E&I Senior Commissioning Manager

KODIAK Construction Recruiting & Staffing; Odessa (TX); On-site; USD 110,000 - 117,000; Full time

Job summary

KODIAK Construction Recruiting & Staffing seeks a Senior Commissioning Manager for Electrical & Instrumentation to lead field commissioning across West Texas sites. You will direct testing, energization, startup, and turnover, coordinating with OEMs, vendors, and client reps.

The role requires extensive E&I expertise, strong leadership, and flexibility for extended hours, weekends, and travel to project sites.

Qualifications

• 12+ years of industrial electrical, instrumentation, controls, commissioning, or startup experience.
• 5+ years leading E&I commissioning teams on major industrial, oil & gas, petrochemical, or power generation projects.
• Proven experience taking complex E&I systems from construction completion through testing, energization, startup, and turnover.
• Strong technical knowledge of medium- and low-voltage electrical distribution and DCS, PLC, SCADA, SIS, ESD, and fire-and-gas systems.
• Thorough understanding of LOTO, electrical switching, energized work, and commissioning risk management.
• Ability to interpret electrical single-line diagrams, P&IDs, loop diagrams, logic diagrams, and vendor documentation.
• Experience managing OEM representatives, third-party testing agencies, and multidisciplinary commissioning teams.
• Strong field leadership, troubleshooting, communication, and client coordination skills.
• Valid driver’s license and ability to meet project site access requirements.
• Availability for extended hours, weekends, shutdown coverage, and project travel.

Responsibilities

• Lead E&I commissioning strategy, staffing, scheduling, procedures, and execution from mechanical completion through startup and final turnover.
• Oversee testing and energization of medium- and low-voltage distribution, switchgear, MCCs, transformers, generators, UPS and battery systems, and protective relays.
• Direct commissioning of DCS, PLC, SCADA, SIS, ESD, fire-and-gas systems.
• Manage loop checks, I/O checkout, functional testing, and system readiness verification.
• Develop and enforce energization procedures, LOTO, and zero-energy verification requirements.
• Review and approve energization packages and lead pre-energization inspections and walkdowns.
• Coordinate construction, engineering, safety, operations, vendors, OEMs, testing agencies, and client representatives.
• Lead daily commissioning meetings, resolve field constraints, and communicate priorities, progress, and risks.
• Maintain test records, redlines, as-built drawings, calibration records, loop documentation, and turnover packages.
• Drive punch-list resolution and verify completion of outstanding items before system acceptance.

Job description

Senior Commissioning Manager – Electrical & Instrumentation

Location: Odessa, TX / West Texas Project Sites

Employment Type: Full-Time, Contract, or Contract-to-Hire

Compensation: $80-85hr

Schedule: Extended hours, weekends, shutdown coverage, and travel as required

We are seeking an experienced Senior Commissioning Manager – Electrical & Instrumentation (E&I) to lead commissioning, testing, energization, startup, and final turnover of complex industrial facilities throughout West Texas.

This hands-on field leadership role oversees the full E&I commissioning program from mechanical completion through client acceptance. The ideal candidate brings strong technical expertise, experience directing field testing, and proven leadership in active construction and startup environments.

Key Responsibilities

• Lead E&I commissioning strategy, staffing, scheduling, procedures, and execution from mechanical completion through startup and final turnover.
• Oversee testing and energization of medium- and low-voltage distribution, switchgear, motor control centers (MCCs), transformers, generators, UPS and battery systems, and protective relays.
• Direct commissioning of DCS, PLC, SCADA, safety instrumented systems (SIS), emergency shutdown systems (ESD), fire-and-gas systems, and process instrumentation.
• Manage loop checks, I/O checkout, functional testing, and system readiness verification.
• Develop and enforce energization procedures, electrical switching plans, lockout/tagout (LOTO), and zero-energy verification requirements.
• Review and approve energization packages and lead pre-energization inspections and walkdowns.
• Coordinate construction, engineering, safety, operations, vendors, original equipment manufacturers (OEMs), third-party testing agencies, and client representatives.
• Lead daily commissioning meetings, resolve field constraints, and communicate priorities, progress, and risks.
• Enforce OSHA, NFPA 70E, NEC, and project safety requirements; exercise stop-work authority when conditions are unsafe or documentation is incomplete.
• Maintain test records, redlines, as-built drawings, calibration records, loop documentation, and turnover packages.
• Drive punch-list resolution and verify completion of outstanding items before system acceptance.
• Integrate commissioning activities into Level 3/4 project schedules and provide progress updates, forecasts, and recovery plans.

Required Qualifications

• 12+ years of industrial electrical, instrumentation, controls, commissioning, or startup experience.
• 5+ years leading E&I commissioning teams on major industrial, oil & gas, petrochemical, or power generation projects.
• Proven experience taking complex E&I systems from construction completion through testing, energization, startup, and turnover.
• Strong technical knowledge of medium- and low-voltage electrical distribution and DCS, PLC, SCADA, SIS, ESD, and fire-and-gas systems.
• Thorough understanding of LOTO, electrical switching, energized work, and commissioning risk management.
• Ability to interpret electrical single-line diagrams, P&IDs, loop diagrams, logic diagrams, and vendor documentation.
• Experience managing OEM representatives, third-party testing agencies, and multidisciplinary commissioning teams.
• Strong field leadership, troubleshooting, communication, and client coordination skills.
• Valid driver’s license and ability to meet project site access requirements.
• Availability for extended hours, weekends, shutdown coverage, and project travel.

Preferred Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Electrical Engineering, Instrumentation Engineering, or Construction Management; equivalent field experience accepted.
• Journeyman or Master Electrician license, Professional Engineer (PE) registration, or Certified Commissioning Professional credential.
• OSHA 30 certification and current NFPA 70E training.
• Previous West Texas or Permian Basin project experience.
• Experience with brownfield construction, shutdowns, and tie-ins.