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Building Performance Engineer Jobs in California

Sr Building Performance Engineer

San Francisco, CA · On-site

$123.10K - $169.10K/yr

Help Shape the Future of Sustainable Building Performance at HGA as a Senior Building Performance Engineer on the West Coast! HGA, an award-winning architectural, engineering, and planning firm , is ...

Sr Building Performance Engineer

San Francisco, CA

$123.10K - $169.10K/yr

Help Shape the Future of Sustainable Building Performance at HGA as a Senior Building Performance Engineer on the West Coast! HGA, an award-winning architectural, engineering, and planning firm , is ...

Building Performance Analyst

Los Angeles, CA · On-site

$93.17K - $144.43K/yr

Position Summary The Building Performance Analyst will assist the project design team, including architects and engineers, during the design process by identifying impactful building performance ...

About the Role RadixArk is hiring a Performance Engineer in Palo Alto, CA - someone who can push ... Join us in building infrastructure that gives real leverage back to the AI community. Compensation ...

Job Summary : RadixArk is an infrastructure-first company focused on building world-class open systems for AI inference and training. They are seeking a Performance Engineer to enhance the ...

About the Role RadixArk is hiring a Performance Engineer in Palo Alto, CA - someone who can push ... Join us in building infrastructure that gives real leverage back to the AI community. Compensation ...

... designing, building and maintaining utility scale solar, battery storage and high voltage ... The Performance Engineer II - O&M is responsible for overseeing the day-to-day operational ...

Performance Engineer

San Francisco, CA · On-site

$280K - $850K/yr

As a Performance Engineer, you'll be responsible for identifying these problems, and then ... We think AI systems like the ones we're building have enormous social and ethical implications. We ...

We are Genmo, a research lab dedicated to building open, state-of-the-art models for video ... We're seeking a GPU Performance Engineer to squeeze every last FLOP from our H100 infrastructure ...

With a dual mandate to accelerate researchers and enable frontier scale, we're building a unified ... About the Role As a Training Performance Engineer, you'll drive efficiency improvements across our ...

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Building Performance Engineer information

See California salary details

$10

$59

$96

How much do building performance engineer jobs pay per hour?

As of May 29, 2026, the average hourly pay for building performance engineer in California is $59.32, according to ZipRecruiter salary data. Most workers in this role earn between $48.65 and $67.12 per hour, depending on experience, location, and employer.

What are the key skills and qualifications needed to thrive as a Building Performance Engineer, and why are they important?

To thrive as a Building Performance Engineer, you need a solid background in mechanical or electrical engineering, building science, and energy modeling, often supported by a relevant engineering degree and certifications like LEED or CEM. Familiarity with energy modeling software (e.g., eQUEST, EnergyPlus), building automation systems, and simulation tools is typically required. Strong analytical thinking, problem-solving abilities, and effective communication skills set top performers apart in this role. These capabilities are essential for optimizing building efficiency, ensuring regulatory compliance, and delivering sustainable, cost-effective solutions.

What are some common challenges Building Performance Engineers face when working on projects with multidisciplinary teams?

Building Performance Engineers often collaborate with architects, HVAC specialists, and construction managers, which can present challenges in aligning energy efficiency goals with architectural design and budget constraints. Effective communication and negotiation skills are crucial to ensure that sustainability targets are integrated from the early design stages and maintained throughout the project. Navigating differing priorities and technical language among team members is a typical aspect of the role, but it also provides valuable opportunities for professional growth and learning.

What are Building Performance Engineers?

Building Performance Engineers are professionals who assess and optimize the efficiency, sustainability, and comfort of buildings. They analyze energy use, environmental impact, and indoor environmental quality, and recommend improvements to building systems such as heating, ventilation, air conditioning (HVAC), lighting, and insulation. Their goal is to ensure that buildings operate efficiently, meet regulatory standards, and provide healthy environments for occupants. They often use specialized software and conduct on-site evaluations to identify areas for improvement. Building Performance Engineers play a key role in green building initiatives and energy conservation efforts.

What is the difference between Building Performance Engineer vs Mechanical Engineer?

