Design Manager - SCADA and ICA

Parsons; Dubai; On-site; AED 128,534 - 183,621; Full time

Job summary

Parsons in Dubai seeks a Design Manager – SCADA and ICA with 15+ years of automation experience to lead engineering teams and deliver complex water, utility, and transportation projects.

You will own system architectures, control philosophies, and integration across multiple engineering disciplines, ensuring safety, quality, and timely delivery on high‑value programs.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Electrical Engineering or related discipline.
• Minimum 15 years of SCADA, instrumentation and automation engineering experience.
• Experience delivering large infrastructure projects in water, utilities, or transportation.
• Proven capability leading engineering teams and managing automation disciplines.

Responsibilities

• Act as senior technical authority for SCADA, ICA systems, and automation.
• Lead SCADA/ICA engineering teams and allocate resources per project needs.
• Review design specifications, control narratives, and contractor submissions.
• Coordinate integration with mechanical, electrical, ICT, ITS, and civil systems.
• Oversee testing, commissioning, and handover activities with QA and HSE in mind.

Skills

SCADA design

Instrumentation & control

Industrial automation

System integration

Project leadership

Client management

Technical risk management

Education

Bachelor's degree in Electrical Engineering

Tools

SCADA platforms

PLC configuration tools

HMI software

Electrical design software

Job description

Design Manager – SCADA and ICA

Location: Dubai, United Arab Emirates

Industry: Industrial Automation | Function: Automation Robotics | Experience: Minimum 15 years | Job Type: Full‑time

Salary: $35,000–$50,000 (estimated; confirm final offer with employer)

Overview

This senior industrial automation role leads instrumentation, control, automation, and supervisory control system delivery for water, wastewater, utilities, transportation, and major infrastructure projects.

The position combines discipline management, design governance, client engagement, systems integration, procurement support, construction supervision, testing, commissioning, and technical risk control.

Key Responsibilities

• Act as the senior technical authority for SCADA, instrumentation, control, and automation systems.
• Serve as the principal technical interface with clients, contractors, consultants, authorities, vendors, and project stakeholders.
• Lead SCADA and ICA engineering teams and allocate resources according to project priorities, schedules, and technical complexity.
• Provide technical direction, mentoring, design oversight, and performance guidance to engineers and specialists.
• Develop and approve SCADA system architectures, control philosophies, network arrangements, and automation strategies.
• Review Functional Design Specifications, control narratives, software requirements, and contractor technical submissions.
• Ensure designs comply with project specifications, authority requirements, international standards, and operational objectives.
• Review process flow diagrams, piping and instrumentation diagrams, input and output schedules, and Cause and Effect matrices.
• Examine interlock diagrams, control logic, alarm philosophies, instrumentation schedules, and system interface documents.
• Review pressure safety valve sizing and related process safety calculations where applicable.
• Coordinate SCADA and ICA integration with mechanical equipment, electrical systems, MEP services, ICT networks, ITS platforms, and civil infrastructure.
• Resolve complex design interfaces involving field instruments, PLCs, RTUs, communication networks, control centres, and enterprise systems.
• Lead multidisciplinary technical reviews and confirm that system interfaces are clearly defined and controlled.
• Oversee installation, configuration, integration, testing, and commissioning activities.
• Review Factory Acceptance Testing and Site Acceptance Testing procedures, scripts, results, and corrective actions.
• Monitor system performance during testing and ensure deficiencies are resolved before final acceptance.
• Support the preparation of Project Execution Plans, quality plans, testing strategies, and HSE procedures.
• Work with Project Managers and discipline leaders to develop budgets, schedules, staffing plans, and technical work programmes.
• Track engineering progress, design milestones, resource utilization, and technical commitments.
• Identify design risks, system vulnerabilities, programme constraints, and integration issues at an early stage.
• Develop practical mitigation measures and monitor their implementation.
• Manage engineering changes and assess their effect on cost, schedule, safety, operability, and system performance.
• Lead or participate in HAZOP, HAZID, functional safety, and technical risk review workshops.
• Ensure automation and control systems comply with applicable safety, cybersecurity, and regulatory requirements.
• Prepare tender documents including Bills of Quantities, scopes of work, technical specifications, and equipment schedules.
• Evaluate vendor proposals, technical deviations, equipment selections, and system capabilities.
• Support procurement teams during clarification meetings, technical evaluations, and supplier negotiations.
• Review contractor and vendor deliverables throughout design, manufacturing, installation, and commissioning.
• Provide clear technical reports and progress updates to project and client leadership.
• Promote innovation, standardization, digital delivery, and continuous improvement across SCADA and ICA engineering activities.
• Support BIM coordination and structured digital information delivery for automation and instrumentation systems.

