Commissioning Professional (Startup Specialist 3)

Los Alamos National Laboratory; Los Alamos (NM); On-site; USD 120,000 - 150,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Medical insurance

Dental and vision insurance

Award-winning 401(k) matching

Tuition assistance

Flexible PTO and holidays

Relocation assistance

Job summary

Los Alamos National Laboratory is seeking a commissioning specialist to plan and run turnover, commissioning and startup activities for capital projects across LANL's campus. You will translate design intent into testable criteria and coordinate safe field execution with construction and operations partners.

You will develop plans, verification checklists, and functional test procedures, direct or witness testing, and deliver final commissioning reports while guiding subcontracted providers and

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in engineering or scientific discipline with 8 years of related experience, or an equivalent combination.
• Experience applying structured commissioning processes and deliverables.
• Knowledge of building automation systems, data acquisition, and controls sequence verification.
• Experience in regulated, high-consequence environments with strong QA expectations.

Responsibilities

• Plan and execute turnover, commissioning and startup activities for capital projects onsite.
• Develop commissioning plans, verification checklists, and functional test procedures.
• Witness testing and coordinate turnover with project leadership and operations.
• Provide oversight to subcontracted commissioning providers and support training handoff to operations.
• Prepare commissioning deliverables and final test summaries.

Skills

Commissioning planning

Test procedures

Safety leadership

Documentation

Communication

Vendor coordination

Project coordination

Education

Bachelor's degree in engineering or science

8 years related experience

Tools

BCxA CCP

ACG CxA/CxT

Job description

What You Will Do

You will plan and execute turnover, commissioning and startup activities for capital projects across Los Alamos National Laboratory's campus, supporting everything from HVAC and instrumentation and controls upgrades to new research laboratories and utility infrastructure. Working within the Construction Project Execution - Project Completion and Startup Group, LANL's Startup, Turnover, and Commissioning Services organization, you will translate design intent into testable acceptance criteria, coordinate safe field execution with construction and operations partners, and produce clear documentation that demonstrates systems are ready to support mission work.

In this role, you will review design and construction deliverables for testability, operability, and maintainability; develop commissioning plans, verification checklists, and functional performance test procedures; direct or witness testing as the test director; coordinate turnover and sequencing with project and construction leadership; manage issues resolution through closeout; and deliver final commissioning / test summary reporting. You may also provide oversight and technical guidance to subcontracted commissioning providers and support training handoff to operations.

What You Need

• Commissioning and startup execution: Ability to plan and conduct pre-commissioning, functional performance testing, and initial operation activities for mechanical, electrical, and/or instrumentation and controls systems, ensuring work is performed safely, efficiently, and in alignment with scope, schedule, and budget.
• Engineered systems knowledge: Working knowledge of equipment operation, applicable codes and standards, and design criteria, with the ability to interpret drawings and specifications, develop test procedures, and evaluate results against defined acceptance criteria and design intent.
• Design and constructability review: Demonstrated capability to review design packages and construction submittals, identify operability/maintainability risks, and provide actionable comments that improve testability, safety, and long-term operations outcomes.
• Project integration and vendor coordination: Skill coordinating across engineering, construction, project management, operations, subcontractors, and vendors to sequence turnover, resolve issues, and maintain clear configuration and documentation control throughout commissioning.
• Safety leadership and compliance: Ability to lead work with a zero-accident mindset, comply with site safety and security requirements, and stop work when conditions are unsafe or could compromise security.
• Communication and documentation: Ability to produce and present commissioning deliverables, including commissioning plans, checklists, functional test procedures, issues logs, and final commissioning or test summary reports.
• Training/Certifications: Commissioning credentials (or progress toward certification) such as BCxA Certified Commissioning Professional (CCP) / Associate Commissioning Professional (ACP), ACG Certified Commissioning Authority (CxA) / Certified Commissioning Technician (CxT), or similar are desirable. Awarded commissioning certifications recognized by the U.S. Department of Energy are a plus.
• Education/Experience: Bachelor's degree in an engineering or scientific discipline from an accredited institution and 8 years of directly related experience, or an equivalent combination of education and experience.

