Electrical Commissioning Lead

SPIE; United Arab Emirates; On-site; AED 403,000 - 551,000; Full time

Job summary

An international energy firm in the United Arab Emirates is seeking an experienced Electrical Commissioning Lead for offshore oil and gas facilities. The ideal candidate will have over 15 years of engineering experience, including significant expertise in commissioning for both brownfield and greenfield projects. This role focuses on planning and executing commissioning activities while ensuring safety and compliance. The successful applicant will have strong leadership skills and a deep understanding of electrical systems, making a substantial impact on project success.

Benefits

Salary & benefits as per standards

Qualifications

• Minimum 15 years of engineering experience in the oil & gas industry.
• At least 8 years of experience in commissioning engineering.
• Proven experience on offshore brownfield and greenfield projects.

Responsibilities

• Lead the commissioning engineering phase for all electrical systems.
• Define commissioning strategies and develop commissioning procedures.
• Ensure systems comply with project HSE requirements.

Skills

Strong commissioning engineering leadership and coordination skills

Deep understanding of electrical commissioning philosophies

Strong interface management with EPC, vendors, and Client engineering teams

Excellent documentation, analytical, and problem-solving skills

Solid knowledge of IEC / IEEE standards

Education

Bachelor’s degree in Electrical Engineering or a relevant engineering discipline

Job description

General information

As an international subsidiary of the SPIE Group present in around 20 countries in Europe, Africa, Asia Pacific, the Middle East and North America, SPIE Global Services Energy operates across the entire energy production infrastructure value chain, from design to maintenance. SPIE Global Services Energy relies on an extensive local network to quickly deploy resources and meet its customers' needs in the safest possible conditions. Drawing on the expertise of its 5,000 employees, SPIE Global Services Energy helps players in the oil, gas and renewable energies industries improve the technical performance of their infrastructure, increase their energy efficiency and reduce their carbon footprint.

Area activity

Mechanical, HVAC and Electrical Services

Position description

Electrical Commissioning Lead M/F

Contract type

International Contract

Contractual hours

Full time

Job description

The Commissioning Electrical Engineering Lead is responsible for the engineering, planning, and technical preparation of all electrical commissioning activities for offshore oil & gas facilities. The role focuses on commissioning engineering deliverables, system readiness, procedures, test philosophies, and technical support to site execution, ensuring safe energization and successful handover to Operations.

Key Responsibilities

• Commissioning Engineering & Planning: Lead the commissioning engineering phase for all electrical systems from design completion through handover. Define commissioning strategies, system boundaries, priorities, and execution sequences. Develop, review, and approve commissioning procedures, philosophies, and test methodologies for electrical systems. Prepare energization philosophies, system start‑up sequences, and changeover plans for brownfield and greenfield facilities.
• Electrical Systems Engineering Scope: Act as the technical authority for commissioning of HV, MV, and LV electrical systems. Provide commissioning engineering support for 132kV systems, including protection coordination, relay settings, interlocks, and grid interface requirements. Lead engineering activities related to HV load management, load shedding logic, black start philosophy, and power system stability. Review power system studies (load flow, short circuit, protection coordination) and ensure commissioning alignment.
• Modular & Offshore Integration: Define commissioning engineering requirements for modular projects, including yard pre‑commissioning, factory acceptance testing, and offshore integration. Ensure consistency between yard and offshore commissioning documentation and system readiness. Manage commissioning engineering interfaces between packages, vendors, and offshore systems.
• Interfaces & Change Management: Coordinate commissioning engineering inputs with Design, Construction, Pre‑commissioning, Instrumentation, Control Systems, and Operations teams. Manage commissioning‑related design clarifications, technical queries, and field changes during the commissioning phase. Support resolution of punch items, non‑conformities, and late design changes impacting commissioning activities.
• Handover & Documentation: Define commissioning completion criteria and system handover requirements. Ensure preparation, review, and approval of commissioning dossiers, test records, system handover certificates, and as‑built documentation. Support operational readiness, energization approvals, and final system acceptance by the Client.
• HSE & Compliance (Engineering Focus): Ensure commissioning engineering deliverables comply with project HSE requirements, electrical safety standards, and energization rules. Participate in commissioning risk assessments, HAZID/HAZOP, and energization readiness reviews. Embed safe commissioning principles into procedures and execution plans.

Profile

Education

Bachelor’s degree in Electrical Engineering or a relevant engineering discipline from a recognized institution.

Experience

Minimum 15 years of engineering experience in the oil & gas industry. At least 8 years of experience in commissioning engineering, including preparation of procedures, philosophies, handover. Proven experience on offshore brownfield and greenfield projects. Experience in a similar commissioning engineering lead role on at least one major project with the Subcontractor or its parent organization. Strong commissioning engineering experience with 132kV electrical systems, both in engineering studies and site support. Demonstrated expertise in HV load management engineering, including load shedding schemes and power system operational logic. Proven experience in modular projects, covering yard pre‑commissioning and offshore integration.

Key Skills & Competencies

• Strong commissioning engineering leadership and coordination skills.
• Deep understanding of electrical commissioning philosophies and system-based handover.
• Ability to translate design and studies into practical commissioning procedures.
• Strong interface management with EPC, vendors, and Client engineering teams.
• Excellent documentation, analytical, and problem‑solving skills.
• Solid knowledge of IEC / IEEE standards and offshore oil & gas practices.

Reporting Line

Reports to the Commissioning Manager.

Working at SPIE What can we offer you?

Salary & other benefits as per standards.

Position location

Abu Dhabi

Candidate criteria

Minimum level of experience required: 10 years or more.

Required authorisations

NA

Languages

English (D-Full professional proficiency)

Our ambition Combining our differences

Diversity