Lease Commissioning Manager - Energy

Overview

Microsoft Cloud Operations and Innovation (CO&I) is the team behind the cloud.  Within CO&I, the Engineering Procurement & Construction (EPC) organization is responsible for delivering core datacenter infrastructure for Microsoft’s cloud business. The MS portfolio consists of complex, multi-disciplinary, large scale, multi-year datacenter construction and lease projects. We are looking for a passionate, high-energy individual to help build the cloud datacenters that power the world’s largest online services.

The CO+I Commissioning team is responsible for managing the end-to-end delivery of new data center capacity for CO+I. Through development of leading program management and construction processes, this team is chartered with managing workflow across vertically and horizontally aligned project managers and virtual teams to successfully deliver multi-million-dollar, multi-year data center construction programs.

As a Lease Commissioning Manager (LCxM), you will work with data center architects, engineers, construction managers, network engineers, data center operations teams and finance teams to streamline and improve data center capacity delivery. You will execute against scope, schedule, and budget to deliver the latest generation of data center technology to Microsoft’s Online Services. You shall be responsible for ensuring the project is commissioned in accordance with Microsoft's standards and directly manage the process for projects in the location region and support other Commissioning Projects in other Regions. In alignment with our Microsoft values, we are committed to cultivating an inclusive work environment for all employees to positively impact our culture every day. In alignment with our Microsoft values, we are committed to cultivating an inclusive work environment for all employees to positively impact our culture every day.

Microsoft’s mission is to empower every person and every organization on the planet to achieve more. As employees we come together with a growth mindset, innovate to empower others and collaborate to realize our shared goals. Each day we build on our values of respect, integrity, and accountability to create a culture of inclusion where everyone can thrive at work and beyond.

Responsibilities

Business Processes

• Reports to the CO+I Regional Commissioning Director – AMERS Leases.

• Primary responsibility for commissioning and operational readiness of Behind-the-Meter (BTM) power generation projects supporting Microsoft data center capacity delivery, with secondary responsibility for other CO+I commissioning initiatives.

• Lead commissioning activities for temporary and permanent onsite power generation facilities including gas-fired generation, reciprocating engines, microgrids, substations, utility interconnections, and associated balance-of-plant systems.

• Develop and maintain commissioning standards, procedures, and best practices to support safe, reliable, and repeatable deployment of energy infrastructure solutions.

• Manage contracted commissioning agents, EPC firms, generation providers, and startup vendors supporting BTM energy projects.

• Review design packages, commissioning plans, startup procedures, operating sequences, protection studies, and testing scripts to ensure operational readiness.

• Conduct site inspections to evaluate construction quality, commissioning progress, startup readiness, safety compliance, and risk mitigation.

• Drive the commissioning process from design review through energization, startup, integrated systems testing (IST), performance validation, and operational turnover.

• Travel extensively to project sites to oversee commissioning execution and support critical testing events.

Communications

• Regularly review construction progress, startup readiness, commissioning status, critical risks, and key performance metrics with internal and external stakeholders.

• Coordinate commissioning activities between utilities, independent power producers, EPC contractors, lease providers, equipment manufacturers, operations teams, and Microsoft project stakeholders.

• Facilitate commissioning readiness reviews, startup planning meetings, risk assessments, and lessons learned sessions throughout the project lifecycle.

• Provide clear and timely reporting to management on project scope, schedule, technical risks, startup readiness, and operational impacts.

• Support executive-level decision making by providing recommendations regarding energization readiness, load introduction, and commercial operation.

Accountability

• Responsible for developing, managing, and reporting the commissioning scope, schedule, and execution strategy for BTM energy infrastructure projects.

• Serve as Microsoft's on-site commissioning authority during critical startup and testing activities.

• Lead troubleshooting, issue resolution, and recovery efforts for commissioning deficiencies, control system integration issues, and startup challenges.

• Evaluate and approve readiness for energization, synchronization, load testing, performance validation, and operational turnover.

• Work independently to support Microsoft's energy delivery and datacenter capacity objectives while maintaining the highest standards of safety, reliability, and operational excellence.

Strategy and Development

• Support Microsoft's long-term energy resilience and capacity delivery strategy through deployment of alternative power solutions and behind-the-meter generation assets.

• Develop and refine commissioning methods, startup practices, and operational readiness programs for emerging energy technologies and power generation solutions.

• Provide technical input into project planning, delivery strategies, design reviews, and risk mitigation activities.

• Identify opportunities to improve startup reliability, commissioning efficiency, operational performance, and overall energy asset readiness.

Vendor Management and Contract Compliance

• Monitor and evaluate commissioning performance of EPC contractors, generation providers, equipment suppliers, commissioning agents, and startup contractors.

• Ensure compliance with project contracts, technical specifications, commissioning requirements, and Microsoft operational standards.

• Review commissioning deliverables including Statements of Qualification (SoQs), test procedures, startup plans, turnover documentation, and operational readiness packages.

• Verify contractual obligations related to generation performance, reliability testing, utility interconnection requirements, and operational acceptance criteria are successfully achieved prior to turnover.

• Drive accountability with external partners to ensure safe, reliable, and timely delivery of commissioned power generation assets.

Qualifications

Required Qualifications

• Doctorate Degree in Mechanical Engineering, Materials Engineering, Reliability Engineering, Electrical Engineering, or related field AND 2+ years technical engineering experience

• OR Master's Degree in Mechanical Engineering, Materials Engineering, Reliability Engineering, Electrical Engineering, or related field AND 4+ years technical engineering experience

• OR Bachelor's Degree in Mechanical Engineering, Materials Engineering, Reliability Engineering, Electrical Engineering, or related field AND 5+ years technical engineering experience

• OR 12+ years relevant technical engineering experience.

Other Requirements

• Ability to meet Microsoft, customer and/or government security screening requirements are required for this role. These requirements include, but are not limited to the following specialized security screenings:

• Microsoft Cloud Background Check: This position will be required to pass the Microsoft Cloud background check upon hire/transfer and every two years thereafter.

Preferred Qualifications

• Doctorate Degree in Mechanical Engineering, Materials Engineering, Reliabilit