Mechanical Commissioning Lead

ABOUT xAI xAI’s mission is to create AI systems that can accurately understand the universe and aid humanity in its pursuit of knowledge. Our team is small, highly motivated, and focused on engineering excellence. This organization is for individuals who appreciate challenging themselves and thrive on curiosity. We operate with a flat organizational structure. All employees are expected to be hands-on and to contribute directly to the company’s mission. Leadership is given to those who show initiative and consistently deliver excellence. Work ethic and strong prioritization skills are important. All employees are expected to have strong communication skills. They should be able to concisely and accurately share knowledge with their teammates. ABOUT THE ROLE: We are seeking an experienced Mechanical Commissioning Lead to lead the buildout, startup, and handover of mechanical systems for xAI’s high-performance data centers. In this senior hands-on leadership role, you will direct commissioning, testing, troubleshooting, and turnover of critical cooling, air handling, and fluid distribution systems that support next-generation AI supercomputing infrastructure. You will lead a team of commissioning technicians while working closely with construction, engineering, operations, EPC contractors, and OEM vendors to deliver safe, reliable, and high-quality mechanical systems. This is a full-time, onsite role with extensive travel to xAI data center construction sites across the United States. RESPONSIBILITIES: Lead and execute all mechanical commissioning activities for HVAC systems, chillers, cooling towers, CRAC/CRAH units, pumps, heat exchangers, piping systems, hydronic loops, and associated controls in hyperscale data center environments. Direct functional performance testing, airflow/water flow verification, system balancing, integrated system testing, and system turnover to operations. Oversee troubleshooting and resolution of complex mechanical, controls, and process issues during pre-commissioning, commissioning, and startup phases. Develop, review, and approve detailed commissioning test procedures, scripts, checklists, and documentation in alignment with project specifications, industry standards, and xAI requirements. Lead coordination with EPC contractors, OEM vendors, design engineers, and xAI stakeholders for system energization, startup sequences, and integrated system validation. Mentor, supervise, and provide technical direction to Mechanical Commissioning Technicians and other field personnel; conduct performance feedback and support their development. Champion safety by enforcing strict adherence to LOTO, NFPA, OSHA, and xAI safety protocols; lead daily safety briefings and job hazard analyses. Maintain comprehensive as-built documentation, test records, issue logs, and final commissioning reports; present readiness reports to senior leadership. Support and deliver training programs for operations and maintenance teams on commissioned systems. Participate in constructability reviews, design feedback sessions, and lessons-learned meetings to continuously improve installation quality and future project execution. Manage commissioning schedules, resources, and punch-list resolution to meet aggressive project timelines. BASIC QUALIFICATIONS: 7+ years of progressive hands-on mechanical commissioning experience in data centers, power plants, semiconductor facilities, or other mission-critical industrial environments, with at least 3 years in a lead or supervisory capacity. Deep expertise in data center cooling systems including large-scale chillers, cooling towers, CRAC/CRAH units, precision air handling, chilled water plants, and high-density liquid cooling technologies. Strong working knowledge of commissioning test equipment (manometers, anemometers, ultrasonic flow meters, pressure/temperature calibrators, power analyzers, etc.). Thorough familiarity with relevant codes and standards (ASHRAE, SMACNA, NFPA, ASME, IMC, L