Lead Principal Data Center Commissioning

Oracle Corporation; Abilene (TX); On-site; USD 180,000 - 240,000; Full time

Job summary

Oracle Cloud Infrastructure (OCI) Hyperscale Data Center Delivery is seeking a Lead Principal Data Center Commissioning Engineer to lead site-level commissioning, startup, testing, turnover, and operation readiness for Abilene AI Data Center deployments in Texas.

This hands-on leadership role requires strong field presence and the ability to coach commissioning teams while supporting critical startup activities.

Qualifications

• 10+ years in data center commissioning or related startup/turnover
• Experience leading commissioning, testing, startup, or readiness
• Strong understanding of electrical, mechanical, controls, life safety, and integrated systems
• Ability to identify commissioning risks, system readiness gaps, and turnover issues in the field
• Experience with functional testing, integrated systems testing, energization readiness, and operational handoff
• Strong coordination across construction, vendors, commissioning, controls, safety, and operations
• Ability to manage issue logs, readiness trackers, test documentation, and turnover deliverables
• Strong field leadership presence and ability to influence without direct authority
• Ability to coach and develop commissioning personnel
• Strong communication, escalation, and problem-solving skills
• Willingness to maintain significant onsite presence during turnover and startup phases

Responsibilities

• Lead commissioning, startup, testing, and turnover activities for assigned scopes.
• Coordinate startup sequencing with construction, vendors, controls, safety, commissioning, and operations teams.
• Support energization readiness, functional testing, and integrated systems testing.
• Validate system readiness before testing, turnover, and operational acceptance.
• Lead readiness reviews, commissioning coordination meetings, and startup planning sessions.
• Track commissioning issues, risks, deficiencies, and recovery actions through closure.
• Escalate startup, readiness, and turnover risks quickly and clearly.
• Ensure turnover documentation, test records, and readiness evidence are complete and accurate.
• Maintain strong daily field presence during startup, testing, and turnover periods.
• Walk systems and turnover areas to verify readiness, progress, and risk conditions.
• Support safe execution of commissioning, energization, and integrated testing activities.
• Coach and mentor Commissioning Managers, field engineers, vendors, and startup personnel.
• Reinforce commissioning standards, accountability, and consistent execution across teams.
• Support operational handoff and ensure systems are ready for reliable operation.
• Capture lessons learned and recommend improvements for future delivery.

Job description

ABOUT THE ROLE:

Oracle Cloud Infrastructure (OCI) - Hyperscale Data center Delivery organization is searching for a Lead Principal Data Center Commissioning Engineer to lead the site-level commissioning, startup, testing, turnover, and operation AI readiness for assigned data center campuses, buildings, or systems at OCI's Abilene AI Data Center and Oracle's new Data Center Construction in Shackelford, Texas. This role acts as the field bridge between the Commissioning Director, Commissioning Managers, construction teams, vendors, controls teams, and operations. The Commissioning Lead ensures systems are ready, tested, documented, and successfully turned over to operations. This is a hands‑on leadership role requiring strong field presence, disciplined execution, and the ability to coach commissioning teams while directly supporting critical startup activities.

This role is located in Abilene, TX supporting OCI's AI Data Center Infrastructure and the Oracle Data Center in Shackelford, Texas. Candidates currently residing in the Dallas‑Fort Worth area may be considered, provided they are willing and able to travel up to 50% of the time. Oracle will offer relocation packages to eligible candidates.

Internal Responsibilities

• Lead commissioning, startup, testing, and turnover activities for assigned scopes.
• Coordinate startup sequencing with construction, vendors, controls, safety, commissioning, and operations teams.
• Support energization readiness, functional testing, and integrated systems testing.
• Validate system readiness before testing, turnover, and operational acceptance.
• Lead readiness reviews, commissioning coordination meetings, and startup planning sessions.
• Track commissioning issues, risks, deficiencies, and recovery actions through closure.
• Escalate startup, readiness, and turnover risks quickly and clearly.
• Ensure turnover documentation, test records, and readiness evidence are complete and accurate.
• Maintain strong daily field presence during startup, testing, and turnover periods.
• Walk systems and turnover areas to verify readiness, progress, and risk conditions.
• Support safe execution of commissioning, energization, and integrated testing activities.
• Coach and mentor Commissioning Managers, field engineers, vendors, and startup personnel.
• Reinforce commissioning standards, accountability, and consistent execution across teams.
• Support operational handoff and ensure systems are ready for reliable operation.
• Capture lessons learned and recommend improvements for future delivery.

