Performance Engineering Manager Jobs in Reston, VA

Conquest Solutions, LLC (CQS) is a leading application and engineering consulting firm in the Washington, D.C. metro area specializing in Building Automation Systems (BAS), Design-build and General Construction. We assist federal, state and local government agencies; private sector companies; and commercial entities in the design and implementation of their BAS and General Construction projects.

CQS employees enjoy a flexible, fun, and family-oriented work environment. We collaborate and learn from each other, which leads to each team member's contribution having a huge impact on the overall growth of our company. We have a strong culture rooted in our core values of INTEGRITY, INCLUSION and INNOVATION. These values guide every aspect of our work and contribute to high levels of employee happiness that results in superior customer service to our client's time and again.

Our rapidly growing company seeks an eager and hard-working professional to join our team as the Senior Engineering Manager. This exciting career opportunity is a leadership role within the Company to oversee, manage and provide operational, managerial and administrative support within the BAS departments. This role is expected to operate independently, set priorities, and resolve competing needs to provide timely information and solve problems.

Responsibilities and duties include but are not limited to the following:

Responsibilities and Duties:

• Provide technical leadership and engineering oversight for all BAS design, implementation, commissioning, and support activities across active projects, ensuring alignment with contract requirements, industry standards, and CQS best practices.

  Lead, mentor, and manage a multidisciplinary BAS team including Engineers, Programmers, Technicians, Electricians, and Commissioning personnel; drive accountability, performance, and continuous development across all roles.

  
  

  Serve as the senior engineering authority for BAS system architecture, sequences of operation, network design (BACnet/IP, MSTP, Modbus, etc.), and integration strategies.

  
  

  Oversee and ensure the quality, accuracy, and consistency of all engineering deliverables, including:

  • Control system drawings and schematics
  • Submittals and technical packages
  • Sequences of operation
  • RFIs and technical correspondence
  • Change orders and engineering estimates

  
  

  Establish and enforce BAS engineering standards and SOPs, ensuring consistency in design approach, programming practices, documentation, and system execution across all projects.

  
  

  Provide engineering support during preconstruction and sales phases, including:

  • Scope development and validation
  • Value engineering and cost optimization
  • Risk identification and mitigation
  • Vendor and product selection

  
  

  Coordinate closely with Project Management, Field Operations, and Commissioning teams to ensure seamless execution, constructability, and successful system delivery.

  
  

  Oversee commissioning readiness and execution, ensuring systems are installed, programmed, and tested in accordance with project requirements and industry standards.

  
  

  Drive resource planning and workforce allocation to meet project schedules, milestones, and deliverables while optimizing labor utilization across the BAS division.

  
  

  Identify gaps in execution, recurring technical issues, and inefficiencies, and implement corrective actions, standardized solutions, and process improvements across the organization.

  
  

  Lead continuous improvement initiatives to enhance engineering quality, reduce rework, and improve project delivery outcomes.

  
  

  Maintain visibility into project performance, providing leadership with regular updates on engineering progress, risks, staffing, and operational challenges.

  
  

  Support hiring, training, and retention of BAS personnel, ensuring the team has the technical capabilities required to meet current and future workload demands.

  
  

  Foster strong working relationships with clients, general contractors, vendors, and internal stakeholders, representing CQS as a trusted technical partner.

  
  

  Ensure compliance with all applicable codes, standards, and contractual requirements, including local, state, federal, and client-specific guidelines.

  
  

  Promote and enforce a culture of safety, accountability, and professionalism across all BAS operations.

  Act as thefinal escalation point for complex technical issuesDrive standardization across projects and clientsElevate overall engineering rigor, documentation quality, and system performance
  Align BAS engineering practices with long-term company growth and scalability

  
  

  Perform additional duties as required to support business operations and organizational growth.

Job Qualifications:

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  Minimum of 8 - 10 years work controls related experience in estimating, project management, design and engineering.
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  Bachelor's Degree from a US accredited four-year college or university or related field of study preferred, however not required with qualifying years of BAS controls related experience.
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  Demonstrate extensive knowledge of control theory, automatic temperature controls (ATC), Building Automation Systems (BAS) and other building MEP systems.
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  Proven experience as an estimator and project manager, preferably in the controls field.
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  Demonstrate extensive knowledge of specification and design drawing review for control and mechanical applications as well as industry standards and best practices.
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  Demonstrate extensive experience with multiple BAS vendor software and hardware.
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  In-depth understanding of BAS construction procedures and material and project management principles.
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  Knowledge of IP-based networks and various building automation communication protocols and systems preferred. Such protocols and systems include Niagara Tridium, BACnet, Native BACnet, LonWorks, Modbus
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  Proficient in working with others to plan, conduct, and report work efforts.
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  Must work independently with little or no supervision while providing guidance to other team members.
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  Proven supervisory and talent development skills.
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  Must have a thorough understanding and ability to read controls documents, including specifications, schematics, change orders, and submittals.
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  Possesses the ability to explain technical information to technical and non-technical people.
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  Advanced understanding of risk management policies and procedures.
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  Experience managing/overseeing budgets for BAS controls projects.
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  Strong knowledge of controls materials, processes and equipment.
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  Outstanding communication and negotiation skills.
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  Excellent organizational and time-management skills.
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  Experience interacting with subcontractors and other vendors.
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  Must possess a high level of ownership, enthusiasm, and a collaborative, professional temperament.
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  Must be open and flexible, take initiative and operate effectively with little oversight.
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  Ability to manage and prioritize a busy workload.
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  Ability to handle sensitive and/or confidential information.

Physical Demands

The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

While performing the duties of this Job, the employee is regularly required to sit; use hands to finger, handle, or feel and talk or hear. The employee is frequently required to stand; walk and reach with hands and arms. The employee is occasionally required to climb or balance and stoop, kneel, crouch, or crawl. The employee must occasionally lift and/or move up to 10 pounds.

Personal Strengths:

Critical Thinker:You're able to evaluate feedback and ideas from clients and team members, consider all implications and risks, and determine the best next step forward while providing recommendations that will benefit your projects.

Communicator:You know how to develop and effectively communicate an idea to clients, how to exchange ideas with technical and creative types and how to keep your teams motivated and informed.

Negotiator: You're comfortable discussing project scope, schedules and budgets with clients and vendors, as well as managing project details with internal teams.
Resourceful/Problem Solver:You can anticipate most issues before they occur, and you can find solutions quickly and effectively and make decisions independently.

Collaborator:You build and nurture positive working relationships with clients, partners, and internal teams and are not afraid to ASK for assistance when needed.

Leadership:You lead and motivate other team members as well as serve as a representative of the company in client environments.

Work Environment

The work environment characteristics described here are representative of those an employee encounters while performing the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

While performing the duties of this Job, the employee is occasionally exposed to wet and/or humid conditions; moving mechanical parts; high, precarious places; fumes or airborne particles; outside weather conditions; extreme cold; extreme heat; risk of electrical shock and vibration. The noise level in the work environment is usually moderate.

U.S. Citizenship Required.

Must be able to pass a background check, reference check and a drug screening.

Employee Benefits

• Paid Holidays (14 days)
• Paid Time Off (starting at 15 days annually)
• 401k Retirement Plan with a company match program (maximum of 4% match)
• 60% Employer-Provided Medical, Dental, and Vision Insurances
• 100% Employer-Provided Life & Disability Insurances