Commissioning Senior Manager (data centers)

Equinix • Redwood City, CA

3d • $136,000 - $245,000

About The Position

Equinix is hiring a Senior Manager, Commissioning, to lead commissioning planning and execution across large-scale greenfield data center developments and complex retrofit projects in live, mission-critical environments. The role partners with Construction, Operations, Engineering, customers, contractors, consultants, and equipment vendors to ensure new capacity is tested, validated, and ready for operation.

The position combines technical commissioning expertise, leadership, customer engagement, and program-level influence. The Senior Manager helps protect critical infrastructure and operational readiness while improving commissioning standards, testing approaches, vendor performance, project schedules, and lessons learned. The role also contributes to efficient infrastructure and Equinix’s broader sustainability objectives.

The position is based in the United States, with listed office locations in Dallas, Redwood City, and Chicago, and requires regional travel of up to 50%. The targeted annual base-pay ranges vary by location: $136,000–$204,000 in Dallas, $163,000–$245,000 in Redwood City, and $150,000–$224,000 in Chicago. Bonus eligibility applies, and equity may be offered depending on the position; these are not included in the base-pay ranges.

Requirements

• Significant experience commissioning complex, mission-critical infrastructure.
• Typically 7 or more years of data center commissioning experience, or equivalent experience in comparable mission-critical environments.
• Typically 3 or more years of leadership experience in a mission-critical, construction, engineering, or commissioning environment.
• Strong knowledge of electrical and mechanical systems and commissioning methodologies.
• Demonstrated experience developing and executing commissioning plans, Functional Performance Testing, and Factory Acceptance Testing.
• Experience leading external commissioning providers, consultants, contractors, and equipment vendors.
• Ability to manage multiple projects, priorities, and stakeholders in a fast-paced environment.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills, including presenting technical information, project status, risks, and recommendations to customers and senior stakeholders.
• Strong judgment and problem-solving skills, with the ability to drive issues to resolution in complex project environments.
• Ability to travel regionally up to 50%.

Nice To Haves

• Bachelor’s degree in Electrical Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, or a related technical discipline, or equivalent relevant experience.

Responsibilities

• Develop and execute commissioning plans and schedules across multiple data center projects and facilities.
• Lead commissioning activities for new-build projects and live mission-critical environments.
• Integrate commissioning requirements into project plans and milestones in partnership with Construction and Operations teams.
• Manage the regional short- and medium-term commissioning pipeline for resource and capacity planning.
• Develop electrical and mechanical Functional Performance Test procedures and Factory Acceptance Test procedures.
• Maintain commissioning logs, equipment checklists, test documentation, and project tracking tools.
• Support commissioning project budgeting and forecasting.
• Identify opportunities to strengthen Critical Environment and commissioning programs.
• Help ensure infrastructure and critical systems are thoroughly tested and ready for safe, reliable operation.
• Identify commissioning risks, deficiencies, and testing challenges early and drive them toward resolution.
• Track equipment startup and testing trends and work with equipment vendors to improve future performance.
• Translate lessons learned into practical improvements for future projects.
• Serve as a senior commissioning contact for customers throughout the commissioning lifecycle.
• Present commissioning progress, milestones, risks, and readiness status to customers and internal stakeholders.
• Partner with project teams to support Ready for Sales (RFS) commitments.
• Lead resolution and communication of commissioning-related customer escalations.
• Develop standardized commissioning scopes, schedules, and testing approaches based on project and customer requirements.
• Improve commissioning processes, tools, standards, and execution using project data and lessons learned.
• Provide internal and external reporting on commissioning progress, risks, milestones, and project readiness.
• Prepare test procedures, commissioning reports, functional checklists, deficiency tracking, and operational recommendations.
• Contribute commissioning data and insights to analytics, metrics, and performance reporting.
• Communicate complex technical information to support business and project decisions.
• Lead and manage commissioning consultants and other external resources.
• Develop project-specific commissioning RFPs, manage bid clarifications, evaluate proposals, and recommend consultant selections.
• Establish vendor performance expectations and KPIs.
• Conduct vendor performance and quarterly business reviews focused on quality, delivery, collaboration, and continuous improvement.
• Lead commissioning meetings and drive accountability for actions, risks, decisions, and milestones.
• Facilitate lessons-learned reviews and apply findings to future projects.

Benefits

• Employee Assistance Program.
• Health insurance options.
• Life insurance options.
• Disability insurance options.
• Voluntary insurance plans for employees and eligible family members.
• Retirement plan to which employees and Equinix may contribute.
• Accrued paid time off (PTO).
• Paid holidays.
• Bonus eligibility.
• Equity may be offered depending on the position.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Senior