Qualifications:

• 10+ years of experience in data center commissioning, mission critical startup, construction turnover, or complex infrastructure delivery.
• Experience leading commissioning, testing, startup, or operational readiness activities.
• Strong understanding of data center electrical, mechanical, controls, life safety, and integrated systems.
• Ability to identify commissioning risks, system readiness gaps, and turnover issues in the field.
• Experience with functional testing, integrated systems testing, energization readiness, and operational handoff.
• Strong coordination skills across construction, vendors, commissioning, controls, safety, and operations.
• Ability to manage issue logs, readiness trackers, test documentation, and turnover deliverables.
• Strong field leadership presence and ability to influence without direct authority.
• Ability to coach and develop commissioning personnel.
• Strong communication, escalation, and problem‑solving skills.
• Ability to work in a fast‑paced, schedule‑driven environment.
• Willingness to maintain significant onsite presence, especially during turnover and startup phases.

Preferred Qualifications

• Hyperscale, cloud, colocation, or mission critical data center experience.
• Experience on large campus or multi‑building data center delivery programs.
• Background in commissioning leadership, startup management, systems integration, or operational readiness.
• Experience with major electrical systems, mechanical systems, BMS/EPMS, controls, and life safety systems.
• Familiarity with energization planning, LOTO, commissioning safety practices, and MOP review.
• Experience improving commissioning plans, readiness gates, turnover processes, and testing sequences.
• Strong understanding of first pass testing success, retest reduction, and issue closure discipline.
• Experience leading recovery efforts for delayed startups, failed tests, or incomplete turnovers.
• Experience working with general contractors, trade partners, OEM vendors, commissioning agents, and operations teams.
• Preferred Certifications or training include:
  • Certified Commissioning Profession (CCP)
  • Certified Commissioning Authority (CxA)
  • Uptime Institute ATD or AOS
  • OSHA 30
  • NFPA 70E electrical safety training
  • PMP
  • ASQ quality -related certifications

External Responsibilities

• Lead commissioning, startup, testing, and turnover activities for assigned scopes.
• Coordinate startup sequencing with construction, vendors, controls, safety, commissioning, and operations teams.
• Support energization readiness, functional testing, and integrated systems testing.
• Validate system readiness before testing, turnover, and operational acceptance.
• Lead readiness reviews, commissioning coordination meetings, and startup planning sessions.
• Track commissioning issues, risks, deficiencies, and recovery actions through closure.
• Escalate startup, readiness, and turnover risks quickly and clearly.
• Ensure turnover documentation, test records, and readiness evidence are complete and accurate.
• Maintain strong daily field presence during startup, testing, and turnover periods.
• Walk systems and turnover areas to verify readiness, progress, and risk conditions.
• Support safe execution of commissioning, energization, and integrated testing activities.
• Coach and mentor Commissioning Managers, field engineers, vendors, and startup personnel.
• Reinforce commissioning standards, accountability, and consistent execution across teams.
• Support operational handoff and ensure systems are ready for reliable operation.
• Capture lessons learned and recommend improvements for future delivery.

Qualifications:

• 10+ years of experience in data center commissioning, mission critical startup, construction turnover, or complex infrastructure delivery.
• Experience leading commissioning, testing, startup, or operational readiness activities.
• Strong understanding of data center electrical, mechanical, controls, life safety, and integrated systems.
• Ability to identify commissioning risks, system readiness gaps, and turnover issues in the field.
• Experience with functional testing, integrated systems testing, energization readiness, and operational handoff.
• Strong coordination skills across construction, vendors, commissioning, controls, safety, and operations.
• Ability to manage issue logs, readiness trackers, test documentation, and turnover deliverables.
• Strong field leadership presence and ability to influence without direct authority.
• Ability to coach and develop commissioning personnel.
• Strong communication, escalation, and problem‑solving skills.
• Ability to work in a fast‑paced, schedule‑driven environment.
• Willingness to maintain significant onsite presence, especially during turnover and startup phases.

Preferred Qualifications

• Hyperscale, cloud, colocation, or mission critical data center experience.
• Experience on large campus or multi‑building data center delivery programs.
• Background in commissioning leadership, startup management, systems integration, or operational readiness.
• Experience with major electrical systems, mechanical systems, BMS/EPMS, controls, and life safety systems.
• Familiarity with energization planning, LOTO, commissioning safety practices, and MOP review.
• Experience improving commissioning plans, readiness gates, turnover processes, and testing sequences.
• Strong understanding of first pass testing success, retest reduction, and issue closure discipline.
• Experience leading recovery efforts for delayed startups, failed tests, or incomplete turnovers.
• Experience working with general contractors, trade partners, OEM vendors, commissioning agents, and operations teams.
• Preferred Certifications or training include:
  • Certified Commissioning Profession (CCP)
  • Certified Commissioning Authority (CxA)
  • Uptime Institute ATD or AOS
  • OSHA 30
  • NFPA 70E electrical safety training
  • PMP
  • ASQ quality -related certifications