Hotel Chief Engineer

Chief Engineer – Hotel

The Rockaway Hotel + Spa | Rockaway Beach, NY
Full-Time | Management

The Rockaway Hotel + Spa is seeking an experienced, hands-on Chief Engineer to lead the maintenance and engineering operations of our property. This position is responsible for ensuring the hotel, guest rooms, public spaces, spa, pool, restaurants, and building systems are maintained to the highest standards of safety, functionality, appearance, and guest comfort.

We are looking for a strong leader who is equally comfortable managing a team and vendors as they are troubleshooting an issue in the field. Previous hotel or hospitality engineering experience is highly preferred.

Key Responsibilities

• Oversee the day-to-day operation of the hotel's Engineering/Maintenance Department.
• Maintain guest rooms, public areas, back-of-house spaces, restaurants, spa, pool, and exterior areas to hotel standards.
• Develop and manage a comprehensive preventive maintenance program for guest rooms, equipment, and building systems.
• Troubleshoot and coordinate repairs involving HVAC, plumbing, electrical, mechanical, refrigeration, kitchen equipment, boilers, pumps, and other building systems.
• Respond promptly to guest room maintenance concerns and operational emergencies.
• Perform regular property inspections and identify maintenance, safety, and capital improvement needs.
• Manage and prioritize engineering work orders and ensure timely completion.
• Recruit, train, schedule, supervise, and develop engineering team members.
• Manage outside contractors, service providers, and maintenance vendors.
• Obtain bids, review proposals, and assist management with vendor selection and project planning.
• Monitor equipment performance and identify opportunities to improve energy efficiency and reduce operating costs.
• Maintain accurate maintenance records, inspection logs, equipment documentation, and service histories.
• Maintain appropriate inventory of tools, parts, supplies, and critical replacement equipment.
• Ensure compliance with NYC building codes, FDNY requirements, OSHA standards, health and safety regulations, and other applicable requirements.
• Coordinate required inspections, testing, certifications, and permits.
• Work closely with Housekeeping, Front Office, Food & Beverage, Spa, Security, and hotel leadership to support daily operations.
• Assist with capital projects, renovations, equipment replacement, and long-term property improvement planning.
• Participate in emergency response and maintain procedures for power outages, leaks, equipment failures, fire/life-safety issues, severe weather, and other building emergencies.
• Maintain the physical condition and appearance of the property with a strong focus on both preventative care and proactive repairs.

Qualifications

• 3–5+ years of engineering, facilities, or building maintenance experience preferred.
• Hotel, resort, or hospitality engineering experience highly preferred.
• Previous supervisory or management experience strongly preferred.
• Strong working knowledge of HVAC, plumbing, electrical, mechanical, and general building systems.
• Experience with boilers, pumps, refrigeration, commercial kitchen equipment, pools, and/or building management systems is a plus.
• Strong troubleshooting skills with the ability to diagnose problems and determine appropriate solutions.
• Ability to manage multiple projects and priorities in a fast-paced hotel environment.
• Strong leadership, communication, organization, and vendor-management skills.
• Ability to read equipment manuals, technical documents, plans, and specifications.
• Comfortable using work-order systems, email, spreadsheets, and basic computer applications.
• Must be able to respond to emergency maintenance situations when necessary, including evenings, weekends, and holidays.

Licenses, Certifications & Permits

Candidates possessing relevant NYC/FDNY licenses, Certificates of Fitness, permits, or technical certifications are strongly preferred.

Relevant credentials may include:

• FDNY Certificates of Fitness applicable to hotel/building operations
• HVAC certification
• EPA Section 608 Certification
• Pool/Spa Operator or Certified Pool Operator (CPO) certification
• Boiler-related certifications or experience
• Fire/life-safety certifications
• Electrical, plumbing, refrigeration, or mechanical trade certifications
• OSHA training/certification
• Other NYC DOB, FDNY, or building operations credentials applicable to the property

Candidates should clearly list all active licenses, permits, Certificates of Fitness, and certifications on their résumé.

What We're Looking For

The ideal Chief Engineer takes ownership of the building. This person notices issues before they become guest complaints, maintains strong preventive maintenance standards, keeps the engineering team organized and accountable, and understands the importance of protecting the hotel's physical assets.

This is a hands-on leadership position. The Chief Engineer should be willing and able to work alongside the engineering team when needed while also managing vendors, inspections, projects, budgets, and the long-term maintenance needs of the property.

The Rockaway Hotel + Spa is an equal opportunity employer. We celebrate diversity and are committed to creating an inclusive environment for all employees.

Pay: $75,000.00 - $110,000.00 per year

Work Location: In person