Commissioning Engineer

Job Title: Commissioning Engineer

Job Description

The commissioning engineer will use a strong mechanical experience and experience in mission-critical and large, complex facilities to plan, execute, and document commissioning activities for data centers and similar environments. This role focuses on ensuring that mechanical and related systems operate safely, reliably, and efficiently by developing procedures, performing functional testing, and optimizing building operations. The position requires frequent collaboration with internal teams, clients, contractors, and vendors to support successful project delivery across a variety of high-profile facilities.

Responsibilities

• Participate in daily commissioning activity meetings to plan, coordinate, and review ongoing work across multiple projects.

• Perform equipment pre-start-up procedures and verify that systems are installed, configured, and ready for safe operation.

• Develop standard operating procedures (SOPs) and Methods of Procedure (MOPs) for mechanical and related systems in mission-critical facilities.

• Prepare detailed commissioning test procedures and reports that clearly document methods, results, and findings.

• Develop and maintain commissioning logs, equipment checklists, and other tools to track commissioning progress and issues.

• Write comprehensive commissioning reports, including recommendations for optimizing building operations, functional checklists, lists of deficiencies, and summaries of equipment operation and maintenance requirements.

• Review design criteria, specifications, drawings, equipment submittals, and other documentation relevant to commissioning to ensure alignment with project requirements and industry standards.

• Develop and administer functional tests for a wide range of systems, including mechanical central chilled water plants, packaged rooftop units, boilers, chillers, computer room air conditioning units, and fire protection systems.

• Conduct integrated system testing and building management system testing, and compile all testing procedure results into clear documentation.

• Interface with clients, contractors, equipment vendors, owners’ representatives, and testing technicians to coordinate commissioning activities and resolve issues.

• Collaborate closely with internal engineering and design teams to align commissioning activities with overall project objectives.

• Execute project assignments in the field and office, ensuring that commissioning work meets quality, schedule, and safety expectations.

• Apply knowledge of IEEE procedures and protocols, where applicable, to commissioning processes and documentation.

• Support continuous improvement of commissioning practices by sharing lessons learned and contributing to internal standards and tools.

Essential Skills

• Mechanical experience with hands-on experience in commissioning mechanical systems and equipment.

• Experience working within hospitals, large and complex facilities, and mission-critical facilities such as data centers, telecommunications sites, or disaster recovery sites.

• Strong understanding of commissioning processes, including development of SOPs, MOPs, test procedures, and commissioning documentation.

• Ability to review and interpret design criteria, specifications, drawings, and equipment submittals related to commissioning.

• Experience developing and administering functional tests for mechanical central chilled water plants, packaged rooftop units, boilers, chillers, computer room air conditioning units, and fire protection systems.

• Basic knowledge of system design and mechanical engineering principles as they apply to building systems and mission-critical facilities.

• Good communication skills with the ability to interface effectively with clients, contractors, equipment vendors, owners’ agents, and internal teams.

• Experience in construction and commissioning activities in complex building environments.

• Commissioning certification or Professional Engineer (PE) credential.

• Familiarity with IEEE procedures and protocols.

• Ability to work extensively in the field, including extended stays on project sites and frequent travel.

Additional Skills & Qualifications

• Bachelor’s or Associate’s degree in a relevant engineering or technical discipline is a strong plus.

• Architecture/Engineering (A/E) experience on complex facilities or mission-critical projects is highly desirable.

• OSHA 10 or OSHA 30 certification is a plus and demonstrates a commitment to safety.

• Experience with control systems, mechanical design, mechanical engineering, and mechanical equipment in building and mission-critical environments.

• Prior experience in multi-discipline design-build settings is beneficial.

• Interest in obtaining certification with major technology companies; willingness to pursue a certification path that may take approximately one year.

• Strong organizational skills to maintain logs, checklists, and comprehensive commissioning records.

• Ability to work independently and as part of a multi-disciplinary team in fast-paced, project-driven environments.

Work Environment

The role involves working within a multi-discipline design-build environment that delivers a wide variety of project types, including hospitals, large and complex facilities, and mission-critical data centers. The culture emphasizes career growth, long-term employment, and continuous learning, with a strong record of employee longevity and advancement. There is a robust project backlog extending several years, providing consistent opportunities to engage in new and challenging work. The position requires significant travel, typically 60–65% of the time, with frequent assignments that may involve being on site for 2–3 weeks at a time before traveling to the next project. Work is performed in both office and field settings, including active construction sites and operational facilities, where the commissioning engineer will interact with engineering, design, contractors, vendors, and client teams. The environment is dynamic and project-focused, with an emphasis on safety, collaboration, and delivering high-quality commissioning services for complex building systems.

Job Type & Location

This is a Permanent position based out of Chicago, IL.

Pay and Benefits

The pay range for this position is $100000.00 - $180000.00/yr.

Profit Sharing, 401k, bonus, 4 salary evaluations a year

Workplace Type

This is a fully remote position.

Application Deadline

This position is anticipated to close on Jul 11, 2026.

About Actalent

Actalent is a global leader in engineering and sciences services and talent solutions. We help visionary companies advance their engineering and science initiatives through access to specialized experts who drive scale, innovation and speed to market. With a network of almost 20,000 consultants and 5,000 clients across the U.S., Canada, Asia and Europe, Actalent serves many of the Fortune 500. We are proud to be an Engineering News-Record (ENR) Top 500 Design Firm for our engineering design services and a ClearlyRated Best of Staffing® winner for both client and talent service.

The company is an equal opportunity employer and will consider all applications without regard to race, sex, age, color, religion, national origin, veteran status, disability, sexual orientation, gender identity, genetic information or any characteristic protected by law.

If you would like to request a reasonable accommodation, such as the modification or adjustment of the job application process or interviewing process due to a disability, please email View email address on click.appcast.io for other accommodation options.

San Francisco Fair Chance Ordinance: Pursuant to the San Francisco Fair Chance Ordinance, for all positions located in the city and county of San Francisco, we will consider for employment qualified applicants with arrest and conviction records.

Massachusetts Lie Detector: It is unlawful in Massachusetts to require or administer a lie detector test as a condition of employment or continued employment. An employer who violates this law shall be subject to criminal penalties and civil liability.

Use of Artificial Intelligence (AI): We may use Artificial Intelligence (AI) to support parts of our hiring process, including sourcing, screening, and evaluating candidates. AI helps assess applications and qualifications, but final decisions are made by our hiring team. By applying, you acknowledge and agree that your application may be reviewed using AI tools.