Restoration Engineer

Department: Existing Building

Lerch Bates is seeking a Restoration Engineer to lead the investigation, evaluation, and rehabilitation of existing buildings and structures. This role focuses on identifying building deficiencies, assessing structural and enclosure performance, and developing practical repair and restoration solutions that extend the life, safety, and performance of the built environment.

As a Restoration Engineer, you will manage projects from initial assessment through design and construction support, serving as a technical lead and trusted advisor to clients. Projects may include structural rehabilitation, façade restoration, waterproofing repairs, parking structure rehabilitation, building envelope restoration, and other existing building improvement initiatives.

This position combines engineering expertise, project management, and client relationship development while providing opportunities to mentor technical staff and contribute to the growth of Lerch Bates' rehabilitation and restoration practice.

Become an Employee-Owner

One of the biggest advantages of working at Lerch Bates is that we are 100% employee-owned through our Employee Stock Ownership Plan (ESOP).

Unlike many companies that offer only a salary and retirement plan, eligible employees receive company-funded ESOP shares at no cost to them as part of their long-term retirement benefits.

As Lerch Bates grows, employee-owners share in the company's success. For many employees, the ESOP becomes one of the most valuable financial benefits of their career by helping build meaningful long-term wealth in addition to their salary and traditional 401(k).

When you join Lerch Bates, you are not just building better buildings. You also have the opportunity to build your financial future alongside the company's success.

About Lerch Bates:

Lerch Bates (LB) is a global technical consulting firm focused on improving how buildings perform for owners, designers, and the people who use them every day. For more than 75 years we’ve partnered on some of the world’s most complex and high-profile projects. Today we provide Total Building Performance expertise that integrates Building Science and Building Flow into a unified delivery model.

Our work spans design, construction, investigation, repair, rehabilitation, management, and modernization with one consistent goal: helping clients make confident, well-informed decisions in an increasingly complex built environment.

We are 100% employee-owned through our ESOP. That means when the company succeeds, our employee-owners share in that success. It's more than a retirement benefit—it's an ownership mindset backed by the opportunity to build long-term financial value while helping shape the future of the company.

What You’ll Do:

The duties listed below are intended only as illustrations of the various types of work that may be performed in this position. They are not intended to prescribe or restrict the assignments that management may make.

Building Assessment & Investigation

• Conduct condition assessments of existing buildings, structures, and building envelope systems
• Investigate deterioration, distress, water intrusion, material failures, and performance deficiencies
• Review construction documents, historical records, field conditions to identify root causes and develop repair strategies
• Evaluate structural systems, façades, waterproofing assemblies, parking structures, and related building components

Engineering Evaluation & Repair Design

• Prepare technical reports documenting findings, conclusions, and repair recommendations
• Develop restoration, rehabilitation, and repair solutions for existing buildings and structures
• Perform engineering calculations and analyses to support repair designs and code compliance
• Review reports, calculations, and technical deliverables prepared by project team members

Project Management & Construction Support

• Manage project scope, schedule, budget, staffing, and deliverables
• Coordinate with architects, engineers, contractors, and specialty consultants throughout project delivery
• Prepare or oversee repair drawings, specifications, bid documents, and construction administration activities
• Conduct site visits and quality assurance observations during construction
• Review shop drawings, submittals, and contractor requests for information

Client Leadership & Business Development

• Serve as a trusted technical advisor to building owners, property managers, architects, and contractors
• Present findings and recommendations to clients and project stakeholders
• Develop and maintain strong client relationships
• Support proposal development, scope definition, fee development, and project pursuits
• Identify opportunities to expand services and support business growth initiatives

Mentorship & Technical Leadership

• Provide technical guidance, mentorship, and training to engineers, specialists, and technical staff
• Review project deliverables for quality, consistency, and technical accuracy
• Contribute to technical excellence initiatives and knowledge sharing across the organization

What You’ll Bring:

• Bachelor’s degree in civil or structural engineering (or related discipline). Master’s degree preferred.
• Professional Engineer (PE) license required.
• 5+ years of experience in structural engineering, preferably focused on existing buildings, repair, or rehabilitation
• Strong understanding of structural systems and behavior in existing buildings
• Experience with structural condition assessments, investigations, and repair design
• Ability to clearly communicate technical findings in reports and presentations
• Strong analytical, problem-solving, and critical thinking skills
• Ability to manage multiple projects and deadlines in a fast-paced consulting environment
• Experience working with architects, contractors, and building owners
• Proficiency in structural analysis or design tools (as applicable)
• Strong commitment to quality, accuracy, and attention to detail

Why Work with Lerch Bates?

• Competitive compensation
• 100% Employee-Owned ESOP (company-funded retirement benefit that allows eligible employees to share in the company's long-term success)
• Health, dental, and vision insurance
• Paid time off (starting at 17 days annually)
• 10 paid holidays
• 401(k) with employer match
• Paid parental leave
• Professional development and tuition reimbursement
• Performance-based incentives and bonuses
• Employee assistance and wellness programs

Core Values

Ownership • Community • Integrity • Respect • Optimism

Working Environment:

This position is performed in a combination of office, remote, client, and field environments. Regular travel to project sites is required and may include commercial buildings, occupied facilities, active construction sites, industrial locations, rooftops, and other environments where building evaluations, testing, or construction observations are performed. Work may occur indoors and outdoors in varying weather conditions.

Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable qualified individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions of the position.

Physical Demands:

This position requires the ability to sit, stand, walk, bend, kneel, crouch, climb stairs and ladders, and navigate active construction sites and existing buildings. Employees may be required to access rooftops, traverse uneven terrain, work at elevated heights, and enter confined or restricted spaces as project conditions require. Frequent use of computers, keyboards, measuring equipment, and handheld devices is required.

Occasional lifting, carrying, pushing, or pulling of equipment and materials weighing up to 40 pounds may be required. Employees must be able to wear required personal protective equipment (PPE), including hard hats, safety glasses, high-visibility clothing, gloves, safety footwear, hearing protection, and fall protection when applicable.

Travel by automobile and occasional air travel may be required.

Mental Demands:

This position requires strong analytical, technical, and problem-solving skills. Employees must be able to interpret construction documents, building codes, technical specifications, engineering data, and field observations while exercising sound professional judgment.

The role requires managing multiple projects, balancing competing priorities, meeting deadlines, and adapting to changing project conditions. Effective written and verbal communication, technical report writing, client presentations, collaboration with multidisciplinary teams, and attention to detail are essential.

Employment is contingent upon the successful completion of a pre-employment background check and drug test. The drug test includes screening for marijuana, regardless of state or local laws permitting its use. A conditional offer of employment will be rescinded if a candidate fails either the background check or the drug test. This requirement is mandated by federal regulations applicable to our government contracting obligations.

We are an equal opportunity employer, and all qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability status, protected veteran status, marital status, or any other characteristic protected by law.