Lead Mechanical Designer

Job Description

Job Description

At Horwitz, we don’t just offer jobs- we build careers. For over 100 years, we’ve been a leader in HVAC, plumbing, electrical services, delivering exceptional service while fostering a supportive and innovative workplace. Joining our team means working with passionate professionals in a culture built on safety, accountability, professionalism, motivation, curiosity, and a can-do attitude.

We’re committed to your growth with training, mentorship, and advancement opportunities. Along with competitive benefits- you’ll be part of a company that values its employees and makes a positive impact in the community. Join Horwitz and become part of a legacy of excellence and opportunity.

Position Overview:

The Lead Mechanical Designer is responsible for leading and executing mechanical design work on assigned projects within the Horwitz Design Group. Depending on project size and complexity, this may involve working independently or coordinating the efforts of multiple designers. This position serves as the primary design point of contact for assigned projects, coordinating design activities, schedules, and communication between project teams. The Lead Mechanical Designer provides technical guidance, reviews design work, and helps ensure accurate, coordinated, and constructible mechanical system designs while demonstrating Horwitz's core values: Safe, Accountable, Professional, Motivated, Can Do, and Curious.

Key Responsibilities:

These responsibilities generally describe the nature of the position and may not be all inclusive:

• Design Execution and Project Leadership
  • Lead and perform mechanical design work on assigned projects, independently or with a team of designers.
  • Develop design schedules and coordinate task assignments to support overall project milestones and deliverables.
  • Monitor design progress, identify potential schedule conflicts, and communicate resource needs to the Team Lead.
  • Review drawings, models, and design deliverables for accuracy, completeness, coordination, and constructability.
  • Identify technical questions and coordinate clarification with project managers and engineers as needeed.
    
• Mentorship and Team Development
  • Provide technical guidance and support to designers working on assigned projects.
  • Mentor less experienced designers in mechanical system design, modeling practices, and drawing standards.
  • Review work and provide constructive feedback to improve design quality and consistency.
  • Communicate workload or performance concerns to the Team Lead when additional support is needed.
• Project Communication and Collaboration
  • Serve as the primary design point of contact for assigned projects, coordinating with project managers, engineers, BIM/VDC, fabrication, and field personnel.
  • Communicate project requirements, decisions, and changes to designers working on assigned projects.
  • Coordinate design activities to support efficient fabrication, installation, and project schedules.
  • Evaluate the impact of project changes on design work and collaborate with project managers to identify additional design effort and hours.
  • Identify conflicting project priorities and work with the Team Lead to resolve them.
    
• Standards and Continuous Improvement
  • Follow established design standards and promote consistency across assigned projects.
  • Identify opportunities to improve design processes, tools, and workflows.
  • Share lessons learned and recommendations with the Team Lead to support improvements across the Design Group.
    
• Perform other duties as assigned.
• Conduct yourself in accordance with Horwitz core values: Safe, Accountable, Professional, Motivated, Can Do and Curious.
• Get better every day

Skills and Abilities

• Ability to independently manage design responsibilities while coordinating the work of others on larger projects.
• Strong organizational and time management skills, including the ability to balance multiple project priorities.
• Effective communication and collaboration skills when working with project managers, engineers, designers, and field personnel.
• Ability to mentor and provide technical guidance to less experienced designers.
• Strong problem-solving skills and attention to design accuracy and constructability.
   

Education and Experience

• Bachelor's or Associate degree in Mechanical Design, Engineering, or a related field.
• 10+ years of mechanical design experience.
• Demonstrated experience leading complex mechanical design projects and coordinating the work of other designers.
• Experience with design-build construction and multidisciplinary project coordination.
• PE license or equivalent professional certification preferred but not required.
• Strong mechanical system design knowledge, including HVAC systems and applicable codes and industry standards.
• Advanced proficiency in Revit, Navisworks, and related design and coordination software.