Chief Engineer Jobs in USA with Visa Sponsorship
Chief Engineer roles qualify for H-1B visa sponsorship as specialty occupations requiring at minimum a bachelor's degree in engineering. Many positions also support EB-2 or EB-3 green card pathways. Employers in aerospace, maritime, infrastructure, and manufacturing regularly file Labor Condition Applications for this title.
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As a CBRE Chief Building Engineer, you will perform complex preventive maintenance and corrective repairs of buildings, industrial systems, vehicles, equipment, and grounds.
This job is part of the Engineering and Technical Services job function. They are responsible for providing support, preventive maintenance, and repairs on equipment and systems.
What You’ll Do:
- Follow all applicable codes, regulations, governmental agency, and company directives related to building operations and work safety.
- Lead operations, assign work orders, and provide technical and procedural training of coworkers and subcontractors. Arranges for subcontractors as needed.
- Consult with clients to schedule preventive maintenance during downtime to cut business interruption and inconvenience. Plan a preventive maintenance program to ensure that building machinery and systems meet or exceed their rated life.
- Check building systems including fire alarms, HVAC, and plumbing to ensure the operation of equipment is within design capabilities and achieves environmental conditions prescribed by the client.
- Oversee and inspect the work performed by engineering staff to make sure the work is complete; equipment is functioning properly, and client space is in great working condition.
- Respond to emergency situations and ask for help when needed.
- Apply advanced knowledge to seek and develop new, better methods for accomplishing both individual and department objectives.
- Showcase expertise in own job discipline and in-depth knowledge of other job disciplines within the organization function.
- Coach others to develop in-depth knowledge and expertise in most or all areas within the function.
- Lead by example and model behaviors that are consistent with CBRE RISE values. Anticipate potential objections and persuades others, often at senior levels and of divergent interest, to adopt a different point of view.
- Impact the achievement of customer, operational, project, or service objectives across multi-discipline teams. Work is guided by functional policies which impact the design of procedures and policies.
- Contribute to new products, processes, standards, and/or operational plans in support of achieving functional goals.
- Communicate difficult and complex ideas with the ability to influence.
What You’ll Need:
- High School Diploma, GED, or trade school diploma with 5-8 years of job-related experience. In lieu of a diploma, a combination of experience and education will be considered. Prior shift manager or supervisory experience preferred.
- Meet the physical requirements of this role including stooping, standing, walking, climbing stairs/ladders, and the ability to lift/carry heavy loads of 50 lbs. or more.
- The innovative mentality to develop methods that go beyond existing solutions.
- Ability to solve unique problems using standard and innovative solutions having a broad impact on the business.
- In-depth knowledge of Microsoft Office products. Examples include Word, Excel, Outlook, etc.
- Expert organizational skills with an advanced inquisitive mindset.
- Highly sophisticated math skills. Ability to calculate somewhat complex figures such as percentages, fractions, and other financial-related calculations.
California Residents: CBRE carefully considers multiple factors to determine compensation, including a candidate’s education, training and experience. The salary range is $115,000 - $130,000 per year + bonus. The compensation offered to a successful candidate will depend on the candidate’s skills, qualifications and experience.
Equal Employment Opportunity: CBRE has a long-standing commitment to providing equal employment opportunity to all qualified applicants regardless of race, color, religion, national origin, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, pregnancy, age, citizenship, marital status, disability, veteran status, political belief, or any other basis protected by applicable law.
Candidate Accommodations: CBRE values the differences of all current and prospective employees and recognizes how every employee contributes to our company’s success. CBRE provides reasonable accommodations in job application procedures for individuals with disabilities. If you require assistance due to a disability in the application or recruitment process, please submit a request via email at recruitingaccommodations@cbre.com or via telephone at +1 866 225 3099 (U.S.) and +1 866 388 4346 (Canada).
About the Role:
As a CBRE Chief Building Engineer, you will perform complex preventive maintenance and corrective repairs of buildings, industrial systems, vehicles, equipment, and grounds.
This job is part of the Engineering and Technical Services job function. They are responsible for providing support, preventive maintenance, and repairs on equipment and systems.
What You’ll Do:
- Follow all applicable codes, regulations, governmental agency, and company directives related to building operations and work safety.
- Lead operations, assign work orders, and provide technical and procedural training of coworkers and subcontractors. Arranges for subcontractors as needed.
- Consult with clients to schedule preventive maintenance during downtime to cut business interruption and inconvenience. Plan a preventive maintenance program to ensure that building machinery and systems meet or exceed their rated life.
- Check building systems including fire alarms, HVAC, and plumbing to ensure the operation of equipment is within design capabilities and achieves environmental conditions prescribed by the client.
- Oversee and inspect the work performed by engineering staff to make sure the work is complete; equipment is functioning properly, and client space is in great working condition.
- Respond to emergency situations and ask for help when needed.
- Apply advanced knowledge to seek and develop new, better methods for accomplishing both individual and department objectives.
- Showcase expertise in own job discipline and in-depth knowledge of other job disciplines within the organization function.
- Coach others to develop in-depth knowledge and expertise in most or all areas within the function.
- Lead by example and model behaviors that are consistent with CBRE RISE values. Anticipate potential objections and persuades others, often at senior levels and of divergent interest, to adopt a different point of view.
- Impact the achievement of customer, operational, project, or service objectives across multi-discipline teams. Work is guided by functional policies which impact the design of procedures and policies.
- Contribute to new products, processes, standards, and/or operational plans in support of achieving functional goals.
- Communicate difficult and complex ideas with the ability to influence.
What You’ll Need:
- High School Diploma, GED, or trade school diploma with 5-8 years of job-related experience. In lieu of a diploma, a combination of experience and education will be considered. Prior shift manager or supervisory experience preferred.
