Startup/Commissioning Specialist (Wendell, Charlotte and Surrounding Areas)SPC Mechanical

Job Summary:

SPC Mechanical’s Startup / Commissioning Specialist leads and supervises a team of Sr. Technicians, Technicians, and Helpers, typically within an assigned region, to ensure projects are started up, internally commissioned, turned over, and warrantied to SPC Mechanical’s standards. This role owns the quality and consistency of startup and internal commissioning across assigned projects, whether the work was installed by SPC or by SPC’s subcontractors. The Startup / Commissioning Specialist plans and assigns resources, develops the team through clear career steps from Technician to Sr. Technician to Specialist, serves as the primary point of coordination with Project Managers, superintendents, GCs, owners, and engineers, delegates technician direction and meeting coverage to Sr. Technicians as appropriate, and stays hands-on in the field when needed. The Specialist also helps maintain SPC Mechanical’s reputation for integrity, quality, transparency, detail, and teamwork.

Essential Functions:

Team Leadership & Supervision

• Supervise the Sr. Technicians, Technicians, and Helpers assigned to your region or project portfolio
• Assign Sr. Technicians and Technicians to projects based on schedule, skill set, and location, and balance workload across the team
• Coordinate with other Specialists to share technician coverage across regions when workload, skill needs, or schedules require it
• Delegate Technician direction on projects to Sr. Technicians as appropriate, and resolve conflicting priorities
• Coach, train, and develop the team on tools, methods, startup and commissioning processes, and SPC Mechanical standards
• Set expectations, give regular feedback, and take part in performance reviews, hiring, and onboarding for the team
• Maintain development plans and career paths from Technician to Sr. Technician to Specialist, and evaluate team members’ readiness for advancement
• Review and approve timesheets, and keep track of team certifications, including EPA, and training needs
• Monitor the team’s tools, vehicles, and equipment to make sure they are in good condition, and coordinate with the Service Operations Manager to resolve identified issues
• Motivate the team and foster a spirit of teamwork, accountability, and professionalism

Planning & Scheduling

• Work with Project Managers and superintendents to forecast startup and commissioning needs and plan resources for assigned projects
• Own the process for coordinating with Project Managers to schedule startups, vendor and factory startups, functional testing, and owner training so they align with project milestones and the critical path, and empower Sr. Technicians and Technicians to coordinate with Project Managers directly
• Make sure the team has the tools, special equipment, materials, and information needed to keep work moving
• Keep Project Managers, superintendents, and company leadership informed of resource constraints, schedule risks, and readiness for turnover

Internal Commissioning Oversight

• Own SPC’s internal commissioning process as a quality gate to verify work installed by SPC and SPC’s subcontractors before turnover
• Maintain and improve startup procedures, pre-functional checklists, commissioning checklists, test scripts, and forms, and make sure they are applied consistently across the team and across SPC and subcontractor scopes
• Set expectations for job-specific checklists and test scripts adapted from existing documentation and templates, and review them for consistency
• Review pre-construction documentation, sequences of operation, submittals, and IOMs to identify issues early and mitigate rework
• Review checklists, test scripts, test results, and issue logs for accuracy and completeness, with Sr. Technicians providing first-line review
• Track commissioning issues to closure and communicate open items to the superintendent, who is responsible for making sure subcontractors complete corrections
• Confirm systems are ready for turnover before they are presented to the customer
• Assist any third-party Commissioning Agent while onsite and coordinate their needs with the team and the project team

Startup & Turnover Oversight

• Verify equipment is ready for vendor startup, and oversee vendor and factory startups as needed
• Oversee flushing plans, TAB coordination, and controls pre-testing for assigned projects
• Oversee owner training, and review turnover packages for completeness and accuracy, including startup and commissioning documentation

Technical Support & Stakeholder Coordination

• Serve as the final technical escalation point for the team, with Sr. Technicians as the first line, and troubleshoot complex issues in the field when needed
• Participate in engineering design review calls, and attend commissioning, OPS, and QCM meetings, delegating meeting coverage to Sr. Technicians as appropriate
• Provide technical guidance to SPC field personnel, GCs, subcontractors, owners, EoRs, and others
• Facilitate communication between all parties, and communicate commissioning requirements and readiness expectations to subcontractors and superintendents
• Elevate unresolved issues to Project Directors, Construction Operations Managers, or Operations Managers as needed
• Prepare for and support DOL and DHSR inspections
• Provide input to Project Managers and estimators on startup and commissioning scope, schedule, and lessons learned

