Commissioning Lead Austin

TAR; Austin (TX); On-site; USD 120,000 - 180,000; Full time

Job summary

TAR is seeking a Commissioning Lead in Austin to own testing, startup, and performance validation for utility-scale microgrids. The role involves leading field efforts across hundreds of MW of solar and grid-forming storage, from construction completion to reliable operation.

You will develop hot and cold commissioning plans, manage staffing and resources, and ensure safe, high-quality handovers to operations. Expect extensive travel to our West Texas site and close collaboration with OEMs.

Qualifications

• 10+ years of commissioning utility-scale power projects.
• 3+ years in a manager or lead role.
• Experience with multi-hundred MW solar and BESS.
• Strong understanding of AC/DC electrical systems.
• Willingness to travel heavily to remote West Texas site.

Responsibilities

• Lead testing, startup, and performance validation for utility-scale islanded microgrids, taking hundreds of MW of solar and grid-forming storage from construction complete to reliable operation.
• Develop and execute hot and cold commissioning plans and procedures, from pre-functional checks through full-system energization and performance testing.
• Create staffing plans covering FTEs and contracted support, and manage all commissioning resources against an aggressive energization schedule.
• Provide field quality assurance reviews during construction so defects are caught and corrected before they reach startup.
• Perform handover walkdowns and manage punchlists to closure with construction, OEM, and operations teams.
• Feed commissioning and test data back to our power systems engineers and Tier-1 OEMs to validate system models and tune inverter and battery control settings.
• Enforce all site safety policies as the campus transitions from an active construction site to a live electrical plant.

Skills

Commissioning leadership

Field testing

Electrical systems

Travel willingness

Job description

TAR’s mission is to power intelligence for the world. We are building the world’s first off-grid power plant for data centers powered by renewable technologies.

We firmly believe AI should be built in the US for the benefit of all people. For that, power must be fast, clean and scalable. We are singularly focused on delivering GW-scale power faster than anyone has ever done, by rethinking every layer of the stack.

We vertically integrate to solve every bottleneck, from racking systems to power electronics to dispatch algorithms to on-site construction.

Leave your mark on the future of civilization-scale energy infrastructure.

Company

TAR is both a hardware and software company, we are building out massive, critical, physical infrastructure. TAR is working directly with one of the largest compute providers to scale and deploy 5GWs by 2028.

• High ownership. High Agency. Own project end-to-end. Great people don’t need to be managed.
• Speed. We achieve great things on incredible timelines. We push ourselves to go faster.
• First principles. No ego. No hierarchy. Challenge every assumption.
• Passion. Solving the energy problem is one of the largest challenges that faces the world now and in the future.

About the role

As Commissioning Lead, you own testing, startup, and performance validation for our utility-scale microgrids, from hot and cold commissioning plans through energization, performance testing, and handover to operations. This is a senior leadership seat for someone with a decade of field experience. You are based in Austin and should expect heavy travel, with most field work at our site in remote West Texas.

Responsibilities

• Lead testing, startup, and performance validation for our utility-scale islanded microgrids, taking hundreds of MW of solar and grid-forming storage from construction complete to reliable operation.
• Develop and execute hot and cold commissioning plans and procedures, from pre-functional checks through full-system energization and performance testing.
• Create staffing plans covering FTEs and contracted support, and manage all commissioning resources against an aggressive energization schedule.
• Provide field quality assurance reviews during construction so defects are caught and corrected before they reach startup.
• Perform handover walkdowns and manage punchlists to closure with construction, OEM, and operations teams.
• Feed commissioning and test data back to our power systems engineers and Tier-1 OEMs to validate system models and tune inverter and battery control settings.
• Enforce all site safety policies as the campus transitions from an active construction site to a live electrical plant.

Qualifications

• 10+ years of experience commissioning and starting up utility-scale power projects, including 3+ years in a manager or lead role.
• Track record leading commissioning for multi-hundred-megawatt renewable projects, including both solar and BESS.
• Thorough understanding of AC and DC electrical systems.
• Hands-on experience troubleshooting electrical systems and communications networks in the field.
• Willingness to travel heavily and spend sustained time at our site in remote West Texas.

Nice to have

• Commissioning experience on microgrid or black-start projects (strongly preferred).
• Experience with wind turbines.
• Experience with natural gas turbines or reciprocating engines.
• Understanding of L&M procedures.
• Experience with substations.
• Experience building internal commissioning teams from 0 to 1