Mechanical Commissioning Project Manager
Mission-Critical Data Center Construction | Owner's Representative & Construction Management
LOCATION
Buffalo, NY (US) + Travel
TRAVEL
100% to active sites
EXPERIENCE
7+ years, mission-critical Cx
Position Summary
Vertex Innovations is seeking a Mechanical Commissioning Project Manager to lead the mechanical commissioning effort on large-scale, mission-critical data center construction projects. In this role you will serve as the senior commissioning authority for mechanical and cooling systems, coordinating the full commissioning lifecycle-from design review and factory witness testing through integrated systems testing (IST) and turnover-on behalf of our clients in an Owner's Representative and Construction Management capacity.
You will be the single point of accountability for mechanical commissioning quality, schedule, and documentation, working closely with general contractors, commissioning agents, equipment vendors, and the owner's operations team to verify that cooling and heat-rejection systems maintain critical environmental conditions and perform reliably under load before turnover and occupancy.
Key Responsibilities
Commissioning Leadership & Process
- Lead and own the mechanical commissioning program across all levels (Level 1 factory testing through Level 5 integrated systems testing) in accordance with the project commissioning plan, owner's project requirements (OPR), and basis of design (BOD).
- Develop, maintain, and enforce commissioning schedules that align with the overall construction sequence, ensuring mechanical commissioning milestones are integrated into the master project schedule.
- Author and review commissioning documentation including pre-functional checklists, functional performance test scripts, IST scripts, issues logs, and final commissioning reports.
- Chair commissioning meetings and provide regular status reporting to the owner, design team, and Vertex project leadership, escalating risks and deviations promptly.
Mechanical Systems & Testing
- Oversee commissioning of critical cooling infrastructure including air-cooled and water-cooled chiller plants, cooling towers, condenser and chilled-water pumping systems, CRAC/CRAH units, air handling units, and associated piping and valving.
- Commission advanced and high-density cooling systems such as economizer/free-cooling modes, glycol and waterside systems, coolant distribution units (CDUs), rear-door heat exchangers, and direct-to-chip / liquid cooling where applicable.
- Direct integrated thermal and load testing including load bank and thermal-load testing, "pull-the-plug" / loss-of-cooling and loss-of-utility scenarios, and failure-mode and recovery testing across redundancy configurations (N+1, 2N).
- Verify airflow management and environmental performance including hot/cold aisle containment, static pressure control, temperature and humidity setpoints, and compliance with ASHRAE TC 9.9 thermal guidelines.
- Validate BMS and controls integration confirming sequences of operation, monitoring, alarming, trending, and automatic failover perform correctly during normal, maintenance, and failure scenarios.
- Witness and document factory acceptance testing (FAT) at vendor facilities for chillers, CRAH/CRAC units, and CDUs, and reconcile findings with site acceptance testing (SAT).
Quality, Safety & Coordination
- Enforce QA/QC standards for mechanical installation and testing-including pipe flushing, hydrostatic and pressure testing, cleanliness, and TAB (testing, adjusting, and balancing) verification-ensuring nonconformances are tracked to closure.
- Champion jobsite safety during mechanical startup and testing, including lockout/tagout, confined-space and rigging procedures, and compliance with site safety protocols.
- Coordinate cross-discipline dependencies with electrical commissioning, controls, and the general contractor to sequence startup and integrated testing without schedule conflict.
- Manage commissioning data in Procore (or the project's designated platform), maintaining a complete, auditable record of checklists, test results, deficiencies, and turnover packages.
- Support turnover and closeout by assembling commissioning documentation, verifying training and as-built completion, and confirming operational readiness for the owner's facilities team.
Required Qualifications
- Bachelor's degree in Mechanical Engineering, Construction Management, or a related technical field-or equivalent combination of education and hands-on commissioning experience.
- Minimum of 7 years of experience in mechanical commissioning, HVAC/mechanical construction, or mission-critical facilities, with at least 3 years in a project management or commissioning lead role.
- Demonstrated experience commissioning data centers or comparable mission-critical environments (e.g., hospitals, semiconductor, pharmaceutical facilities).
- Thorough working knowledge of the Levels 1-5 commissioning process and integrated systems testing (IST) methodology.
- Strong command of mechanical cooling systems: chillers, cooling towers, pumps, CRAC/CRAH units, air handling, chilled- and condenser-water systems, and associated controls.
- Working knowledge of applicable codes and standards, including ASHRAE (TC 9.9 thermal guidelines and commissioning guidelines), the International Mechanical Code, and TAB procedures (AABC/NEBB).
- Proficiency with construction management and commissioning software, particularly Procore, and with the Microsoft 365 suite.
- Excellent written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to lead meetings and produce clear, client-ready documentation.
- Willingness to travel up to 75% to active project sites and the ability to work on-site at active construction environments.
Preferred Qualifications
- Recognized commissioning credential (e.g., BCxP, CxA, ACG/AABC CxA, or NEBB certification).
- Professional Engineer (PE) license in one or more U.S. states.
- Prior experience in an Owner's Representative or third-party commissioning capacity.
- Familiarity with hyperscale and colocation data center delivery standards and Uptime Institute Tier topologies.
- Experience commissioning high-density and liquid cooling systems (CDUs, rear-door heat exchangers, direct-to-chip).
Working Conditions & Physical Requirements
- Work is performed primarily on active data center construction sites, with exposure to typical construction conditions and operating mechanical equipment during startup and testing.
- Must be able to traverse construction sites, climb ladders and stairs, and access rooftops, mechanical rooms, and equipment yards; capable of lifting up to 25 pounds occasionally.
- Required to wear appropriate personal protective equipment (PPE) and comply with all site and electrical safety protocols.
- Extended hours, including occasional nights and weekends, may be required to support critical testing milestones.
