Senior Commissioning Specialist

• Location : Duluth MN, Houston TX, Boston MA, Minneapolis MN, Cushing OK, or Salisbury MA

Raise is currently hiring a contract team member on behalf of our client. They’re expanding their team to meet growing needs, making this a unique opportunity to work with an industry leader.

Job Overview

The Senior Commissioning Specialist is responsible for the overall coordination, planning, and execution of project commissioning and start-up activities to ensure equipment and systems are fully prepared for safe, reliable operation. This role combines strategic planning with hands-on technical execution, requiring extensive field experience and the ability to independently perform commissioning activities. The successful candidate will work closely with project teams, construction personnel, operations staff, contractors, and stakeholders to manage commissioning deliverables, resolve technical issues, and ensure successful project turnover.

Key Responsibilities

• Coordinate and lead commissioning and start-up activities to ensure equipment readiness and operational reliability.
• Develop and execute comprehensive commissioning and start-up plans, including resource requirements, cost estimates, schedules, and execution strategies.
• Provide technical expertise during commissioning and start-up phases, identifying, troubleshooting, and resolving complex technical issues.
• Review and update commissioning procedures, check sheets, and related documentation to support continuous improvement initiatives.
• Participate in engineering design reviews across mechanical, process, electrical, and instrumentation disciplines to provide commissioning input.
• Coordinate and oversee field commissioning activities for projects of varying size and complexity through internal resources and third-party contractors.
• Independently perform commissioning activities for smaller projects, including equipment configuration, calibration, troubleshooting, startup, and functional testing.
• Apply hands-on technical expertise to commission, configure, wire, and test equipment and systems, including PLCs, instrumentation, control panels, and communication systems.
• Ensure commissioning activities are completed in accordance with established processes, procedures, safety requirements, and project objectives related to scope, schedule, cost, and quality.
• Track, manage, and resolve deficiencies identified throughout the commissioning process.
• Coordinate turnover activities between Construction, Commissioning, and Operations teams through detailed inspections, walkthroughs, documentation reviews, and deficiency management.
• Provide planning oversight for outage management activities associated with both greenfield and brownfield construction projects.
• Schedule and coordinate work activities to meet aggressive deadlines while maintaining safe work practices and compliance requirements.
• Manage and prioritize multiple projects and competing demands simultaneously.
• Foster effective working relationships with project teams, contractors, operations personnel, and other stakeholders to support successful project execution.
• Provide guidance, mentorship, and technical support to Commissioning Coordinators and other team members.

Scope & Impact

• Collaborate with project, construction, and operations teams to ensure commissioning issues are identified, addressed, and resolved efficiently.
• Support the safe and reliable operation of pipeline and facility assets through effective commissioning execution.
• Maintain strong working knowledge of industry safety practices, including permitting processes, Lock-Out/Tag-Out (LOTO), and electrical safety requirements.
• Establish and maintain productive relationships with field service contractors and specialized commissioning vendors.
• Provide leadership, direction, and technical influence to commissioning teams and stakeholders.
• Working Relationships
• Project Managers and Project Teams
• Construction Contractors
• Operations Personnel
• Engineering Disciplines (Mechanical, Process, Electrical, and Instrumentation)
• Third-Party Commissioning and Specialized Contractors

Qualifications

• Required
  • Technical College Diploma or Degree in Engineering Technology, Electrical, Instrumentation, Mechanical, Process, or a related technical discipline.
  • Minimum 10 years of technical experience in commissioning, construction, operations, maintenance, or a related field.
  • Demonstrated hands-on field experience as a technician, technologist, or engineer.
  • Strong working knowledge of applicable industry standards and codes, including API, NEC, CEC, CSA Z662, NFPA, and related regulations.
  • Experience commissioning and troubleshooting complex industrial equipment and control systems.
  • Strong understanding of project execution, commissioning methodologies, construction practices, and operational requirements.
  • Excellent interpersonal, communication, and stakeholder management skills.
  • Proven ability to lead and coordinate work independently across diverse teams and organizational levels.
  • Strong planning, organizational, and problem-solving capabilities.
  • Ability to manage multiple projects and priorities in a dynamic environment.
• Preferred
  • Previous commissioning experience within the oil and gas, pipeline, energy, or industrial sectors.
  • Hands-on experience with rotating and static equipment.
  • Experience working with PLCs, instrumentation systems, communication networks, and industrial control systems.
  • Experience overseeing third-party commissioning contractors and field service providers.

Working Conditions

• Primarily office-based with frequent travel to construction and operational sites throughout the United States.
• Travel requirements of approximately 20 to 30 days per quarter.
• Regular exposure to active construction and industrial work environments.
• Occasional extended work hours required to support project schedules, outages, start-ups, and operational priorities.
• Availability to provide after-hours support, including evenings and weekends, as needed for project execution and issue resolution (approximately 5 to 10 occurrences per quarter).

Core Competencies

• Technical Troubleshooting & Problem Resolution
• Project Planning & Coordination
• Contractor Management
• Safety & Regulatory Compliance
• Stakeholder Engagement
• Quality Assurance & Deficiency Management

Raise is an established hiring firm with over 65 years of experience. We believe strongly in making the world a better place through work, which is why we’re a certified B Corporation and donate 10% of our profits to charity.

We strive to build teams that reflect the diversity of the communities we work in. We encourage all qualified applicants to apply, including people from traditionally underrepresented groups such as women, visible minorities, Indigenous peoples, people identifying as LGBTQ2SI, veterans, and people with visible/nonvisible disabilities.

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