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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
- SCADA (Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition) systems
- Telemetry monitoring tools
- Microsoft Office suite (Word, Excel, PowerPoint)
- Commissioning management and documentation software
- 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
