Director of Energy Control & Commissioning Safety
Atlas Connections has partnered with a vertically integrated data center solutions provider to find a Director of Energy Control & Commissioning Safety. This executive-level role owns enterprise-wide leadership for all electrical and mechanical energy control activities across large-scale data center construction, commissioning, energization, and operational readiness efforts. Position Overview The Director of Energy Control & Commissioning Safety provides enterprise-wide leadership for all electrical and mechanical energy control activities across construction and commissioning operations. This role owns the development, governance, implementation, and continuous improvement of the Hazardous Energy Control Program (HECP), with a strong focus on mission critical MEP systems, electrical energization planning, commissioning safety, LOTO execution, SafeState verification, and high-risk energy management. The Director serves as the organization's technical authority and escalation point for complex energization decisions, high-risk commissioning events, and electrical safety conflicts. This person partners closely with Commissioning, Construction, Operations, Service, HSE, Project Leadership, and field Energy Marshals to ensure all energization, testing, startup, and turnover activities are executed safely and in compliance with NFPA 70E, NEC, OSHA 1910/1926, LOTO standards, and energized work controls.
What You'll Do
Enterprise Energy Control Strategy & Governance
- Develop and maintain the enterprise Hazardous Energy Control Program
- Establish standardized energization, LOTO, and commissioning safety protocols across all projects
- Define qualification standards and authorization processes for Energy Marshals
- Ensure alignment with NFPA 70E, NEC, OSHA 1910/1926, and applicable regulatory requirements
- Oversee enterprise-level auditing and compliance systems for energy control performance
Commissioning & MEP Safety Leadership
- Partner with Commissioning Directors and MEP leaders to integrate safety into energization sequencing and startup planning
- Review and approve first-time energization plans, complex system releases, and Methods of Procedure (MOPs)
- Ensure SafeState verification prior to system energization
- Lead enterprise oversight of temporary power installations, primary injection and hi-pot testing, switchgear and bus energization, and mechanical system pressurization and startup
Energy Marshal Program Leadership
- Lead and develop the Energy Marshal Program enterprise-wide
- Directly manage Energy Control HSE Managers and Senior Energy Marshals
- Approve Energy Marshal certifications and field authorizations
- Establish annual competency validation and technical standards
- Serve as escalation authority for energization disputes or risk conflicts
Risk Management & High-Risk Activity Oversight
- Integrate Energy Control requirements into High-Risk Activity (HRA) planning
- Participate in 4-week look-ahead reviews for upcoming energizations
- Oversee development and maintenance of the Energy Risk Register
- Drive reduction of electrical and mechanical Serious Injury & Fatality (SIF) exposure
Performance Monitoring & Continuous Improvement
- Develop leading and lagging KPIs specific to energy control
- Conduct enterprise energy incident investigations and root cause reviews
- Lead quarterly audits of energization events and LOTO compliance
- Host enterprise energy safety summits and drive lessons-learned integration
Leadership & Culture
- Promote a 100% direct control in place philosophy for energy-related operations
- Reinforce stop-work authority for all Energy Marshals
- Mentor HSE and operational leaders on energy-based risk decision-making
- Champion SafeState as a non-negotiable condition prior to energization
Required Qualifications
- Bachelor's degree in Engineering, Construction Management, Safety, or related field (or equivalent experience)
- 10+ years of experience in electrical construction, commissioning, or mission-critical environments
- 7+ years leading high-risk electrical and mechanical energy control programs
- Deep technical expertise in NFPA 70E, Lockout/Tagout (LOTO), electrical testing and commissioning, energization sequencing, and protective coordination and arc flash analysis
- Demonstrated leadership of multi-site or campus-level operations
Preferred Qualifications
- Certified Electrical Safety Compliance Professional (CESCP)
- Certified Safety Professional (CSP)
- Licensed Professional Engineer (PE) or Master Electrician
- NETA Certification (Level III or IV)
- OSHA 500 or equivalent instructor-level certification