For Adam, engineering has always been about delivering results and creating an environment where others can grow alongside the project. Now a Commissioning Manager supporting semiconductor client sites in Arizona, his career path speaks directly to this year’s Engineers Week theme, Transform Your Future.
Adam’s LotusWorks journey began in New York as a Commissioning Engineer before progressing to Commissioning Manager roles in New Mexico and, most recently, Arizona. With each move came greater responsibility and more complex scopes, reflecting the progression opportunities available across LotusWorks projects as employee experience grows.
Building Expertise at Scale
On site, Adam’s role centres on ensuring that critical systems are thoroughly tested, validated, and ready for operation. Commissioning ensures that every system performs exactly as designed before it is handed over to the client.
On his current project, Adam oversees an extensive mechanical scope. This includes ultra-pure water systems, high-purity gas and chemical systems, air handling and exhaust systems, acid and chemical exhaust abatement, wastewater treatment and lift stations, alongside control systems, electrical distribution, and life safety systems. The scale of this scope reflects the level of coordination and technical oversight required to deliver a project of this size.
A key challenge on the project involved commissioning high-purity gas and chemical systems at a cadence rarely seen before on a project of this scale. The push for next-generation chip technology, combined with the sheer volume of equipment requiring testing and qualification, meant a significant number of systems had to be tested and qualified within an unusually tight timeframe.
To meet this challenge, Adam implemented structured daily task force meetings with all key stakeholders in the commissioning process. These sessions focused on tracking equipment status, identifying bottlenecks, and streamlining processes whether in programming, life safety testing, or system validation. Through consistent coordination and daily alignment with stakeholders, the team was able to maintain momentum and meet the factory’s operational needs.
Leadership Through Development
Alongside his technical responsibilities, developing others is a key part of Adam’s leadership style. Over the years, he has worked closely with early-career engineers, many of whom joined projects as interns before stepping into full-time engineering roles and taking on greater responsibility.
He finds particular satisfaction in watching engineers grow from relying on daily direction to confidently managing their own scope. As he explains, “If you’re looking to move to a leadership role, it helps to say yes to opportunities when they arise. Be willing to travel and support projects around the country and around the globe. Those who are willing to move onto different projects and different client sites get a breadth of experience that you wouldn’t necessarily get if you stayed in the same place your entire career.”
For Adam, that transition from relying on direct instruction to becoming self-sufficient is one of the most rewarding aspects of mentoring. It frees emerging engineers to take ownership of their scope and prepare for the next step in their careers.
He points to colleagues such as Sam Coltrin as an example of that growth, having progressed from intern to a confident and capable engineer within the organisation. Seeing that evolution reinforces the impact that early support, real responsibility, and varied project experience can have on someone’s career.
Transforming Your Future
Adam’s own career reflects the advice he shares. By embracing mobility, accepting new challenges, and supporting projects across multiple states, he has built a diverse portfolio of experience. That adaptability has been central to his progression from commissioning engineer to commissioning manager.
In a sector that is constantly evolving, the ability to adapt is essential. For Adam, transforming the future isn’t just about enabling advanced manufacturing, it’s about encouraging engineers to actively shape their own paths.
Through strong technical delivery and a focus on developing his team, Adam continues to deliver critical infrastructure while helping the next group of engineers build confidence in their own abilities.
As Engineers Week celebrates the power of innovation and ambition, Adam’s progression hasn’t happened by chance. It has been built on taking opportunities as they arise and being open to new challenges across projects and locations.