MEP Systems Integration Manager at DLB Associates in Buffalo, NY

DLB Associates is a premier engineering and consulting firm specializing in innovative, mission-critical solutions across hyperscale data centers, advanced infrastructure, and high-performance building systems. With over four decades of expertise, we partner with some of the world’s most influential companies to design and optimize environments that demand precision, scalability, and resilience.

Join us and be part of a team where your voice matters, your work makes an impact, and your growth is a shared priority.

Position Title: MEP Systems Integration Manager

Position Location: Hybrid - Buffalo, NY. 75–100% travel across the U.S. unless assigned to an extended project. Must be located near a major US airport.

JOB SUMMARY

The MEP Systems Integration Manager (MEP SIM) serves as a senior technical leader responsible for providing strategic oversight and cross-discipline coordination of mechanical, electrical, controls, and supporting systems across design, procurement, construction, commissioning, and turnover phases for mission-critical projects.

This position blends MEP construction management, OFCI/CFCI equipment coordination, commissioning readiness, and quality assurance responsibilities to ensure systems are properly designed, procured, installed, integrated, tested, documented, and accepted by the client. The MEP Systems Integration Manager proactively identifies technical risks, validates system-level assumptions, resolves complex MEP challenges, and supports successful project delivery with a strong focus on schedule protection, cost control, commissioning success, operability, maintainability, reliability, and long-term functionality.

The MEP SIM will be self-directed on day-to-day work and receive high level instruction on new projects, tasks, or assignments. Will execute and lead teams and projects, tasks, or assignments of complex scope. May coordinate activities of other personnel.

The MEP SIM will communicate and operate in line with organizational and client goals and values, as well as departmental objectives.

ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS

Strategic Leadership & Technical Oversight

• Provide strategic oversight and technical leadership for MEP systems across design, procurement, coordination, construction, commissioning, and turnover phases.
• Serve as a technical resource for mission-critical MEP systems integration, quality expectations, commissioning readiness, and owner acceptance requirements.
• Translate project, client, and organizational objectives into actionable technical plans that support schedule, budget, quality, safety, and operational readiness goals.
• Proactively identify, assess, and mitigate cross-discipline technical risks to protect project schedules, cost control, commissioning success, and client acceptance.
• Provide regular technical progress updates, risk assessments, and recommendations to project teams, client stakeholders, and leadership.

Design, Procurement & OFCI/CFCI Coordination

• Review and validate design documents, specifications, owner standards, contract requirements, and technical submittals, including OFCI and CFCI equipment.
• Verify equipment performance criteria, system integration points, controls requirements, redundancy strategies, quality standards, and owner requirements during submittal and shop drawing development.
• Validate system-level assumptions related to maintainability, operational performance, reliability, serviceability, redundancy, and long-term functionality.
• Support procurement and supply chain coordination for major MEP equipment, ensuring technical requirements, delivery constraints, integration needs, and commissioning impacts are understood and managed.
• Identify design, procurement, or equipment coordination issues early and recommend practical solutions that reduce rework, field conflicts, schedule impacts, and change orders.
• Coordinate OFCI/CFCI equipment interfaces from procurement through installation, startup, commissioning, and turnover, ensuring vendor requirements, contractor responsibilities, owner standards, and commissioning expectations are clearly understood and aligned.

MEP Systems Integration & Field Coordination

• Coordinate across mechanical, electrical, controls, fire protection, architectural, structural, commissioning, quality, and operations stakeholders to ensure integrated project execution.
• Support project teams by troubleshooting and resolving complex or non-standard MEP challenges in the field.
• Review installation sequencing, system interfaces, controls integration, access requirements, maintainability provisions, and readiness dependencies.
• Monitor cross-discipline coordination to ensure MEP systems are installed in alignment with contract documents, owner standards, approved submittals, project quality requirements, and commissioning expectations.
• Collaborate closely with project management, design engineering, supply chain, quality, and field teams, as well as external vendors, commissioning agents, and owner representatives.
• Validate controls integration requirements across mechanical, electrical, equipment vendor, BMS/EPMS, fire alarm, and commissioning stakeholders to reduce gaps between design intent, sequence execution, and field testing.

