Commissioning & Ramp-up Manager

Waga Energy•Lower Merion Township, PA

About The Position

The Commissioning & Ramp-up Manager leads North American commissioning and ramp-up activities for WAGABOX units, taking mechanically complete units from construction handover through commissioning, first gas, and injection, then driving them toward contractual methane-recovery and availability targets and formal handover to Operations. This is a hands-on leadership role combining technical expertise, field execution, and sound decision-making under pressure. The role leads and develops the North American commissioning and ramp-up team, coordinates start-ups across multiple concurrent sites, and works with Project Delivery, Engineering, Operations, QHSE, vendors, and contractors to ensure site readiness, manage schedules, and support operator training. The position is based in Bala Cynwyd, Pennsylvania, and requires approximately 30% domestic travel, including overnight stays; some international travel may also be required.

Requirements

At least 8 years of experience, including at least 5 years commissioning gas or process plants.
A track record of leading field teams across multiple sites.
An engineering degree in chemical, process, or mechanical engineering, or an equivalent field.
Strong knowledge of gas treatment processes, including compression, adsorption, membranes, and cryogenics.
Hands-on experience troubleshooting process, equipment, and automation issues.
Ability to work with engineering documents such as P&IDs, PFDs, and line lists, and to manage vendors and contractors on site.
Strong understanding of process safety, including lockout/tagout, hazardous areas, and pressure testing.
Effective leadership, prioritization, and stakeholder communication skills.
Bilingual/native-level English proficiency.
Willingness to travel as needed, approximately 30% domestically including overnight stays, and to undertake site work; some international travel may also be required.

Responsibilities

Lead commissioning and start-up of WAGABOX units across North America, from construction handover through first gas and injection.
Drive each unit through ramp-up to achieve contractual methane-recovery and availability targets and handover to Operations.
Troubleshoot process, equipment, and automation issues and implement corrective actions to meet technical and economic targets.
Prioritize safety during start-up activities and ensure deviations and outstanding issues are documented and resolved.
Coordinate site readiness, start-up schedules, and operator training with Project Delivery, Engineering, Operations, QHSE, vendors, and contractors.
Lead and develop the North American commissioning and ramp-up team, fostering safety, rigor, and accountability.
Plan field resources across concurrent projects, balancing site coverage, travel, rotations, budgets, and sustainable workloads.
Capture lessons learned from start-ups and work with Engineering and Group Methods to improve future projects.