Senior Commissioning Agent – Subway and Rail Transit Systems

This Opportunity

WSP is currently initiating a search for a Full-Time Senior Commissioning (Cx) Agent – Subway and Rail Transit Systems for our New York, NY office. 

The Senior Commissioning (Cx) Agent is responsible for planning, managing, and executing commissioning activities for subway, metro, light rail, and heavy rail transit infrastructure projects. The role ensures that all rail systems, facilities, equipment, and integrated technologies are designed, installed, tested, and operated in accordance with project requirements, safety standards, operational needs, and regulatory requirements prior to revenue service.

The Senior Cx Agent serves as the technical lead for system verification, validation, testing, startup, and turnover activities and coordinates among owners, designers, contractors, vendors, operators, and regulatory agencies to deliver reliable and safe transit systems.

Your Impact

Commissioning Leadership 

• Lead the development and implementation of project-specific commissioning plans.
• Establish commissioning objectives, procedures, milestones, and acceptance criteria.
• Direct commissioning activities throughout design, construction, testing, startup, and operational readiness phases.
• Manage multidisciplinary commissioning teams including engineers, technicians, and specialty consultants.
• Provide technical oversight and quality assurance for all commissioning deliverables.

Rail Systems Commissioning

• Oversee commissioning of:
• Traction power systems
• Third rail and overhead catenary systems
• Signaling and train control systems (CBTC, ATC, ATP, ATO)
• Communications systems
• SCADA and control systems
• Tunnel ventilation systems
• Fire alarm and life safety systems
• Emergency power systems
• Station electrical systems
• Vertical transportation systems (elevators and escalators)
• Automatic fare collection systems
• Platform screen doors
• Depot and maintenance facility systems

Testing and Validation

• Develop and manage Factory Acceptance Testing (FAT) programs.
• Develop and execute Site Acceptance Testing (SAT) procedures.
• Coordinate integrated systems testing and interface verification.
• Lead operational scenario testing and emergency response simulations.
• Witness and document startup and performance testing activities.
• Verify compliance with design specifications, owner requirements, and applicable codes.

Project Management

• Monitor commissioning schedules and coordinate activities with construction sequencing.
• Identify commissioning risks and develop mitigation strategies.
• Track and resolve deficiencies, punch list items, and non-conformance issues.
• Prepare commissioning status reports for project stakeholders.
• Support change management and claims review related to commissioning scope.

Stakeholder Coordination

• Serve as primary commissioning liaison among:
  • Transit agencies
  • Design consultants
  • Contractors
  • Equipment suppliers
  • Operations and maintenance personnel
  • Regulatory authorities
• Facilitate commissioning meetings and technical workshops.
• Support operational readiness and staff training programs.

Documentation and Turnover

• Review design documents for commissioning requirements.
• Develop commissioning specifications and test procedures.
• Manage commissioning documentation databases.
• Verify operation and maintenance manuals.
• Coordinate system turnover and final acceptance.
• Prepare final commissioning reports and certification documentation.

Who You Are

Required Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Engineering (Electrical, Mechanical, Systems, Civil, Transportation, or related discipline).
• 5-7+ years of commissioning, systems integration, or rail transit experience.
• Minimum 5 years of experience on major subway, metro, commuter rail, or transit infrastructure projects.
• Experience leading integrated systems testing and startup activities.
• Demonstrated experience with transit authority standards and procedures.
• Rail transit systems engineering.
• Systems integration and interface management.
• Transit safety and operational readiness.
• Electrical and mechanical infrastructure.
• Building systems commissioning.
• Transit signaling and train control systems.
• Reliability, Availability, Maintainability, and Safety (RAMS) principles.
• Construction and project delivery processes.
• Microsoft Office Suite.
• Primavera P6 or Microsoft Project.
• Commissioning management platforms.
• SharePoint and document management systems.
• Transit systems monitoring and SCADA applications.

Preferred Qualifications 

• Certified Commissioning Professional (CCP)
• Masters Degree 
• Certified Commissioning Authority (CxA)
• Professional Engineer (PE)
• Project Management Professional (PMP)
• PMI-RMP (Risk Management Professional)
• Rail transit safety or systems assurance certifications

WSP Benefits:

WSP provides a comprehensive suite of benefits focused on a providing health and financial stability throughout the employee’s career. These benefits include coverage related to medical, dental, vision, disability, and life; retirement savings; paid sick leave; paid vacation (or other personal time); paid parental leave; and paid time off for purposes of bereavement, voting, and/or attendance at naturalization proceedings. 

Compensation:
Expected Salary (all locations): $107,500 - $146,000
WSP USA is providing the compensation range that the company in good faith believes it might pay and offer for this position, based on the successful applicant’s education, experience, knowledge, skills, abilities in addition to internal equity and specific geographic location. WSP USA reserves the right to ultimately pay more or less than the posted range and offer additional benefits and other compensation, depending on circumstances not related to an applicant’s sex or other status protected by local, state, and/or federal law.

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