Quality Management & Risk Control

• Support quality planning and execution for MEP systems, including inspections, documentation, deficiency tracking, corrective action, and readiness verification.
• Verify that installation quality, documentation completeness, equipment readiness, and system integration criteria support successful startup, functional testing, integrated systems testing, and turnover.
• Assist with root-cause analysis and corrective action planning for technical issues, quality concerns, integration failures, or repeated deficiencies.
• Ensure quality and risk mitigation expectations are communicated clearly to contractors, vendors, commissioning agents, and project stakeholders.
• Promote consistent application of DLB’s construction quality management practices and mission-critical delivery standards.

Commissioning Readiness & Turnover Support

• Prepare and support teams for commissioning readiness, ensuring testing, documentation, and turnover activities are executed successfully.
• Coordinate with commissioning teams to verify system readiness for startup, functional testing, integrated systems testing, and owner acceptance.
• Review commissioning prerequisites, test documentation, issue logs, equipment status, controls readiness, and closeout requirements.
• Support resolution of commissioning issues involving MEP systems, controls sequences, equipment performance, redundancy strategies, documentation, or integration points.
• Ensure lessons learned from commissioning and turnover are documented and incorporated into future project planning and execution.
• Confirm acceptance criteria, test prerequisites, documentation requirements, and turnover expectations are clearly defined before major startup, functional testing, integrated systems testing, and client acceptance milestones.

Documentation, Reporting & Continuous Improvement

• Maintain accurate technical documentation, issue logs, risk registers, action trackers, progress summaries, and project records.
• Capture lessons learned, document resolved issues, and contribute to continuous improvement across future projects.
• Provide clear written and verbal communication to technical and non-technical audiences regarding risks, recommendations, decisions, and project status.
• Support development of templates, checklists, workflows, and technical standards that improve consistency across MEP systems integration and quality management activities.
• Use construction management, reporting, and data tools to improve visibility, accountability, and decision-making.

Leadership, Collaboration & Mentorship

• Lead cross-functional collaboration across project management, design, engineering, commissioning, construction, supply chain, quality, vendors, and owner representatives.
• Mentor and coach team members to build technical capability, consistency, and professional growth.
• Support knowledge transfer across teams by sharing technical guidance, lessons learned, and best practices.
• Model professional owner advocacy, sound judgment, proactive communication, and accountability in mission-critical project environments.

Completion of Assigned Tasks and Deliverables on Time and on Budget

Performs Other Related Duties as Assigned

POSITION REQUIREMENTS (ADVANCED LEVEL FOR ALL THE FOLLOWING)

• Strong working knowledge of mechanical, electrical, controls, and supporting systems in mission-critical environments.
• Strong working knowledge of commissioning processes for electrical, mechanical, and controls systems in mission-critical environments.
• Knowledge of OFCI and CFCI equipment coordination, vendor documentation, technical submittals, shop drawings, installation requirements, and commissioning dependencies.
• Knowledge of industry trends, construction procedures, and best practices for mission-critical MEP delivery.
• Knowledge of materials, methods, and tools involved in the construction of mission critical, commercial buildings or other structures.
• Knowledge of design review, constructability, operability, maintainability, serviceability, and system integration principles.
• Knowledge of the importance of the Method of Procedure (MOP) process and work notifications, and operational risk controls.
• Demonstrated leadership experience coordinating multi-disciplinary teams, vendors, contractors, commissioning agents, and owner representatives.
• Strong understanding of health, safety, and environmental (HSE) policies and procedures, including NFPA 70E, LOTO, and OSHA standards.
• Skilled in reviewing and validating design documents, specifications, owner standards, technical submittals, equipment criteria, and contract requirements.
• Skilled in identifying risks, evaluating complex technical issues, and developing practical, data-driven solutions.
• Skilled in troubleshooting complex or non-standard MEP challenges and minimizing field conflicts, schedule impacts, rework, and change orders.
• Skilled in coordinating system integration points, controls requirements, redundancy strategies, performance criteria, and commissioning readiness activities.
• Skilled in stakeholder management and representing the owner with professionalism when interacting with contractors, designers, vendors, commissioning agents, and clients.
• Skilled in clear, concise communication with technical and non-technical audiences.
• Skilled in organizing documentation, reporting, risk assessments, technical updates, and action trackers.
• Skilled at using construction management software such as Procore, BIM 360/ACC, and Bluebeam.
• Skilled at using MS Office Suite (Excel, Word, Outlook, PowerPoint, Teams), along with exceptional organizational skills for file management.
• Skilled in mentoring and developing technical staff.
• Ability to leverage AI and emerging technologies to streamline workflows, optimize operational processes, and contribute to company-wide innovation.
• Ability to work independently and collaboratively with onsite and remote team members.
• Ability to analyze complex information and develop plans to address identified issues.
• Ability to manage competing priorities and work under pressure to meet close deadlines.

