Chief Engineer

Chief Engineer | Pre-Opening Luxury Hotel

The EQ Hotel — Perth, WA

The EQ Hotel is seeking an experienced and hands-on Chief Engineer to join our Executive Leadership team ahead of the opening of Perth's newest luxury hotel.

This is a unique opportunity to lead the Engineering function from pre-opening through to operations, overseeing the commissioning, maintenance, compliance, and long-term asset protection of a landmark hospitality development.

Reporting directly to the General Manager, the Chief Engineer will lead all Engineering and Maintenance operations across the hotel, ensuring the safety, comfort, and satisfaction of guests and team members while protecting the hotel's physical assets and infrastructure.

About the Role

As part of the pre-opening leadership team, you will play a key role in operational readiness, contractor coordination, defect management, system commissioning, compliance, and the establishment of maintenance programs and engineering standards.

Following opening, you will lead all engineering operations, ensuring the effective management of building services, plant equipment, life safety systems, preventative maintenance programs, contractor management, and capital projects.

This is a hands-on leadership role within a 24/7 luxury hospitality environment.

Key Responsibilities

• Lead all Engineering and Maintenance operations across the hotel

• Support pre-opening activities including commissioning, defects management, contractor coordination, and operational readiness

• Establish preventative maintenance programs, asset registers, compliance systems, and engineering workflows

• Ensure all mechanical, electrical, plumbing, HVAC, building management, and life safety systems operate safely and efficiently

• Oversee maintenance activities using internal engineering resources and external contractors

• Manage plant rooms, back-of-house infrastructure, public areas, guest rooms, and operational facilities

• Lead statutory testing, compliance inspections, emergency systems testing, and certification requirements

• Manage contractor performance, permits, inductions, and safety compliance

• Develop and manage engineering budgets, CAPEX projects, maintenance planning, and asset protection strategies

• Monitor engineering performance, costs, and operational efficiency

• Support sustainability, energy management, and ESG initiatives

• Lead emergency response activities and support business continuity planning

About You

• Trade qualification in Electrical, Mechanical, Building Services, or a related discipline preferred

• Minimum five years’ experience as a Chief Engineer within a luxury hotel or resort environment

• Pre-opening hotel experience highly regarded

• Strong understanding of building services, plant operations, compliance, and asset management

• Experience with BMS, maintenance management systems, and operational technology platforms

• Demonstrated leadership experience managing technical teams, contractors, and service providers

• Strong commercial acumen with experience managing budgets and capital expenditure

• Excellent stakeholder management, communication, and problem-solving skills

• Ability to lead operationally while maintaining a strategic focus

• Valid Australian work rights

Why Join The EQ Hotel?

• Be part of a luxury hotel pre-opening from day one

• Join the leadership team of a landmark hospitality development

• Opportunity to shape engineering operations, systems, and standards from the ground up

• Lead a diverse and technically complex operation

• Competitive remuneration package and long-term career opportunity

If you are an experienced hospitality engineering leader looking to play a key role in delivering one of Perth's most exciting hotel openings, we would love to hear from you.