Desired Qualifications

• Experience applying structured commissioning processes and deliverables (e.g., commissioning plans, verification checklists, functional performance tests, issues management, training coordination, and turnover and closeout documentation) consistent with industry guidance (BCxA, ACG, and ASHRAE).
• Experience with building automation systems, data acquisition, trending, and controls sequence verification to support functional testing and troubleshooting.
• Familiarity with high-performance building delivery approaches such as LEED and Department of Energy high-performance sustainable building guiding principles.
• Experience working in regulated, high-consequence, or mission-critical environments with strong quality assurance expectations.
• Department of Energy Q clearance.

Work Environment

Work Location: The work location for this position is onsite and located in Los Alamos, NM. All work locations are at the discretion of management.

Work Schedule: This position primarily supports day-shift work. Project milestones may require extended hours, overtime, and occasional off-shift or weekend coverage to support critical turnover and testing windows.

Essential Job Functions (can perform with or without reasonable accommodation)

• Ability to speak and discriminate speech
• hear in a normal range
• sit, stand, climb stairs and ladders
• bend, crouch, twist
• reach overhead
• grip and use a keyboard
• lift and carry 10-20 pounds
• work outdoors
• work overtime or irregular schedule
• work off-shift/rotating schedule
• operate motor vehicles
• work in noisy environments
• work near sources of ionizing and non-ionizing radiation
• wear required personal protective equipment (e.g., head, eye, and hearing protection)

Position Commitment

Regular appointment employees are required to serve a period of continuous service in their current position in order to be eligible to apply for posted jobs throughout the Laboratory. If an employee has not served the time required, they may only apply for Laboratory jobs with the documented approval of their Division Leader. The position commitment for this position is 1 year.

Where You Will Work

Located in beautiful northern New Mexico, Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL) is a multidisciplinary research institution engaged in strategic science on behalf of national security.

• PPO or High Deductible medical insurance with the same large nationwide network
• Dental and vision insurance
• Free basic life and disability insurance
• Paid childbirth and parental leave
• Award-winning 401(k) (6% matching plus 3.5% annually)
• Learning opportunities and tuition assistance
• Flexible schedules and time off (PTO and holidays)
• Onsite gyms and wellness programs
• Extensive relocation packages (outside a 50 mile radius)

Additional Details

Directive 206.2: Employment with Triad requires a favorable decision by NNSA indicating employee is suitable under NNSA Supplemental Directive 206.2. Please note that this requirement applies only to citizens of the United States. Foreign nationals are subject to a similar requirement under DOE Order 142.3A.

Clearance

Q (Position will be cleared to this level). Selected applicants will be subject to a background investigation conducted by or on behalf of the Federal Government, and must meet eligibility requirements* for access to classified matter. This position requires a Q clearance. and obtaining such clearance requires US Citizenship except in extremely rare circumstances. Dependent upon the position, additional authorization to access classified information may be required, which may or may not be available to dual citizens. Receipt of a Q clearance and additional access authorization ultimately is a decision of the Federal Government and not of Triad.

• Eligibility requirements: To obtain a clearance, an individual must be at least 18 years of age; U.S. citizenship is required except in very limited circumstances. See DOE Order 472.2 for additional information.

New-Employment Drug Test

The Laboratory requires successful applicants to complete a new-employment drug test and maintains a substance abuse policy that includes random drug testing. Although New Mexico and other states have legalized the use of marijuana, use and possession of marijuana remain illegal under federal law. A positive drug test for marijuana will result in termination of employment, even if the use was pre-offer.

Regular Position

Term status Laboratory employees applying for regular-status positions are converted to regular status.

Equal Opportunity

Los Alamos National Laboratory is an equal opportunity employer and supports a diverse and inclusive workforce. All employment practices are based on qualification and merit, without regard to race, color, national origin, ancestry, religion, age, sex, gender identity, sexual orientation, marital status or spousal affiliation, physical or mental disability, medical conditions, pregnancy, status as a protected veteran, genetic information, or citizenship within the limits imposed by federal laws and regulations. The Laboratory is also committed to making our workplace accessible to individuals with disabilities and will provide reasonable accommodations, upon request, for individuals to participate in the application and hiring process. To request such an accommodation, please send an email to [e-mail] or call 1-505-664-6947 option 2.