Director, Sustainable Energy Services

Swarthmore College is a highly selective liberal arts college located in the suburbs of Philadelphia, whose mission combines academic rigor with social responsibility. Swarthmore has a strong institutional commitment to inclusive excellence and nondiscrimination in its educational program and employment practices and encourages candidates who will further advance the goal of fostering a diverse and inclusive community. As one of the nation’s finest institutions of higher learning, Swarthmore College is global in outlook and draws students from around the nation and world. The 425?acre campus is a designated arboretum, complete with gardens, rolling lawns, a creek, wooded hills, and hiking trails in the Crum Woods.

Who We Are:

Swarthmore College is engaged in an aspirational and robust capital planning and construction program that includes replacing the College’s combustion steam district energy system with district carbon-free geoexchange, retiring the College’s Accumulated Deferred Maintenance through the Campus Renewal Program, and the adaptive reuse of Martin Hall. Planning efforts are underway for significant, phased upgrades to the College’s Athletics Complex. The College has recently completed a strategic plan that has led to a campus master planning effort to guide the next decade of the capital program. All this is conducted with a sharp focus on environmental sustainability and Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion. It is an exciting time to be at Swarthmore College!

The Swarthmore College campus includes over 70 buildings and 1,900,000 square feet of space on 425 acres, including the bucolic Scott Arboretum. This effort is overseen by a dedicated group of facilities management professionals who steward the campus and the Scott Arboretum. The College seeks a Director of Sustainable Energy Services, who is an integral member of the facilities management leadership team and who will continue to guide the College toward its carbon-free future.

The opportunity:

The Director of Sustainable Energy Services is responsible for planning and technical oversight of all campus energy matters and systems. This includes planning, project management and technical guidance for all aspects of the To Zero (carbon) by Thirty-five (20X35) energy master plan which is transitioning the campus from district steam heating from combustion to district heating and cooling from geoexchange, planning for other energy initiatives, energy procurement program, campus energy management program, energy related regulatory/compliance and documentation of infrastructure systems. The Director is accountable for managing approximately $4 million annual energy commodity budget. The Director has project management duties for the 20X35 energy plan effort and works closely with the maintenance department.

Essential Responsibilities

• Leadership of the 20X35 energy plan with ongoing planning to ensure successful completion.  Be conversant with all technical work performed to date.  Recommend, guide and/or provide any further analysis needed in order to coordinate the successful completion of the 10-year conversion process on time and within budget.  Identify in the plan when milestones such as the timing for the future expansion of the geoexchange plant and wellfield, distribution system, order of building connection, the shutdown of the central steam system and electrical supply systems improvements occur.
• Project management.  Act as the college’s project manager for the central geoexchange facility and well field.  Monitor the progress of construction to ensure quality work in accordance with all technical specifications.  Oversee the commissioning process.  Manage other projects in support of Maintenance.  Complete projects on time and within budget.
• Primary engineering and Technical/Operational support for the College.  Provide engineering guidance and operational expertise specifically for the 20X35 energy plan projects and for all other energy systems and infrastructure to ensure efficient and reliable operation.  Work to update and/or create system design standards as needed. 
• Energy management.  Define and implement a campus energy management program.  Develop and implement the monitoring of campus buildings and central systems via the building automation system to ensure efficient use of energy with a near term focus on the new Geoexchange conversion. Assist with planning of sustainability/energy conservation efforts.
• Energy Procurement. Oversee the college’s energy procurement for campus in accordance with the approved strategy.  Recommend and track annual budgets for all utilities (natural gas, electricity, water). Secure contracts with commodity providers.  Hold regular Energy Risk Group (ERG) meetings to update leadership on status, obtain permission for triggering commodity pre-purchases and to make any necessary adjustments to the college’s procurement policy. Keep up to date on utility rates and regulatory changes.  Procure renewable energy credits to cover campus electric use. 
• Regulatory oversight for energy systems.  Oversee all recordkeeping and reporting for energy systems to DEP and other regulatory entities to ensure continuous compliance.  Perform data entry, generate reports, validate accuracy.  Manage any necessary changes to permits based from modification/additions to campus systems or regulatory rule changes. 
• Infrastructure documentation:  Provide oversight and guidance to ensure that underground infrastructure is properly documented via the GIS system. 

