Commissioning (Cx) Program Engineer - (ORD) in Elk Grove Village, Illinois at Prime Data Centers

About Prime Data Centers

Prime Data Centers (PDC) is a global developer and operator of hyperscale and wholesale data centers, delivering powered-shell, build-to-suit, and turnkey environments for cloud providers, AI companies, and large enterprises. With multi-gigawatt capacity operational and in development across top-tier U.S. markets and a growing European portfolio, Prime designs and builds mission-critical facilities engineered to scale — including AI/GPU-ready data halls with air, hybrid, and liquid cooling options.

Role Summary

The Commissioning (Cx) Program Engineer, CxE, is the project-level administrator of Prime's global commissioning program across a regional portfolio. The CxE owns the entire commissioning lifecycle for each project in the designated region, from RFP to turnover.

This is an owner's-representative role: rather than executing testing on site, you enforce the standards, govern the commissioning lifecycle, integrate commissioning with construction and design teams, and drive third-party commissioning agents (CxAs) and project teams toward on-time, defect-free turnovers to Operations. You are accountable for the management, quality, schedule, and closeout of commissioning processes.

The CxE is part of the global commissioning team, coordinating closely with leadership and the other regional CxEs to drive success. Prime is strategically placing Cx management personnel in each of its domestic development hubs: Denver, Phoenix, Chicago, Dallas, and Austin.

Key Responsibilities

• Enforce Prime's commissioning standards, templates, and processes — including commissioning plans, installation and pre-functional checklists, functional performance tests, IST scripts, and issues/closeout logs.
• Coordinate closely with leadership to refine corporate standards and processes.
• Own and oversee the L2–L5 commissioning lifecycle framework for the campus.
• Be an expert on project specifics and requirements, ensuring each project is scoped and executed properly.
• Develop and execute contracts for Cx services, from RFP development, budgeting, scheduling through completion and turnover. Analyze and approve change orders and equipment costs.
• Integrate with Prime’s Quality department to support assurance and consistency.
• Support other CxEs and projects, occasional travel to other campuses and to the Denver Office.
• Establish and track program-level KPIs (schedule adherence, issue resolution rates, turnover quality, etc.) and perform regular reporting to leadership.
• Monitor and support the project through its entire lifecycle from a commissioning perspective: contractor and vendor selection, drawing package development, equipment selection and procurement, etc.
• Provide oversight and technical direction to project teams, contractors, and third-party CxA vendors across multiple simultaneous projects.
• Integrate the commissioning schedule with design, procurement, and construction milestones; identify and mitigate schedule risks before they affect commissioning or turnover.
• Oversee pre-functional and functional testing of MEP systems and lead/govern integrated systems testing (IST), including failure-mode and load-bank scenarios, utility-loss simulations, UPS/generator/ATS switchovers, cooling-plant sequencing, and BMS/EPMS responses, etc.
• Drive issues identification, triage, and resolution to closure; ensure root-cause tracking rather than symptomatic fixes. Contribute to and maintain Lessons Learned documentation, with frequent revisiting and presentations to leadership and other project teams.
• Scope, select, onboard, and manage third-party CxA providers in coordination with leadership; track, review, and approve deliverables, schedules, testing scripts, and reports. Direct and course-correct as necessary to adhere to schedule, budget, and quality expectations.
• Serve as the commissioning point of contact for construction/development teams, design engineers, contractors, equipment vendors, and customers, as applicable.
• Coordinate with the site Operations teams to ensure a clean handover, training, and operational readiness.
• Ensure complete, auditable commissioning documentation and final Cx reports for each project.
• Own closeout and turnover packages; confirm operations training and as-built/record documentation are in place before handover.
• Support commissioning budgeting, forecasting, and cost controls across the program.
• Contribute to strategic planning to build, mentor, and scale the commissioning team as the company grows.

Required Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in mechanical, electrical, or related engineering discipline — or equivalent mission critical/data center experience in lieu of degree.
• 8+ years in commissioning, MEP engineering, or mission-critical construction, including 5+ years successfully delivering data center projects.
• Demonstrated experience managing multiple concurrent projects and/or leading commissioning teams.
• Working knowledge of the full L0–L5 mission critical commissioning lifecycle.
• Strong command of/subject matter expertise in mission-critical MEP systems — power distribution, UPSs, generators, switchgear/ATSs, chilled-water and air/liquid cooling systems, controls (BMS/EPMS), and fire/life safety, etc.
• Ability to read and interpret construction drawings, specifications, sequences of operations, and contracts.
• Familiarity with applicable standards, codes, and best practices (e.g., ASHRAE, NEC/NFPA, etc.).
• Excellent written and verbal communication; able to lead triage calls, present status to leadership, and hold vendors accountable.
• Comfort executing responsibilities in a professional leadership role while acting as a representative of Prime
• Willing and able to travel to project sites (domestic; international as the portfolio requires).

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience with hyperscale and high-density AI/GPU data center applications, including air/liquid/DTC thermal management systems.
• Owner's representative or owner/developer-side commissioning experience.
• Professional and commissioning certifications (e.g., ACG CxA, BCxP, EIT, PE, etc.).
• Experience building and standardizing a commissioning program across a growing portfolio.
• Financial acumen: budgeting, forecasting, and cost management.

Compensation & Benefits

Compensation range: $120,000 – $170,000 + Annual Bonus, depending on experience and work location.

Prime offers a comprehensive benefits package including health insurance, retirement plan with company contribution, paid time off, and professional development support.

Physical & Travel Requirements

• Ability to conduct site walks in active construction and data hall environments, including navigating stairs, ladders, and elevated areas.
• Travel to external project sites and Denver Office estimated at 20%, varying with the active project pipeline and needs across different regions and employee location.

Applications will be accepted on an ongoing basis.

Prime is an Equal Opportunity Employer. All applicants are considered for employment without attention to race, color, age, religion, sex (including pregnancy, childbirth or related medical conditions), sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, genetic information, ancestry, national origin, citizenship, protected veteran or military status, disability status, or any other classification protected by federal, state, or local laws and ordinances.

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