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Biotechnology, Scientific Research, Life Sciences

Building Engineer

Palo Alto, CAOnsiteFull Time$107,000–$132,000 /yrPosted 7 days agoVisa sponsorship available

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Required skills

  • lab critical environments
  • HVAC
  • air-change rates
  • pressure cascades
  • VAV
  • fume-hood
  • BSC exhaust
  • RO/DI water
  • lab gases
  • acid neutralization

Nice to have

  • BSL-2
  • vivarium
  • OSHA 30
  • boiler operator
  • backflow tester
  • 80°C freezers

Role summary

Arc Institute, a nonprofit research organization focused on AI and biology, seeks a hands-on Facilities Building Engineer to ensure the reliability of building systems and lab-critical environments. This role involves direct troubleshooting and maintenance of HVAC, lab utilities, and standby power systems, as well as managing vendors and running facility projects. The engineer will serve as the primary onsite contact for facilities, ensuring responsive service to researchers and compliance with safety and environmental regulations. The position requires 5+ years of experience in building systems maintenance, with a strong ability to self-perform routine repairs and direct specialized work. A degree in engineering or equivalent experience is preferred.

About Arc Institute

Arc Institute is an independent nonprofit research organization at the interface of artificial intelligence and biology, working to accelerate scientific progress and understand the root causes of complex diseases. Founded in 2021 and based in Palo Alto, Arc partners with Stanford University, UC Berkeley, and UC San Francisco.

Unlike academia, our scientists have long-term funding and industry-like resources. Unlike industry, they're free to pursue high-risk, long-term research without commercial pressures. Arc's Technology Centers and Core Investigator labs work side by side, integrating experimental and computational biology under one roof to tackle problems neither could solve alone.

Our two Institute Initiatives reflect this model in action:

  • Virtual Cell Initiative: Building a full-stack virtual cell model to identify disease mechanisms and nominate drug targets, accelerating the path from biological insight to clinical trials.
  • Alzheimer's Disease Initiative: Mapping the genes, pathways, and environmental factors behind Alzheimer's disease to develop drug candidates that address root causes.

    • More than 300 Arconauts work together at our Palo Alto headquarters, backed by substantial long-term philanthropic funding.

    About the position

    Arc Institute operates advanced wet-lab and research facilities where uptime directly protects irreplaceable science: cell lines, samples, and instruments representing years of work. We're hiring a hands-on Facilities Building Engineer to own the reliability of our building systems and lab-critical environments.

    This is a working engineer role. You will diagnose and fix problems yourself, and you’ll know when a job calls for a specialist. You will direct our vendor and contract-support partners to get it done right, on time, and on budget. You'll also run facility projects end-to-end and serve as the calm, service-oriented point of contact for the researchers who depend on the building.

    About you

  • You catch problems early, before they turn into a researcher’s bad day. You’re just as comfortable running a diagnostic yourself as you are getting a vendor on the phone to handle something that’s not yours to touch. You want to know why a system works the way it does, not just how to patch it.
  • You like being around science, even though you’re not a scientist. You get that a freezer failure here isn’t an inconvenience; it’s years of someone’s work. That weight doesn’t stress you out. It’s part of what makes the job worth doing well.
  • You don’t need a lot of ramp-up time or close supervision to take ownership. You’re comfortable being the primary engineer onsite, you set your own priorities, and you integrate with the team from day one.
  • You’re straightforward and easy to track down. You build trust through consistent follow-through.

    • In this position you will

  • Serve as the primary onsite contact for facilities service requests; deliver responsive, professional service to researchers and staff.
  • Operate and maintain lab HVAC systems serving wet labs — air-change rates, pressure cascades/room differentials, VAV/reheat, fume-hood and BSC exhaust — and respond to alarms before they threaten research.
  • Support lab utilities: RO/DI and lab-water loops, lab gases (CO₂, N₂, compressed air, vacuum), acid-neutralization systems, eyewash/safety-shower testing.
  • Coordinate biosafety-adjacent equipment maintenance (fume-hood face-velocity checks, BSC recertification) with EH&S (Environmental Health & Safety).
  • Self-perform routine multi-trade work (HVAC/mechanical troubleshooting, plumbing, electrical, and general building repairs) within your qualifications and licensing
  • Interpret and adjust the building automation system (e.g., Alerton, Automated Logic, Johnson Controls, Siemens)
  • Exercise sound judgment on when to self-perform vs. engage a specialist
  • Maintain standby-power readiness: generator, ATS, and UPS testing supporting freezers and critical loads.
  • Run small-to-mid facility projects (renovations, equipment installs, system upgrades): scope, budget, contractor coordination, and closeout.
  • Support compliance with Cal/OSHA requirements (IIPP, LOTO, confined space, hot work), NFPA 70E, fire and life-safety codes and testing, California building, mechanical, plumbing, and electrical codes, and Title 24
  • Support compliance with Bay Area Air Quality Management District (BAAQMD) permits for generators and boilers, and with CUPA, hazardous materials, and wastewater-discharge requirements
  • Align building operations with CDC/NIH BMBL biosafety guidance in coordination with EH&S.
  • Drive energy efficiency and monitoring across high-load systems (compute/cooling, freezer farm), identifying sustainability and cost-reduction opportunities.

    • Requirements

  • 5+ years operating and maintaining building mechanical systems in a life-sciences, commercial, or institutional facility, including direct HVAC troubleshooting experience
  • Demonstrated ability to self-perform routine work across mechanical/HVAC (deep expertise), plumbing, electrical, and general construction, with sound judgment on when to escalate specialized work to vendors
  • Proven ability to direct and manage the quality of vendors and contract support
  • Ability to read mechanical, electrical, and plumbing (MEP) drawings; proficiency with BMS/BAS and CMMS software
  • EPA 608 Universal refrigerant certification
  • Valid California driver's license
  • Willingness to participate in a shared after-hours on-call rotation for lab-critical systems, including responding onsite when needed
  • Ability to lift up to 50 lbs

    • Preferred Qualifications

  • Degree in Mechanical or Electrical Engineering preferred; equivalent hands-on experience may be substituted
  • Experience in a BSL-2 research or vivarium environment
  • Journey-level trade credential or Stationary Engineer certification (e.g., IUOE/Stationary Engineers Local 39)
  • OSHA 30, boiler operator, or backflow tester certification
  • Experience with -80°C freezer farms and cryogenic systems
  • Experience supporting asset-replacement and capital-planning processes
  • Bilingual in English and Spanish, to support coordination with trades and vendor teams

    • The base salary range for this position is $107,000 to $132,000. These amounts reflect the range of base salary that the Institute reasonably would expect to pay a new hire or internal candidate for this position. The actual base compensation paid to any individual for this position may vary depending on factors such as experience, market conditions, education/training, skill level, and whether the compensation is internally equitable, and does not include bonuses, commissions, differential pay, other forms of compensation, or benefits. This position is also eligible to receive an annual discretionary bonus, with the amount dependent on individual and institute performance factors.

    In addition to the Base Salary and Annual Bonus above, you will be eligible to participate in the Institute’s Compound Cash Grant Program (the “CCGP”). The CCGP is a program designed to offer multi-year cash grants providing for a fixed dollar amount paid out in semi-annual installments to reward employees for staying and contributing to the Institute. As soon as reasonably practical after your start date, you will receive a grant letter describing the terms of your award under the CCGP.

    Ready to apply?
    You'll be redirected to Arc Institute's application page.

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