- Meet the physical requirements of this role including stooping, standing, walking, climbing stairs/ladders, and the ability to lift/carry heavy loads of 50 lbs. or more.
- The innovative mentality to develop methods that go beyond existing solutions.
- Ability to solve unique problems using standard and innovative solutions having a broad impact on the business.
- In-depth knowledge of Microsoft Office products. Examples include Word, Excel, Outlook, etc.
- Expert organizational skills with an advanced inquisitive mindset.
- Highly sophisticated math skills. Ability to calculate somewhat complex figures such as percentages, fractions, and other financial-related calculations.
California Residents: CBRE carefully considers multiple factors to determine compensation, including a candidate’s education, training and experience. The salary range is $115,000 - $130,000 per year + bonus. The compensation offered to a successful candidate will depend on the candidate’s skills, qualifications and experience.
Equal Employment Opportunity: CBRE has a long-standing commitment to providing equal employment opportunity to all qualified applicants regardless of race, color, religion, national origin, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, pregnancy, age, citizenship, marital status, disability, veteran status, political belief, or any other basis protected by applicable law.
Candidate Accommodations: CBRE values the differences of all current and prospective employees and recognizes how every employee contributes to our company’s success. CBRE provides reasonable accommodations in job application procedures for individuals with disabilities. If you require assistance due to a disability in the application or recruitment process, please submit a request via email at recruitingaccommodations@cbre.com or via telephone at +1 866 225 3099 (U.S.) and +1 866 388 4346 (Canada).
See all 133+ Chief Engineer Jobs
Sign up for free to unlock all listings, filter by visa type, and get alerts for new Chief Engineer roles.
Get Access To All JobsTips for Finding Visa Sponsorship as a Chief Engineer
Align your credentials to U.S. engineering standards
If your engineering degree is from outside the U.S., get a credential evaluation from a NACES-member service before applying. Hiring managers and immigration attorneys use these evaluations to confirm your degree satisfies the specialty occupation requirement USCIS looks for.
Target industries with active LCA filing histories
Aerospace, oil and gas, shipbuilding, and civil infrastructure employers file Labor Condition Applications for Chief Engineer roles far more consistently than others. Narrowing your search to these sectors puts you in front of employers already familiar with the sponsorship process.
Use Migrate Mate to find verified sponsoring employers
Search Migrate Mate for Chief Engineer roles at employers with verified LCA sponsorship history. This cuts out companies that list engineering leadership roles but have never filed for a sponsored worker, saving you weeks of outreach to dead ends.
Request premium processing before your offer expires
H-1B petitions for senior engineering roles sometimes draw Requests for Evidence challenging specialty occupation status. Ask your employer to request premium processing through USCIS so you get a decision faster and have time to respond before your start date is affected.
Verify the prevailing wage tier before negotiating
Chief Engineer is a Level III or Level IV role in most DOL wage determinations. Use the OFLC Wage Search to look up the prevailing wage for your specific location before you negotiate, so your offer clears the LCA threshold without revision.
Document PE licensure if the role requires it
Some Chief Engineer positions, especially in civil, structural, or maritime contexts, require a Professional Engineer license. If yours was issued outside the U.S., confirm with the relevant state board whether it transfers or requires NCEES record evaluation before PERM or H-1B filing begins.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does a Chief Engineer role qualify as a specialty occupation for H-1B purposes?
Yes, in most cases. USCIS treats Chief Engineer positions as specialty occupations because they normally require at minimum a bachelor's degree in a directly related engineering discipline such as mechanical, civil, electrical, or aerospace engineering. Employers document this requirement in the LCA and petition. Roles where any degree field is accepted can draw an RFE, so the job description needs to specify the required field.
Which visas can employers use to sponsor a Chief Engineer?
H-1B is the most common nonimmigrant path and requires a qualifying engineering degree and a certified LCA from DOL. Australian nationals can use the E-3 visa, which has a separate cap and no lottery. Canadian and Mexican nationals may qualify under TN visa if the engineering specialty appears on the USMCA profession list. For permanent residence, EB-2 applies with an advanced degree, while EB-3 covers positions requiring at least two years of experience.
How do I find Chief Engineer jobs where the employer already sponsors visas?
Migrate Mate lists Chief Engineer roles at employers with verified LCA sponsorship history, so you can focus your applications on companies that have already committed to the sponsorship process rather than cold-pitching HR on the concept.
Does a Professional Engineer license affect my visa sponsorship eligibility?
A PE license doesn't change which visa you need, but it can strengthen your petition. If the job description lists PE licensure as a requirement, USCIS treats it as additional evidence of a specialty occupation. If your license was issued in another country, the employer's immigration attorney will need to confirm whether it satisfies the stated job requirement or whether U.S. licensure is expected before filing.
Can a Chief Engineer on H-1B pursue a green card at the same time?
Yes. H-1B status allows dual intent, meaning you can hold the nonimmigrant visa while your employer sponsors an EB-2 or EB-3 petition. The PERM labor certification process typically comes first, followed by an I-140 petition filed with USCIS. Wait times for a priority date to become current vary significantly depending on your country of birth, with India and China facing the longest backlogs.
What is the prevailing wage requirement for sponsored Chief Engineer jobs?
U.S. employers sponsoring a visa must pay at least the prevailing wage, which is what workers in the same role, area, and experience level typically earn. The Department of Labor sets this rate to make sure companies aren't hiring foreign workers simply because they'd accept lower pay than a U.S. worker. It varies by job title, location, and experience. You can look up current prevailing wage rates for any occupation and location using the OFLC Wage Search page.