Supervisory Responsibilities

• Directly supervises the work of the Clerk of the Works (monitors campus capital design & construction on behalf of facilities operations).
• Effectively performs the following:
  • Organize workflow and ensure staff understand their duties or delegated tasks. Conduct meetings with direct report to discuss goals and work-loads.
  • Review and approve weekly time-sheets.
  • Ensure staff have a professional development plan in place. Provide and develop training opportunities. Create and conduct staff performance evaluations.
  • Communicate key issues and information.
  • Provide fair, constructive, and timely feedback and coaching.
  • In partnership with Human Resources, follow disciplinary procedures as established in accordance with the employee handbook.
• Indirect supervision and guidance of the controls technician and plant operators to achieve energy and performance goals.
• Supervise student workers/interns as required.
• Participate in supervisory training opportunities.
• Maintain a safe, diverse, and inclusive work environment.

What you bring:

Required Qualifications

• Bachelor degree in Mechanical Engineering or other closely related engineering discipline with a strong energy emphasis with a minimum of seven years in roles of increasing responsibility in planning, operations, maintenance and energy management of building as well as central campus energy systems.
• A minimum of 7 years of demonstrated experience in energy management.
• A minimum of 3 years of supervisory personnel management.
• Experience with building HVAC and central utility thermal and electrical systems, energy management software.
• Demonstrated planning, design and implementation experience for large-scale infrastructure projects. 
• Demonstrated high proficiency in the use of Microsoft, Google software platforms especially as they relate to storing data and data analysis tools.
• Valid driver’s license.

Preferred Qualifications

• Advanced degree in engineering or Professional Engineering licensure.
• Experience in a higher education setting. 
• Specific knowledge of Tri-M or Siemens control systems, large scale geothermal systems
• Medium voltage electrical system experience.

Physical Demands

• Must be able to physically access all areas of campus including those listed under the working conditions section. 

Working Conditions

• Primarily works in an office environment but will spend time in buildings, construction sites, mechanical rooms, underground vaults and tunnels, or elevated areas such as scaffolding and roof areas all with potential exposure to dust, dirt, noise, hot or cold conditions, confined spaces. 
• Occasionally will attend overnight business travel for work related needs or professional development. 
• May be required to work outside of normal business hours, including nights and weekends, or to meet deadlines.

What You Will Get:

You’ll work at one of the world's most renowned liberal arts Colleges, with incredible benefits, a stunning 425-acre campus, and a collaborative work environment. Join a team of passionate, creative people who work hard and have fun supporting the College students, faculty, and staff.

We want to hear from you if you are excited about this role! For full consideration, submit applications with an uploaded resume, including a cover letter, by May 9, 2025. Applications received after this date may be reviewed on a rolling basis until the job has been filled. A cover letter indicating how your qualifications and experience have prepared you for this position. If you have experience that meets any of the preferred qualifications, please include a detailed explanation of any such experience in your cover letter and how it meets the preferred qualification(s).

PA Criminal Required

Swarthmore College requires a PA Criminal background check for all staff positions prior to the start of employment.

MVR Required by Position

Due to operating a College owned motor vehicle while performing essential job responsibilities for this position, a motor vehicle report (MVR) clearance is required prior to the start of employment.

Education Verification Required by Position

An education verification is required for this position because a college degree is a required qualification for this position.

Preview our Benefits Flyer. We offer benefit plans starting at zero cost! Upon benefit eligibility, the College contributes 10% of an employee’s salary to their retirement account. Employees are 100% vested in their accounts on the date participation begins.

2025 Swarthmore Benefits Guidebook

Retirement Plans

Tuition Grant Program

Tuition Reimbursement Program

Paid Time Off (Staff)

Holiday Schedule

Swarthmore College actively seeks and welcomes applications from candidates with exceptional qualifications, particularly those with demonstrable commitments to a more inclusive society and world. Swarthmore College is an Equal Opportunity Employer. Women and minorities are encouraged to apply.