Commissioning Manager

Position Overview

GAI Consultants is seeking an experienced Commissioning Manager (Owner’s Representative). The Commissioning Manager serves as the Owner’s senior on-site representative for commissioning on mission-critical data center projects, providing independent, objective oversight of the entire commissioning process; the design team, the general contractor and its startup activities, and the third-party Commissioning Authority (CxA) verifying that systems are delivered in conformance with the Owner’s Project Requirements (OPR), the design, and program standards across the full L0–L6 lifecycle.

This is an authority-and-oversight role, not a delivery- or people-management role. The Commissioning Manager does not execute the contractor’s or CxA’s scope; the Commissioning Manager reviews, witnesses, challenges, and approves it on the Owner’s behalf. The position requires the technical depth to read a functional test script and judge its adequacy, to witness and interpret L4 functional performance testing and L5 integrated systems testing, and to hold the project team accountable to a rigorous, well-documented commissioning process through turnover and operational readiness.

Key Responsibilities

Owner’s Representation & Commissioning Oversight

• Act as the Owner’s single point of authority for commissioning on the project, providing independent, objective oversight of the design team, general contractor, startup contractors, and third-party CxA.
• Enforce the Owner’s commissioning standards, OPR, and program requirements; embed Owner expectations into the project’s commissioning process from design through turnover.
• Identify gaps early in the process and offer creative solutions to maintain milestone schedules.

Commissioning Process & Document Review

• Review and approve the commissioning plan, testing plans, test scripts (IVC, FPT, IST), schedules, and turnover documentation produced by the CxA and contractors before execution and before Owner acceptance.
• Participate in design and submittal reviews (L0–L1) to confirm commissioning feasibility and that Owner requirements are reflected in the design.

Test Witnessing & Verification (L2–L5)

• Witness and independently verify installation verification (L2), energization and startup (L3), functional performance testing (L4), and integrated systems testing (L5); validate results against acceptance criteria.
• Personally evaluate the technical adequacy of testing; sequence of operations, failure-mode scenarios, system interactions, and reject incomplete or non-conforming work.

Issue Escalation, Risk & Schedule

• Track commissioning progress, deficiencies, and risk against project milestones; escalate issues to Owner leadership and drive resolution and re-test verification.
• Represent the Owner’s commissioning interests in project meetings, protecting uptime, quality, and schedule across the owner–contractor–engineer dynamic.

Turnover & Operational Readiness

• Verify deficiency closeout, as-commissioned documentation, systems manuals, and operator training before recommending Owner acceptance and turnover to operations (L6).

Safety

• Verify field commissioning is conducted in compliance with NFPA 70E electrical safe work practices, lockout/tagout, and job-hazard-analysis discipline.

Working Conditions & Physical Requirements

• Up to 75% travel; sustained work in energized electrical environments with full NFPA 70E PPE compliance; confined spaces, heights, temperature extremes, and elevated noise
• Occasionally lift up to 50 lbs; climb ladders and stairs up to 12 floors; available for extended hours during critical testing milestones; valid driver's license required
• Sustained work in energized electrical environments requiring full PPE compliance with NFPA 70E at all times
• Ability to work in confined spaces, at heights, and in environments with elevated noise levels, temperature extremes, and limited lighting
• Availability to work extended hours, nights, and weekends during critical testing milestones and owner acceptance events
• Frequently required to sit for prolonged periods of time
• Occasionally required to stand, walk, climb stairs up to 12 floors, balance, stoop, kneel, crouch, or crawl

General Characteristics

• Independent and objective; comfortable challenging contractors, the CxA, and the design team while maintaining productive working relationships.
• Deep hands-on commissioning and testing judgment — can read a script, witness an IST, and know whether it