Data Center Commissioning Project Manager

Pkaza•Elk Grove Village, IL

About The Position

The Commissioning Project Manager will manage regional commissioning operations and projects for large data centers and other mission-critical facilities. The role oversees commissioning agents and technical staff, ensures organizational standards and quality-control procedures are followed, validates and documents client systems, and serves as a regional technical resource for commissioning issues. The position involves coordination with clients, contractors, vendors, suppliers, testing technicians, and internal teams, as well as project delivery, business development, and client relationship management. Travel of 25–50% is expected unless the employee is local to the Chicago project location. The employer is described as a regional data center commissioning boutique providing commissioning, consulting, and management services for enterprise, colocation, and hyperscale data center projects. Its work focuses on reliability, energy efficiency, and sustainability. The opportunity includes projects involving leading-edge technology and innovation, with competitive salaries and benefits.

Requirements

Hands-on experience managing data center or critical facilities projects with an A/E, MEP, or commissioning (CxA) company.
Previous data center or mission-critical experience.
5 to 10 or more years of experience in electrical, mechanical, or controls commissioning.
Experience with Level 1–5 commissioning.
Experience managing commissioning teams and developing plans for large-scale commissioning projects.
Strong written and verbal communication skills; the role requires substantial writing, documentation, and client interaction.
Strong organizational, communication, and reporting skills.
Computer proficiency, including Microsoft Project and Excel, and the ability to create complex reports and forecast models.
Open to 25–50% travel unless local to the Chicago project location.

Nice To Haves

Experience with IEEE and ASHRAE procedures and protocols.
Field experience operating and applying power quality analyzers, power disturbance analyzers, data loggers, and related system-testing equipment.
Basic knowledge of systems design for various projects.
Bachelor’s degree in Electrical or Mechanical Engineering.
Professional Engineer (P.E.) license or LEED accreditation.
PMP certification.
Project management experience in the consulting engineering industry.
Client relationship, client management, client engagement, or business development experience, including creating RFPs.
Military experience in electrical or mechanical fields, including relevant experience in the Navy, Seabees, Army power generation, Air Force power production, generator technology, maritime, or Coast Guard.

Responsibilities

Manage commissioning projects staffed by onsite commissioning agents at customer data center sites.
Lead technical staff and commissioning agents by providing direction, monitoring effectiveness, and providing leadership.
Coordinate with organizational functional areas, contractors, internal and external team members, customers, and suppliers.
Interface with clients to define project requirements and manage client relationships and expectations through in-person, phone, and email communication.
Establish project work plans and deadlines, and manage multiple projects.
Champion commissioning reports and produce requests for proposals (RFPs).
Facilitate client meetings and presentations aligned with project objectives.
Track project progress against goals, objectives, timelines, and budgets; generate reports and monitor project costs and financial forecasts.
Manage business development for new and future projects in the region.
Oversee project delivery, including quality control, staffing, and profit-and-loss budget management, while following industry best practices.
Execute project assignments and interface with contractors, vendors, testing technicians, and other company teams.
Manage staff and provide technical support to the local commissioning team.
Ensure compliance with commissioning standards for equipment pre-startup and startup, standard operating procedures (SOPs), methods of procedures (MOPs), and commissioning documentation.
Assist with field troubleshooting of commissioned equipment as needed.
Ensure commissioning processes and standards are followed, including test procedures and reports, logs, equipment checklists, and other project tracking tools.
Oversee preparation of comprehensive reports, including building operations recommendations, functional checklists, deficiency lists, and equipment operation and maintenance manuals.
Ensure teams review design criteria, specifications, drawings, equipment submittals, and other documentation relevant to commissioning.
Oversee integrated systems testing, load bank testing, compilation of test results, functional testing of building MEP systems, system assembly, and commissioning plan preparation.
Follow company quality-control processes and verify commissioning test results and reports.