Lead Mechanical Commissioning Engineer - KSA

James L Williams Middle East; Riyadh; On-site; SAR 420,000 - 700,000; Full time

Job summary

James L Williams Middle East invites a seasoned Lead Mechanical Commissioning Engineer to spearhead the delivery of mission-critical Data Centre projects from planning through handover.

You will lead multidisciplinary teams, oversee IST, FAT/SAT, and ensure HVAC, chilled water, CRAH/CRAC systems, pumps and cooling towers meet safety and performance standards across all sites in the region.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Mechanical Engineering or related field.
• 10+ years in commissioning, MEP, or mission-critical facilities.
• At least 5 years on Data Centre projects.
• Experience with critical cooling infrastructure: HVAC, chilled water, CRAH/CRAC, pumps, towers.
• Knowledge of IST, commissioning methodologies, and redundancy concepts.
• Experience leading multidisciplinary testing activities.
• Familiarity with Uptime Institute commissioning practices.
• Professional certifications such as CxA, CCP, BCxP, PMP are a plus.
• Strong leadership, communication, and stakeholder management.

Responsibilities

• Lead and manage day-to-day mechanical commissioning activities on mission-critical Data Centre projects.
• Plan and execute commissioning programmes in line with project schedules, client requirements, and commissioning procedures.
• Lead the commissioning and testing of HVAC systems, chillers, CRAH/CRAC units, chilled water systems, pumps, cooling towers, heat exchangers, and associated mechanical systems.
• Provide technical leadership, mentoring, and guidance to commissioning engineers, technicians, specialist vendors, and contractors.
• Review system designs, operational philosophies, and installation readiness prior to commissioning.
• Lead and supervise Pre-Functional Inspections, FAT, SAT, FPT, and IST.
• Monitor testing progress, resolve technical issues, validate system performance, and ensure all deficiencies are closed prior to handover.
• Prepare and review commissioning reports, testing documentation, issue registers, punch lists, and turnover packages.
• Coordinate commissioning activities with clients, consultants, contractors, and equipment vendors to ensure successful project delivery.
• Support client training, operational readiness, and final system handover while promoting the highest standards of quality and safety throughout the commissioning process.

Skills

Project leadership

Cross-functional leadership

HVAC systems

Commissioning planning

Problem solving

Education

Bachelor's Degree in Mechanical Engineering

Tools

IST procedures

FAT/SAT processes

Punch lists management

Job description

James L Williams Middle East is seeking an experienced and driven Lead Mechanical Commissioning Engineer to join our Commissioning team and lead the successful delivery of mission-critical Data Centre projects.

This role is responsible for planning, coordinating, and leading all mechanical commissioning activities throughout the testing, startup, and handover phases. The successful candidate will provide technical leadership, manage multidisciplinary commissioning teams, and ensure critical mechanical systems are commissioned safely, efficiently, and in accordance with project specifications and client requirements.

Key Responsibilities

• Lead and manage day-to-day mechanical commissioning activities on mission-critical Data Centre projects.
• Plan and execute commissioning programmes in line with project schedules, client requirements, and commissioning procedures.
• Lead the commissioning and testing of HVAC systems, chillers, CRAH/CRAC units, chilled water systems, pumps, cooling towers, heat exchangers, and associated mechanical systems.
• Provide technical leadership, mentoring, and guidance to commissioning engineers, technicians, specialist vendors, and contractors.
• Review system designs, operational philosophies, and installation readiness prior to commissioning.
• Lead and supervise Pre-Functional Inspections, Factory Acceptance Tests (FAT), Site Acceptance Tests (SAT), Functional Performance Tests (FPT), and Integrated Systems Testing (IST).
• Monitor testing progress, resolve technical issues, validate system performance, and ensure all deficiencies are closed prior to handover.
• Prepare and review commissioning reports, testing documentation, issue registers, punch lists, and turnover packages.
• Coordinate commissioning activities with clients, consultants, contractors, and equipment vendors to ensure successful project delivery.
• Support client training, operational readiness, and final system handover while promoting the highest standards of quality and safety throughout the commissioning process.

Requirements

• Bachelor's Degree in Mechanical Engineering, Building Services Engineering, or a related discipline.
• Minimum 10 years of experience in commissioning, MEP systems, or mission-critical facilities.
• Minimum 5 years of commissioning experience on Data Centre projects (mandatory).
• Proven experience commissioning critical cooling infrastructure, including HVAC systems, chilled water systems, CRAH/CRAC units, cooling towers, pumps, and heat exchangers.
• Strong understanding of Integrated Systems Testing (IST), commissioning methodologies, and Data Centre redundancy concepts.
• Experience leading multidisciplinary testing activities and managing commissioning teams.
• Strong knowledge of Uptime Institute commissioning practices and industry standards.
• Professional certifications such as CxA, CCP, BCxP, Uptime ATD/ATS, or PMP will be an added advantage.
• Excellent leadership, troubleshooting, communication, and stakeholder management skills.