Expert Commissioning Scheduler - Data Centre, Abu Dhabi & UAE

Laminar Projects is looking for a veteran commissioning scheduler to join onsite, embedded with the client team on a hyperscale data centre campus in Abu Dhabi. Laminar is an award-winning consultancy that applies technology to improve the delivery of complex construction projects, and it runs Shape Construction, a separate product team that builds construction management software. The company prizes its people above all and has grown from two people in 2017 to 240 today, aiming to keep growing while designing a place optimised for the flourishing of the team. This role is a hands-on, on-site opportunity for someone who wants to truly connect the schedule with what happens on the ground.

The role puts you in the driver’s seat of the commissioning programme, ensuring the site follows the plan from day one. You’ll be working closely with the client team, and your initial leader will be one of Laminar’s planning directors. If you’re excited by large-scale data centre projects, enjoy turning complex sequences into actionable on-site steps, and want to shape how commissioning work is done on next-generation campuses, this could be a rare fit.

On the ground, turning plans into reality

On a day-to-day basis you’ll own and weave together an integrated commissioning schedule, covering L1 to L5 concepts, energisation sequences and the tagging activities for equipment, all aligned with the broader construction programme and MEP installation milestones. The aim is to keep the site moving to the plan, anticipate delays and mitigate them in a way that makes commercial sense for the project. You’ll also drive the on-site tagging KPIs so the team stays focused on the essential milestones and readiness criteria. You’ll connect the commissioning timeline to the client’s leadership, translating progress into simple, actionable updates that everyone can act on.

Communication sits at the heart of this role. You’ll report on commissioning progress, readiness and risks, linking the Cx programme with the Cx software you’ll use, such as Cx Alloy, and providing clear, straight-forward reports to stakeholders from site supervisors up to the client’s leadership. You’ll collaborate with the project planning team to develop scalable, repeatable practices and tools, ensuring the next data centre project benefits from the lessons learned here. In practice, you’ll be working with the construction, commissioning and client teams to keep the programme healthy while advancing the project toward handover.

Ultimately, the goal is to commission the data centre to near perfection and to share approaches that can be scaled across future campuses. You’ll help the team learn and grow, both personally and professionally, while contributing to the delivery mindset that Laminar emphasises for every project.

Your core toolkit

To be considered, you should bring demonstrated mastery in planning and scheduling commissioning on data centres or similarly complex, MEP-heavy projects. You’ll need expert-level Primavera P6 capability, including the ability to handle L1–L4, IST and energisation sequencing, along with equipment tagging and orderly handover processes. Hyperscale data centre experience, a solid grasp of MEP systems, familiarity with commissioning management tools and solid Excel skills are highly valued, as is a strong interest in data and how it informs scheduling decisions.

Communication matters. You should be able to express ideas clearly in English, both in writing and speaking, and you’ll need the presence and influence to align construction teams around new approaches. Leadership experience at or above Lead Consultant level, leading contractors, commissioning agents and clients on site, plus a proven track record as a leader, coach or developer of teams, are essential. Laminar also looks for a history of making projects and organisations better through scalable, repeatable solutions, and an ability to operate effectively in Abu Dhabi, ready to work on site five days a week.

• Mastery in planning and scheduling commissioning for data centres or similar complex, MEP-centric projects, with L1–L4, IST, energisation sequencing, equipment tagging and handover, plus expert Primavera P6 skills
• Hyperscale data centre exposure, strong grasp of MEP systems, familiarity with commissioning tools and solid Excel capability with a keen data mindset
• Clear, fluent written and spoken English communication
• The charisma and presence to influence construction teams toward new methods
• Experience operating at Lead Consultant level or higher, guiding contractors, commissioning agents and clients on site
• A proven track record as a leader, coach or developer of teams or teams of teams
• A history of delivering impact beyond the basics through scalable, repeatable solutions
• Willingness to be based in or relocate to Abu Dhabi and to work on site five days a week

Extras that help you shine

Laminar isn’t the place for you if you’re after an easy, low-challenge role, if you prefer to be the smartest person in the room, if you dislike candid, constructive feedback, or if you’d rather work solo than as part of a team. They want people who embrace tough problems, value honest feedback, and thrive when collaborating with others to raise the standard of delivery.

Pay, benefits and practical details

The compensation is a competitive tax-free salary that depends on location and capability. In addition to pay, the package includes paid annual leave plus UAE public holidays, an end-of-service gratuity in line with UAE Labour Law, private health insurance in the UAE, and a discretionary bonus scheme for all team members. When travel outside your local area is required, Laminar covers those costs.

The “life-changing” elements are front and centre: in-house coaching with confidential one-to-one sessions, an equity upside as the company grows, and a structured path for relentless development, enabling you to continue progressing year after year with a form of personal and professional growth baked into the role.

Advice for applicants

Lead with your data centre commissioning experience on your resume. Put your L1–L5 knowledge, IST and energisation sequencing front and centre, and highlight Primavera P6 proficiency with concrete project outcomes.

Show how you’ve worked with hyperscale data centres and MEP systems, and mention any commissioning management tools you’ve used, plus your comfort with Excel to manipulate and present data that informs scheduling decisions.

Prepare a concise narrative for interviews about how you connect the commissioning programme to the construction programme and energisation milestones, and how you drive daily tagging KPI achievement to keep work on track.

Have a thoughtful question ready about how Laminar scales commissioning planning across multiple campuses, or how the team has built scalable, repeatable solutions for future projects, so you can demonstrate strategic thinking that aligns with the role’s objectives.

How to apply

If this sounds like a fit, include a letter with your application answering why you want to join Laminar and what you’ll bring to the team. After that initial read, a casual conversation will be scheduled to help both sides learn more about each other, followed by a couple of technical and personal assessments to gauge capability against Laminar’s development matrix. This process is designed to ensure you start at the right level of responsibility.