Principal Data Center Commissioning Lead

• Lead commissioning, startup, testing, and turnover activities for assigned scopes. 
• Coordinate startup sequencing with construction, vendors, controls, safety, commissioning, and operations teams. 
• Support energization readiness, functional testing, and integrated systems testing. 
• Validate system readiness before testing, turnover, and operational acceptance. 
• Lead readiness reviews, commissioning coordination meetings, and startup planning sessions. 
• Track commissioning issues, risks, deficiencies, and recovery actions through closure. 
• Escalate startup, readiness, and turnover risks quickly and clearly. 
• Ensure turnover documentation, test records, and readiness evidence are complete and accurate. 
• Maintain strong daily field presence during startup, testing, and turnover periods. 
• Walk systems and turnover areas to verify readiness, progress, and risk conditions. 
• Support safe execution of commissioning, energization, and integrated testing activities. 
• Coach and mentor Commissioning Managers, field engineers, vendors, and startup personnel. 
• Reinforce commissioning standards, accountability, and consistent execution across teams. 
• Support operational handoff and ensure systems are ready for reliable operation. 
• Capture lessons learned and recommended improvements for future delivery. 

Qualifications:

• 10+ years of experience in data center commissioning, mission critical startup, construction turnover, or complex infrastructure delivery. 
• Experience leading commissioning, testing, startup, or operational readiness activities. 
• Strong understanding of data center electrical, mechanical, controls, life safety, and integrated systems. 
• Ability to identify commissioning risks, system readiness gaps, and turnover issues in the field. 
• Experience with functional testing, integrated systems testing, energization readiness, and operational handoff. 
• Strong coordination skills across construction, vendors, commissioning, controls, safety, and operations. 
• Ability to manage issue logs, readiness trackers, test documentation, and turnover deliverables. 
• Strong field leadership presence and ability to influence without direct authority. 
• Ability to coach and develop commissioning personnel. 
• Strong communication, escalation, and problem-solving skills. 
• Ability to work in a fast-paced, schedule-driven environment. 
• Willingness to maintain significant onsite presence, especially during turnover and startup phases. 

Preferred Qualifications:

• Hyperscale, cloud, colocation, or mission critical data center experience. 
• Experience on large campus or multi-building data center delivery programs. 
• Background in commissioning leadership, startup management, systems integration, or operational readiness. 
• Experience with major electrical systems, mechanical systems, BMS/EPMS, controls, and life safety systems. 
• Familiarity with energization planning, LOTO, commissioning safety practices, and MOP review. 
• Experience improving commissioning plans, readiness gates, turnover processes, and testing sequences. 
• Strong understanding of first-pass testing success, retest reduction, and issue closure discipline. 
• Experience leading recovery efforts for delayed startups, failed tests, or incomplete turnovers. 
• Experience working with general contractors, trade partners, OEM vendors, commissioning agents, and operations teams. 
• Certifications or training in commissioning, electrical/mechanical systems, construction management, project management, or safety are a plus. .

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