1. Discipline depth and project history
Ask for a project list with discipline, project type, scope, and the engineer's specific role on each project. What you want to see: at least 3 to 5 projects in your primary discipline, at a complexity level comparable to your typical work. A commercial office building, a healthcare facility, and a multi-family residential project represent different levels of system complexity. A candidate with only residential experience needs a ramp-up period before they are ready for complex commercial MEP work.
Questions to ask:
What was the largest HVAC system you designed or modeled? What was the cooling load?
Have you designed electrical systems for buildings above a certain occupancy or square footage?
What project types make up the majority of your production experience?
2. Software proficiency: tools they have actually used
The gap between "familiar with" and "used daily on active projects" matters a lot in MEP production roles. Run a quick verification:
Revit MEP: Ask which version they have worked in most recently, how they handle linked architectural models, and whether they have experience with clash detection workflows in Navisworks. Ask them to describe how they manage MEP worksets in a multi-discipline collaborative model.
Discipline-specific calculation tools: For mechanical: have they used HAP, TRACE, or EnergyPlus for load calculations? For electrical: can they perform load calculations and short circuit analysis? For plumbing: are they familiar with fixture unit calculations per IPC or UPC?
Navisworks: Coordination experience is highly valuable for any MEP role. Ask whether they have participated in clash detection coordination meetings and how they handle pipe/duct routing conflicts with structural elements.
A useful verification: ask the candidate to walk you through a specific calculation or model element from a past project. A 10-minute screen share is more revealing than a resume claim.
3. US standards familiarity
LATAM engineers educated in mechanical, electrical, or plumbing engineering bring strong technical foundations. The specific codes and standards they apply in their home country differ from US standards in detail, not in engineering logic.
What to assess is not whether they have memorized the NEC or IPC, but whether they are familiar with the framework, understand how to navigate the standards, and have experience adapting to project-specific requirements quickly. This is something experienced engineers do as a matter of course when they join a new firm or work on a new project type.
Useful questions:
- Are you familiar with ASHRAE 90.1 and how it applies to energy modeling for commercial buildings?
- Have you worked on projects referencing NEC for electrical system design?
- How do you approach a project where the applicable code is one you haven't worked with before?
The expected answer to the last question is not "I know every code." It is: "I reference the applicable standard directly, confirm interpretation with the PE of record, and document my design basis." That answer reflects both competence and appropriate professional humility.
4. Portfolio and work samples
For MEP engineering roles, work samples are less visual than for architecture or BIM drafting, but they are still the most reliable signal of technical quality. Ask for:
Calculation packages: A sample load calculation, pipe sizing calculation, or electrical panel schedule. These reveal whether the engineer follows a logical design basis, documents their assumptions, and produces work that a PE could review and verify efficiently.
Coordination drawings: MEP coordination drawings from a project involving multiple disciplines. Look for clean routing, logical system organization, and evidence that the engineer thought through installation sequence and access requirements.
Specifications or equipment schedules: A sample equipment schedule or specification section. These are indicators of whether the engineer understands design intent well enough to communicate it to contractors.
Revit MEP model exports: Views or exports from a project model. For mechanical engineers: does the ductwork route logically? Is equipment placed with maintenance clearances in mind? For electrical: are panels and conduit routes organized clearly? For plumbing: does the piping follow logical routing with appropriate slopes indicated?
5. Communication and coordination style
MEP engineering production work requires ongoing coordination with the architectural project team, structural engineers, and other MEP disciplines. Communication quality matters significantly.
What to assess in the interview:
- Can the engineer explain a technical decision in terms a non-engineer project lead would understand?
- How do they flag a coordination problem to the project lead? Do they present the problem with proposed solutions, or just escalate?
- How have they handled situations where their design intent conflicted with the architect's layout?
English proficiency at a level that supports technical communication: written and verbal. Daily coordination with a US project team requires the ability to ask precise questions, write clear markups, and participate in video coordination meetings without significant comprehension gaps.
6. References from prior US or international project work
For any MEP engineering engagement involving US project delivery, ask for at least one reference from a project lead or firm principal who can speak to:
- Technical quality of the engineer's calculations and documentation
- How they handled coordination issues
- Their ability to work within the firm's existing review and stamping workflow
A candidate who has prior experience supporting US firms remotely is lower risk than one whose experience is entirely in their local market, even if the technical depth is comparable. The workflow adaptation has already happened.
