of building inspection specialties, to include lead work or supervisory experience; or any equivalent combination of education, training, and experience which provides the requisite knowledge, skills, and abilities for this job.
   
   * Must possess and maintain ICC certifications as a Certified Building Official, C8 Combination Inspector, and Building Plans Examiner.
   
   * Must possess and maintain a valid Georgia drivers license.
   
   * Possession and maintenance of ICC certification as a Master Code Professional highly
   
   preferred.

   Copy this example

   

5. Post your job

   There are various strategies that you can use to find the right chief building engineer for your business:

   • Consider promoting from within or recruiting from your existing workforce.
   • Ask for referrals from friends, family members, and current employees.
   • Attend job fairs at local colleges to find candidates who meet your education requirements.
   • Use social media platforms like LinkedIn, Facebook, and Twitter to reach potential job candidates.

   Post your job online:

   • Post your chief building engineer job on Zippia to find and recruit chief building engineer candidates who meet your exact specifications.
   • Use field-specific websites.
   • Post a job on free websites.

6. Interview candidates

   Your first interview with chief building engineer candidates should focus on their interest in the role and background experience. As the hiring process goes on, you can learn more about how they'd fit into the company culture in later rounds of interviews.

   Remember to include a few questions that allow candidates to expand on their strengths in their own words. Asking about their unique skills might reveal things you'd miss otherwise. At this point, good candidates can move on to the technical interview.

   The right interview questions can help you assess a candidate's hard skills, behavioral intelligence, and soft skills.

7. Send a job offer and onboard your new chief building engineer

   Once you've found the chief building engineer candidate you'd like to hire, it's time to write an offer letter. This should include an explicit job offer that includes the salary and the details of any other perks. Qualified candidates might be looking at multiple positions, so your offer must be competitive if you like the candidate. Also, be prepared for a negotiation stage, as candidates may way want to tweak the details of your initial offer. Once you've settled on these details, you can draft a contract to formalize your agreement.

   You should also follow up with applicants who don't get the job with an email letting them know that you've filled the position.

   Once that's done, you can draft an onboarding schedule for the new chief building engineer. Human Resources should complete Employee Action Forms and ensure that onboarding paperwork is completed, including I-9s, benefits enrollment, federal and state tax forms, etc. They should also ensure that new employee files are created for internal recordkeeping.

8. Go through the hiring process checklist

   • Determine employee type (full-time, part-time, contractor, etc.)
   • Submit a job requisition form to the HR department
   • Define job responsibilities and requirements
   • Establish budget and timeline
   • Determine hiring decision makers for the role
   • Write job description
   • Post job on job boards, company website, etc.
   • Promote the job internally
   • Process applications through applicant tracking system
   • Review resumes and cover letters
   • Shortlist candidates for screening
   • Hold phone/virtual interview screening with first round of candidates
   • Conduct in-person interviews with top candidates from first round
   • Score candidates based on weighted criteria (e.g., experience, education, background, cultural fit, skill set, etc.)
   • Conduct background checks on top candidates
   • Check references of top candidates
   • Consult with HR and hiring decision makers on job offer specifics
   • Extend offer to top candidate(s)
   • Receive formal job offer acceptance and signed employment contract
   • Inform other candidates that the position has been filled
   • Set and communicate onboarding schedule to new hire(s)
   • Complete new hire paperwork (i9, benefits enrollment, tax forms, etc.)

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