AspectBuilding Performance EngineerMechanical Engineer
CredentialsOften requires engineering degree, certifications like LEED or ASHRAETypically requires mechanical engineering degree, PE license often preferred
Work EnvironmentFocus on building systems, energy efficiency, sustainability projectsDesign, analyze, and maintain mechanical systems across various industries
Industry UsageCommon in green building, energy consulting, and building design firmsWidespread in manufacturing, HVAC, automotive, and industrial sectors

Building Performance Engineers specialize in optimizing building systems for energy efficiency and sustainability, often working closely with architects and environmental consultants. Mechanical Engineers have a broader scope, designing and maintaining mechanical systems across multiple industries. While both roles require engineering credentials, Building Performance Engineers focus more on building-specific projects, whereas Mechanical Engineers work on diverse mechanical systems.

What are popular job titles related to Building Performance Engineer jobs in California? For Building Performance Engineer jobs in California, the most frequently searched job titles are:
What job categories do people searching Building Performance Engineer jobs in California look for? The top searched job categories for Building Performance Engineer jobs in California are:
What cities in California are hiring for Building Performance Engineer jobs? Cities in California with the most Building Performance Engineer job openings:
Infographic showing various Building Performance Engineer job openings in California as of May 2026, with employment types broken down into 93% Full Time, and 7% Part Time. Highlights an 86% In-person, and 14% Remote job distribution, with an average salary of $123,381 per year, or $59.3 per hour.
Building Performance Engineer

Building Performance Engineer

Harrison Consulting Solutions

San Jose, CA

Full-time

Posted 8 days ago


Job description

Leading architectural and engineering firm is adding a Senior Building Performance Engineer to their San Jose team!


Responsibilities:

  • Lead commissioning and optimization of building systems (HVAC systems, air/water distribution systems, building automation systems, electrical systems, and plumbing systems)
  • Collaborate with other disciplines to ensure designs meet energy efficiency and sustainability standards
  • Conduct energy modeling, building assessment, and performance audits
  • Use technical expertise in energy efficiency/sustainability to reduce environmental impact and improve building operations
  • Develop commissioning plans. Oversee testing/functional performance, and document results
  • Assist with business development including meeting clients, writing proposals, developing fees, preparing/attending interviews, negotiating contracts
  • Lead team engagements around decarbonization, energy efficiency, and optimization strategies at building/campus scales
  • Serve as sustainability team leader/project manager on projects in a variety of sectors (Science & Technology, Higher Education, and Healthcare)
  • Lead/perform commissioning tasks and responsibilities as outlined in ASHRAE Commissioning Guideline 0-2019
  • Perform retro-commissioning services for existing buildings
  • Mentor/train junior staff


Requirements:

  • BS and/or Master’s degree in relevant Engineering (Mechanical, Electrical or other similar degree and demonstrated competencies)
  • 12+ years of relevant experience
  • PE, CEM or similar preferred
  • Experience managing clients, project teams and processes
  • Knowledge of Microsoft Office Suite products
  • LEED, WELL, and/or other relevant building certification accreditation(s)
  • A commissioning certification from the American Society of Heating, Refrigeration and Air-Conditioning Engineers (ASHRAE), the Association of Energy Engineers (AEE), the Building Commissioning Association (BCA), or the University of Wisconsin
  • Experience with automatic controls operation/troubleshooting
  • Experience optimizing HVAC systems, IAQ and energy efficiency
  • General navigation knowledge of multiple types of Building Automation Systems (Automated Logic WebCTRL, Distech EC, JCI Metasys, Tridium Niagara, and Siemens Apogee and Desigo)
  • Knowledge of and experience with CxAlloy
  • Knowledge of current energy and Cx requirements in sustainable building rating systems (LEED, Living Building Challenge, WELL Building Standard, etc.)
  • Familiarity with early design phase building performance simulation using software tools (Climate Consultant, Ladybug and Honeybee for Grasshopper, DIVA for Rhino, COMFEN, WUFI, Therm, Insight 360, or Sefaira)
  • Experience with advanced design phase energy modeling (Trane Trace, Open Studio, eQuest and IESVE)
  • Experience with AutoCAD, Revit, Sketch-Up, Rhino and/or related software
  • Experience conducting Structural and Whole Building Life Cycle Assessments


Salary is commensurate with experience.


Successful applicants must be authorized to work in the USA without sponsorship.


All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to protected veteran status, disability, race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, or national origin.


Please contact Laura Harrison for further information!


www.harrisonconsultingsolutions.com


517-906-6926