Building Engineer
Independent nonprofit research institute building AI-and-biology tools and conducting biomedical research on complex diseases.
About Arc Institute
Arc Institute is a Palo Alto-based independent nonprofit founded in 2021. It supports long-term biomedical research and develops experimental, computational, and machine-learning technologies, including virtual-cell and genomic foundation models, in partnership with Stanford University, UC Berkeley, and UCSF.
Skills
Candidate Availability
Required and preferred rules are kept separate and reflect the wording in the original posting.
About the Role
You will serve as the primary onsite facilities contact, maintaining lab-critical building systems and responding to service requests and alarms. You will troubleshoot HVAC, plumbing, electrical, and general building issues; manage vendors and contractors; run facility projects; maintain standby power; and support safety, environmental, and biosafety compliance.
Requirements
- Have 5+ years of experience operating and maintaining building mechanical systems in a life-sciences, commercial, or institutional facility, including HVAC troubleshooting.
- Demonstrate ability to perform routine mechanical, HVAC, plumbing, electrical, and general-construction work.
- Demonstrate ability to manage vendors and contract support.
- Read mechanical, electrical, and plumbing drawings.
- Be proficient with BMS/BAS and CMMS software.
- Hold EPA 608 Universal refrigerant certification.
- Hold a valid California driver's license.
- Participate in a shared after-hours on-call rotation and respond onsite when needed.
- Be able to lift up to 50 lbs.
Responsibilities
- Serve as the primary onsite contact for facilities service requests.
- Operate and maintain wet-lab HVAC systems and respond to alarms.
- Support lab utilities, including lab-water loops, gases, acid-neutralization systems, and safety equipment testing.
- Coordinate biosafety-adjacent equipment maintenance with Environmental Health and Safety.
- Perform routine HVAC, mechanical, plumbing, electrical, and general building repairs within qualifications and licensing.
- Interpret and adjust building automation systems.
- Decide when to perform work directly or engage a specialist.
- Maintain generator, ATS, and UPS readiness through testing.
- Run small-to-mid-sized facility projects from scope through closeout.
- Support Cal/OSHA, NFPA, fire and life-safety, building-code, and Title 24 compliance.
- Support environmental permits and hazardous-materials and wastewater-discharge requirements.
- Align building operations with CDC and NIH biosafety guidance.
- Drive energy-efficiency and monitoring improvements for high-load systems.
Benefits
- Annual discretionary bonus eligibility.
- Participation in the Compound Cash Grant Program, providing multi-year cash grants paid in semi-annual installments.