Quality Assurance Support

• Assist the Quality Team, which owns SPC’s QA/QC process, by supporting its procedures, inspections, and punchlists, including Autodesk Forma QA/QC punchlists, on assigned projects
• Make sure the team shares findings from startup and internal commissioning checks, including installed work that does not match submittals, IOMs, drawings, or specifications, with the Quality Team and superintendent along with a proposed resolution path, regardless of whether SPC or a subcontractor installed it
• Hold installations to the highest quality possible

Warranty

• Decide, in coordination with the Project Manager and the appropriate Service Manager, how warranty requests are handled on jobs without an existing service contract, lead the response, and assign Sr. Technicians and Technicians to respond as needed
• Where a service contract exists, coordinate with the appropriate Service Manager and support with technical expertise and technician resources as needed
• Make sure warranty issues are resolved in a timely manner and that customer satisfaction is maintained
• Identify recurring warranty issues and share findings with project teams to prevent repeat problems

Documentation & Reporting

• Review vendor pre-startup reports, startup forms, and other documentation for accuracy
• Make sure records are organized, complete, and filed to SPC standards
• Report on team workload, project status, open commissioning issues, warranty activity, and team development to the Service Operations Manager and company leadership as requested

Professionalism & Safety

• Display a courteous and professional manner to customers and their representatives, regardless of the size or scope of the job
• Be knowledgeable of trade standards in general and SPC Mechanical standards in particular
• Promote and enforce all company and OSHA safety requirements, including proper PPE and lockout/tagout procedures
• Make sure refrigerant is handled, recovered, and documented in compliance with EPA regulations
• Travel to project sites throughout your coverage area, and drive safely at all times
• Pursue leadership, technical, and trade-specific training to grow knowledge and stay current on industry standards

Hands-On Support

• Perform startup, commissioning, troubleshooting, and warranty work in the field when needed to support the team or meet project deadlines

Additional Responsibilities

• Perform other duties as assigned to support the team and organization

Required Qualifications:

• Minimum 7 years of mechanical service, equipment startup, or commissioning experience, including at least 2 years in a lead or supervisory role
• High level of understanding of total HVAC and plumbing installation and operation, equipment capabilities, and controls systems architecture and sequences
• Strong understanding of system startup, test and balancing, commissioning, and diagnosis
• Strong troubleshooting skills across multiple trades and system types, including electrical, controls, mechanical, plumbing, and hydronic systems
• Working knowledge of internal commissioning processes, including pre-functional checklists, functional testing, and issue tracking through closure
• Ability to read and interpret drawings, specifications, submittals, IOMs, and sequences of operation
• Proficiency editing and adapting documents and templates to create job-specific checklists, test scripts, and reports
• Ability to lead, coach, and develop Technicians and Helpers, and to hold team members accountable
• Strong written and verbal communication skills, including with customers, GCs, subcontractors, and engineers
• Ability to plan, prioritize, and schedule multiple projects and resources at once
• Safety-first mindset
• Ability to travel throughout the assigned coverage area, and to cover other regions as needed
• Valid driver’s license and a driving record that meets SPC Mechanical’s insurance carrier requirements
• Ability to frequently lift or carry up to 75 lbs and assist with lifting up to 120 lbs
• Ability to climb ladders and rooftop access ladders, and work on rooftops and in crawl spaces
• Ability to work indoors and outdoors, including high and precarious places, in variable weather conditions

Preferred Qualifications:

• Universal EPA certification
• Experience supervising or managing technicians in a mechanical contractor or commissioning environment
• Commissioning or related industry certification
• BAS/DDC controls experience
• Experience with Autodesk Forma or similar QA/QC and punchlist software
• Manufacturer startup training and certifications
• OSHA 30 certification

This job description is intended to describe the general nature and level of work performed in this role. It is not an exhaustive list of all duties, responsibilities, or qualifications, and duties may be changed or added at any time, with or without notice. This job description does not constitute an employment contract, and employment with SPC Mechanical is at-will. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable qualified individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions of this role. SPC Mechanical is an Equal Opportunity Employer.