Commissioning Engineer
Summary
The Lead Commissioning Engineer plays a crucial role in water supply projects, ensuring that water treatment and distribution systems are installed, tested, and optimised to meet operational standards and regulatory requirements. Reporting to the Area Commissioning Manager, this role leads a team of Commissioning Engineers to successfully achieve project milestones and transition systems from construction to operational status. The position demands strong leadership, excellent communication, and a customer-focused approach to coordinate multidisciplinary teams, regulatory bodies, and clients.
Key responsibilities include reviewing and developing commissioning plans and schedules tailored to water supply systems, coordinating with design, construction, and operational teams, and managing commissioning milestones aligned with project timelines. The Lead Engineer oversees inspection, verification, and testing of equipment and systems, including pressure testing, functional tests, and performance assessments. They ensure compliance with statutory requirements, environmental regulations, and industry standards, while maintaining high levels of communication with site operators and stakeholders.
The role also involves monitoring water processes via SCADA and telemetry systems, responding to alarms, identifying faults, and implementing remedial actions. The Lead Commissioning Engineer supports the development and delivery of Safe Control of Operations (SCOs), Water Quality Risk Assessments (WQRA), and assists in updating Site Operating and O&M Manuals. Additionally, they contribute to the career development of junior engineers and collaborate with digital teams to visualise commissioning approaches.
Behaviours expected include prioritising health, safety, and environmental standards, taking responsibility for work, professionalism, teamwork, and customer focus. The role requires a comprehensive knowledge of water industry processes, health and safety legislation, environmental practices, telemetry monitoring, fault-finding techniques, and clean water treatment operations.
Skills
Leadership and team management
Commissioning planning and programme management
Health, safety, and environmental compliance
Fault finding and troubleshooting in water treatment systems
Electrical and Instrumentation, Control & Automation (ICA) commissioning experience
Ability to read and interpret technical documentation (FDS, P&IDs, control philosophy)
Use of process control and telemetry systems (e.g., SCADA)
Risk assessment and control measures implementation
Effective communication and stakeholder engagement
Documentation and reporting in line with CMDP and SW Commissioning Standards
Software/Tools
SCADA (Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition) systems
Telemetry monitoring tools
Microsoft Office suite (Word, Excel, PowerPoint)
Commissioning management and documentation software
Certifications & Standards
Energy and Utilities Skills Register (EUSR) standards
Health and Safety at Work legislation compliance
Control of Substances Hazardous to Health (COSHH)
Relevant water industry statutory and regulatory standards (e.g., MEDs, WIMEs)
Safe Control of Operations (SCO) procedures
Water Quality Risk Assessment (WQRA) compliance