Ideal Profile

• Bachelor 's degree in Electrical Engineering, Instrumentation Engineering, Control Engineering, Systems Engineering, or a related discipline.
• Minimum 15 years of experience in SCADA, instrumentation, control, and automation engineering.
• Extensive experience delivering large infrastructure, water, wastewater, utility, or transportation projects.
• Proven capability in SCADA and ICA design, system integration, construction supervision, testing, and commissioning.
• Demonstrated experience leading engineering teams or managing an automation discipline.
• Strong technical knowledge of PLC, RTU, HMI, control centre, telemetry, communications, and industrial network systems.
• Experience developing and reviewing system architectures, control philosophies, Functional Design Specifications, and Cause and Effect matrices.
• Ability to interpret PFDs, P and IDs, I and O schedules, interlock diagrams, and control logic documents.
• Strong multidisciplinary coordination experience across mechanical, electrical, MEP, ICT, ITS, and civil engineering teams.
• Practical knowledge of Factory Acceptance Testing, Site Acceptance Testing, integrated testing, and commissioning.
• Experience managing technical risks, design changes, system interfaces, and performance requirements.
• Familiarity with HAZOP, HAZID, functional safety, and regulated engineering environments.
• Proficiency in SCADA platforms, automation software, control configuration tools, and related engineering applications.
• Experience with digital infrastructure, data platforms, and connected automation systems.
• Confident client-facing capability with strong presentation and technical negotiation skills.
• Previous experience in the UAE or GCC in a comparable role.
• Chartered Engineer status or active progress toward chartership is preferred.
• PMP certification is advantageous.
• Knowledge of BIM and digital delivery practices for ICA systems is preferred.
• Excellent written and spoken English communication skills.

Skills Set

• SCADA system design
• Instrumentation and control
• Industrial automation
• Control system architecture
• Functional Design Specifications
• PLC systems
• RTU systems
• HMI systems
• Telemetry
• Industrial networks
• Process control
• Piping and instrumentation diagrams
• Input and output schedules
• Cause and Effect matrices
• Interlock logic
• Control philosophy
• System integration
• Multidisciplinary coordination
• Factory Acceptance Testing
• Site Acceptance Testing
• Testing and commissioning
• HAZOP
• HAZID
• Functional safety
• Technical risk management
• Engineering change control
• Vendor technical evaluation
• Tender documentation
• Bills of Quantities
• BIM coordination
• Project scheduling
• Resource planning
• Client management
• Team leadership

Why Join Us

This role offers the opportunity to lead technically advanced automation and control assignments across major infrastructure sectors in Dubai and the wider region. The successful professional will influence system architecture, operational reliability, safety, digital integration, and commissioning outcomes on high‑value projects. The position provides senior technical authority, direct client engagement, team leadership, and exposure to complex water, wastewater, utility, and transportation systems. It is suited to an established SCADA and ICA specialist seeking long‑term regional demand, broader management responsibility, and continued progression within Industrial Automation.

About the Company

Parsons Corporation delivers engineering, digital infrastructure, programme management, and construction supervision services for major utilities, transportation, water, wastewater, and urban development projects. Its multidisciplinary teams integrate automation, control systems, data platforms, and engineering expertise to improve operational performance, reliability, and long‑term infrastructure value.