Lead Professional Engineer, Mechanical - Regional Practice Development & Delivery

Job description

TKDA is a 100% employee‑owned engineering, architecture, and design firm. We are expanding our presence in California and across the West Coast and are seeking a seller‑doer Project Manager / Senior Mechanical Engineer/ Regional Client Service Lead to help lead and grow our engineering practice while managing client relationships and projects. The individual selected for this position will be responsible for providing technical oversight and project leadership in the riverside office, as well as contributing significantly to the growth of engineering services within California. Additional responsibilities include working with our national market leads and regional Vice President to develop new client relationships, particularly within the manufacturing and food and beverage sectors and expand existing accounts in California. Areas of technical expertise shall be relevant to mechanical design include HVAC, plumbing, and associated facility systems. Although engineering expertise is essential, this role prioritizes project management, client engagement, and business development over routine production design tasks. TKDA is currently located in San Bernardino with plans to relocate to Downtown Riverside by October 2026. Additional information about the exact location of our Riverside office will be communicated soon through a formal press release or ‘News’ post. ### What You'll Do - Act as a seller‑doer, supporting business development and helping grow TKDA’s California and West Coast market working with the national market managers (located in other offices) and regional Vice President located in Riverside. - Build and maintain strong client relationships; support proposals, interviews, and fee development - Manage and lead engineering projects, ensuring scope, schedule, budget, and quality goals are met - Provide mechanical engineering oversight for HVAC, plumbing, and related systems - Coordinate with architecture and other engineering disciplines - Mentor junior engineers and provide QA/QC review - Support construction administration activities and site visits as needed ### What We’re Looking For - Bachelor’s Degree in Mechanical Engineering - Professional Engineer (PE) license in California (required), and ability to get new licenses in other states - 12+ years of experience in mechanical engineering for commercial and/or industrial facilities - Experience managing projects and working directly with clients - Interest or experience in business development or seller‑doer roles - Strong written, verbal, and presentation skills - Ability to travel regionally (up to ~20%) ### Nice to Have Experience - Experience supporting regional or market growth initiatives - Familiarity with AutoCAD and/or Revit (oversight level) - Experience with industrial or food & beverage facilities - LEED accreditation or sustainable design experience - Experience managing direct reports