Job Title: Senior Consultant
Department: Forensics
Job Summary:
Lerch Bates is seeking a Senior Consultant with expertise in building envelope consultancy. The Senior Consultant plans, directs, and coordinates activities of designated projects to ensure that goals or objectives of the project are accomplished within the designated time frame and proposed cost. They are responsible for identifying, planning, directing, and overseeing all aspects of Forensic Engineering projects. This role will be primarily responsible for overseeing multiple projects and providing solutions and recommendations to clients while providing technical review, mentorship, and training to specialists, engineers, and technicians. This role is also responsible for fostering relationships with existing and prospective clients. If you enjoy providing guidance to team members and developing strong relationships with clients, this might be the role for you!
Company Insight:
Lerch Bates is the global multidisciplinary technical consultancy, saving time and money for those designing, modernizing, investigating, or managing buildings. From risk to ROI, schedule to sustainability, Lerch Bates’ suite of services helps you plan the future of your building at every phase of the building lifecycle. As your partner in finding the best technical outcomes for your project, we ensure functionality, safety, and value work together.
We simplify the path to the best technical expertise for the built environment anywhere in the world. Lerch Bates offers integrated specialties, including vertical transportation, logistics, enclosures & structures, forensics, and multidisciplinary building lifecycle services that optimize performance from design, construction, and management to forensic investigation, repair, and modernization.
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.
ASSESSMENT
- Conduct or direct Engineers, Specialists, and Technicians in site investigations and field reviews of existing buildings.
- Review background documentation to determine original construction detailing and identify the cause of damage/defect.
- Focus on critical aspects of structural engineering, building enclosures, commercial roof systems, waterproofing systems, and exterior facades, including masonry.
EVALUATE
- Prepare and present reports and presentations of findings that document the existing conditions and extend defects and provide a rough magnitude of repair to provide recommended repairs for damage/defect, existing condition.
- Collaborate with clients to determine appropriate next steps following evaluations.
- Work with the business development team to develop proposals, the scope of services, and budgets.
- Review necessary permits and codes.
- Provide peer review reports of findings for direct reports/peers.
DESIGN
- Communicate complicated design ideas through multiple formats, including hand sketching, to better coordinate team efforts and communicate clients' desired outcomes.
- Coordinate with internal designers, drafters, engineers, and consultants for the preparation of construction drawings, specifications, and bid documents.
- Conduct drawing, detail, and specification reviews throughout the design process.
- Review shop drawings and submittals for conformance with the design intent, performance with respect to the various building science and engineering principles, and for any scheduling of work issues.
- Perform cursory calculations of repair and/or code upgrades.
OVERSEE
- Provide oversight of technicians and specialists performing field reviews, including technical and directional advice. Review report of findings Resulting from an onsite investigation and/or document review.
- Assume full managerial responsibility for all aspects of the project: scope, schedule, design, quality, staff, and execution.
- Act as the Engineer of record to sign/seal reports of findings.
COMMUNICATION
- Act as a trusted advisor to clients and prospective clients; own and develop the client relationship.
- Explore opportunities to enhance service with or upsell existing clients/projects.
- Proactively keep clients and stakeholders informed of project status and changes.
- Establishes industry reputation and markets to new clients.
TRACKING
- Perform project tracking and quality control, including regular project status reviews of actual vs. planned, facilitating project status and design review meetings internally and with the client; take appropriate actions to address variance to project plan; follow standardized procedures for Lerch Bates processes/procedures.
- Manage time and resources effectively; maintain and communicate schedule internally and externally.
- Ensure personal utilization and direct report consistently meets established goals.
LEADERSHIP
- Provide guidance and supervision for up to 5 direct reports.
What You’ll Bring:
- Bachelor’s Degree in Engineering Discipline (Civil, Structural, Construction) or Architecture.
- 8-10 years of experience in forensics, rehabilitation, or building envelope consulting.
- Previous experience managing, mentoring, and leading teams.
- Technical competency and an ability to effectively communicate and build rapport with clients, colleagues, Architects, Engineers, General and Subcontractors.
- A technical and practical understanding of building enclosure systems, specifically roofing, waterproofing, claddings, fenestration, and air/water/thermal/vapor barriers.
- Expert understanding of enclosure installation quality, timing of events, and the upstream and downstream impacts of the schedule.
- Excellent skills in technical writing and oral communication.
- Flexible, responsive, and confident multi-tasking skills.
- An ability to work independently, handle multiple deadlines, and accommodate shifting priorities.
- An ability to lead and contribute to the team in a collaborative, interactive environment.
- A demonstrated commitment to quality, organization, meticulous attention to detail, and consistency in work deliverables.
- Previous experience managing project budgets, change orders, and invoicing.
- Previous successful results in upselling services/scope.
- Proficiency in one or more design/modeling software programs, including WUFI, THERM, etc. (preferred).
- Master’s Degree in Engineering Discipline (Civil, Structural, Construction) or Architecture (preferred).
- P.E./AIA or another relevant Licensure (preferred).
- A certification in industry-specific technical areas (Roofing, Fenestrations, Waterproofing, Enclosure Commissioning) (preferred).
- Specialized focus in 5 or more industry areas of technical expertise, i.e., Roofing, Fenestration, Waterproofing, Civil engineering, Cost Estimating, etc. (preferred).
Why work with Lerch Bates?
- Competitive Compensation
- Medical, Dental, and Vision Insurance
- Employee Stock Ownership program!
- Generous PTO
- Incentive compensation bonus
- 401(k) with up to 6% employer match!
- FSA and HSA
- Charitable paid time off
- Birthday Bonus
- Paid Parental Leave
- Tuition Reimbursement
- Learning and Development
- An entire internal department dedicated to your learning and career development!
- Exceptional company culture
- Employee resource groups
- Team building and networking activities
- And more!
Be more than just an employee…
Lerch Bates is 100% employee-owned! Our employee-owners bring a distinct “we own what we do” brand of technical consulting to every project and partnership. When you work with us, you join a company with an ownership mindset. Expect responsibility, service, and performance in everything we do. So, what does that mean for you? After a certain service time, you are eligible for stock ownership, which essentially works as an additional wealth accumulation and/or retirement account!
CORE Values: Ownership . Community . Integrity . Respect . Optimism
Lerch Bates is a federal contractor, which requires us to conduct a pre-employment background check and drug test.
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, marital status, protected veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by law.