PHYSICAL DEMANDS

The following physical demands must be met by the employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodation may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

While performing the duties of this job, the employee is:

• Frequently manipulating small parts/tools
• Frequently required to remain in a stationary position
• Frequently moving through data center and outdoor environments (heat, cold, precipitation), including navigating tight spaces, accessing areas via stairs or ladders, and occasionally working in overhead or under-equipment positions.
• On occasion the employee may move equipment weighing up to 50 pounds.

TRAVEL REQUIREMENTS

• Must have a valid driver’s license and the ability to rent vehicles.
• 75–100% travel across the U.S. unless assigned to an extended project (>6 months; typical assignments 9 months–4 years).
• Ability to relocate within 1–3 months if required (when 100% travel isn’t supported).
• Effective May 7, 2025, and in accordance with U.S. federal regulations for domestic air travel, a valid REAL ID (or an acceptable alternative, such as a passport) is required for travel associated with this position.
• Travel is defined as physically leaving home on behalf of business activities including but not limited to client sites, meetings with other employees, meetings for business development purposes, running errands on behalf of the business, attending industry conferences, etc.
• Travel may involve transportation by car or plane depending on the destination and nature of the business needs.
• Relocation assistance available

CERTIFICATIONS & SAFETY

• Ability to achieve NFPA 70E and/or OSHA training as required; strict adherence to HSE/LOTO policies.

EDUCATION / EXPERIENCE

• Bachelor’s degree in engineering, construction management, or related discipline

OR

• Two years of hands‑on install/testing/validation/troubleshooting of mechanical, controls, and/or electrical infrastructure

PLUS

• Minimum of eight years of additional related experience, including progressive experience in MEP systems coordination, construction management, commissioning, quality management, equipment integration, or mission-critical project delivery.

Benefits

DLB Associates offers a very competitive benefits package; highlights include

• Choice of comprehensive medical plans (including two PPO-style plans and a HDHP w/ HSA option)
• Flex spending accounts (FSA)
• Dental and vision plans
• Comprehensive medical, dental and vision benefits extended to spouse / domestic partner and dependent children up to age 26
• 401k with company match and self-directed brokerage account option
• PTO including additional paid time off during the last week of the year
• Company paid life insurance coverage for employees and their eligible dependents
• Short and long-term disability, AD&D coverage
• Professional development opportunities, tuition reimbursement and professional licensing assistance
• Paid parental leave after one year of employment

CO, CA, IL, NY, WA, and Washington DC residents only: In accordance with CO, CA, IL, NY, WA, and Washington DC law, the range provided is DLB's reasonable estimate of the base compensation for this role. The actual amount may differ based on non-discriminatory factors such as experience, knowledge, skills, abilities, and location.

DLB Associates is an EEO/Affirmative Action Employer and participates in the E-Verify program with the Department of Homeland Security. We encourage diversity in our workforce.

Are you ready to challenge yourself and redefine standards in the AEC industry? Apply now and join our award-winning team!​

​NOTICE TO THIRD PARTY AGENCIES:

DLB does not accept unsolicited resumes from recruiters, employment agencies, or other staffing services. Unsolicited resumes include any resume or hiring document sent to DLB in the absence of a signed Service Agreement where DLB has expressly requested recruitment/staffing services specific to the position at hand. Any unsolicited resumes, including those submitted to hiring managers or other business leaders, will become the property of DLB and DLB will have the right to hire that candidate without reservation – no fee or other compensation will be owed or paid to the recruiter, employment agency, or other staffing service.