Job Title: Traveling Superintendent
Job Description
This Traveling Superintendent role oversees mission critical and data center construction projects across the United States, from preconstruction through commissioning and final turnover. You will lead field operations, coordinate complex MEP and critical systems installations, and ensure safe, high-quality execution in active and operational facilities.
The position requires extensive travel, strong communication and leadership skills, and the ability to manage multiple stakeholders while maintaining schedule, safety, and operational reliability.
Responsibilities
- Participate in project kickoff meetings with project executives and teams to understand project goals, critical systems requirements, commissioning milestones, client expectations, and operational constraints.
- Host field kickoff meetings with trade partners, commissioning agents, vendors, and project managers to align on scope, schedule, and critical systems execution.
- Manage day-to-day relationships with trade partners and vendors, with a strong focus on critical systems installation, startup, testing, and turnover.
- Manage relationships between site teams, facility operators, client representatives, commissioning teams, and ownership groups to maintain alignment and clear communication.
- Participate in project closeout meetings and provide feedback on trade partner performance, quality, commissioning readiness, and turnover execution.
- Host trade partner gatherings for project closeout and lessons learned to drive continuous improvement.
- Lead weekly on-site toolbox talks with all trade partners and document these meetings in Procore.
- Lead weekly on-site foremen meetings to review 3-week lookaheads, commissioning activities, constraints, shutdowns, and critical path items.
- Essential Skills
- 5–15+ years of experience as a Superintendent with significant experience delivering mission critical, data center, high-tech, or complex MEP-intensive projects.
- Proven experience managing mission critical projects from preconstruction through commissioning, turnover, and operational readiness, including sitework, structural work, major MEP systems, and critical equipment installation.
- Demonstrated experience coordinating critical electrical infrastructure including switchgear, UPS systems, generators, PDUs, and associated distribution systems.
- Demonstrated experience coordinating critical mechanical infrastructure including cooling systems, chilled water systems, CRAH/CRAC units, controls, and building automation systems.
- Strong understanding of commissioning processes, startup procedures, integrated systems testing, turnover requirements, and outage management protocols within active mission critical environments.
- Experience working within active data centers or operational facilities with strict uptime requirements (preferred but highly relevant).
- Strong professional communication skills with clients, design teams, commissioning agents, trade partners, facility operators, and internal stakeholders.
- Demonstrated proactive problem-solving skills, including early identification of design, constructability, and coordination issues during preconstruction and active construction phases.
- Comfort leading field meetings, toolbox talks, and coordination sessions with multiple trades and stakeholders.
- Ability to work flexible schedules and weekends, along with extended stays away from home, to support project needs.
- Comfort using construction management technology platforms such as Procore and Sway for documentation, reporting, and communication.
- Ability to create and manage 3-week lookaheads in Outbuild or similar scheduling tools.
- Strong organizational skills to manage documentation, schedules, field tickets, RFIs, and commissioning records on complex projects.
- Commitment to maintaining a strong safety culture and adherence to safety protocols on active and mission critical sites.
Additional Skills & Qualifications
- Experience on projects of $1M+ in construction value.
- Experience supporting or leading projects across sectors such as workplace, amenity, retail, hospitality, healthcare, lab and life sciences, and education (a plus).
- Comfortable representing the company in client presentations, interviews, and pursuit efforts.
- Ability to mentor, coach, and support junior field staff, contributing to a consistent traveling superintendent culture.
- No formal degree, software, or certification requirements; candidates without OSHA 30 will be sponsored to complete it.
- Interest in working within a collaborative, high-accountability environment that values empathy, integrity, perseverance, and curiosity.
- Willingness to contribute to continuous improvement by sharing lessons learned and feedback at project closeout.
Job Type & Location
This is a Permanent position based out of Chicago, IL.
Pay and Benefits
The pay range for this position is $110000.00 - $200000.00/yr.
Travel Package
- $80 per diem per work day
- pay for hotel and airfare
- expense gas/essentials
- offer company card as well
Gold PPO Health Insurance
401k Plan
Unlimited Flex PTO
Commuter Benefits,
Paid Family Leave
Professional Development
Volunteer Time Off
Workplace Type
This is a fully onsite position in Chicago,IL.
Application Deadline
This position is anticipated to close on Jun 26, 2026.
About Actalent
Actalent is a global leader in engineering and sciences services and talent solutions. We help visionary companies advance their engineering and science initiatives through access to specialized experts who drive scale, innovation and speed to market.
With a network of almost 20,000 consultants and 5,000 clients across the U.S., Canada, Asia and Europe, Actalent serves many of the Fortune 500. We are proud to be an Engineering News-Record (ENR) Top 500 Design Firm for our engineering design services and a ClearlyRated Best of Staffing® winner for both client and talent service.
The company is an equal opportunity employer and will consider all applications without
regard to race, sex, age, color, religion, national origin, veteran status, disability,
sexual orientation, gender identity, genetic information or any characteristic protected
by law.
If you would like to request a reasonable accommodation, such as the modification or
adjustment of the job application process or interviewing process due to a disability,
please email actalentaccommodation@actalentservices.com for other accommodation options.
San Francisco Fair Chance Ordinance
Pursuant to the San Francisco Fair Chance Ordinance, for all positions located in the
city and county of San Francisco, we will consider for employment qualified applicants
with arrest and conviction records.
Massachusetts Lie Detector
It is unlawful in Massachusetts to require or administer a lie detector test as a
condition of employment or continued employment. An employer who violates this law
shall be subject to criminal penalties and civil liability.
Use of Artificial Intelligence (AI)
We may use Artificial Intelligence (AI) to support parts of our hiring process,
including sourcing, screening, and evaluating candidates. AI helps assess applications
and qualifications, but final decisions are made by our hiring team. By applying, you
acknowledge and agree that your application may be reviewed using AI tools.
