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Data center jobs · Commissioning

Commissioning Agent (CxA) job

What a data center commissioning agent (CxA) does day to day, the travel and certifications, and how senior commissioning engineers move up to lead the commissioning team.

By Czarina Tabayoyong, Founder, Critical Path Hiring

Last reviewed · First published

Reviewed as terms, pay and markets change.

The job

A commissioning agent leads the commissioning team onsite and owns Level 4, Level 5 and integrated systems testing (IST). They review the test scripts the commissioning engineers write and report test status to the owner.

A typical day

  • Lead the commissioning team onsite
  • Plan and schedule the Level 4, Level 5 and IST tests
  • Review the test scripts the commissioning engineers write
  • Watch the tests run and review the results
  • Track failed items until the contractors close them
  • Report test status to the owner and the project team

Location and schedule

Data center construction sites, leading the commissioning team onsite. The job is travel-heavy.

Skills and certifications

Required

  • Owning Level 4, Level 5 and IST testing
  • CxA, CCP or BCxP certification

Routes in

Senior commissioning engineers with 10 or more years in commissioning move into this role.

Next roles

This role leads to commissioning director or owner-side cx lead.

Pay

Pay varies by market and level, and the current ranges are in our commissioning pay ranges page.

Questions

What does a commissioning agent own?
Level 4, Level 5 and IST testing, and the commissioning team onsite.
What certifications does a commissioning agent need?
CxA, CCP or BCxP certification.
How do I become a commissioning agent?
Senior commissioning engineers with 10 or more years in commissioning move into the role. Commissioning director and owner-side Cx lead are the next steps.

Next steps