Lead Irrigation Engineer

Gulf Contracting & Landscaping (GCL); Dubai; On-site; AED 180,000 - 360,000; Full time

Job summary

Gulf Contracting & Landscaping (GCL) seeks a Lead Irrigation Engineer to lead design coordination, installation and commissioning of irrigation systems across landscaping and infrastructure projects.

You will provide technical leadership on water management and controller systems, ensuring efficient water use and healthy plants, while collaborating with Projects, Civil & Infrastructure and Nursery functions to safely deliver irrigation packages on time and within budget.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Agricultural Engineering, Mechanical Engineering or related field.
• 8+ years in irrigation design, installation and management; 3+ years in senior leadership; GCC/UAE experience preferred.
• Specialist irrigation design certification is an advantage.

Responsibilities

• Provide specialist technical leadership on irrigation design and installation.
• Review irrigation design packages and coordinate with consultants to resolve queries and design clashes.
• Oversee on-site irrigation works, ensuring alignment with program and quality standards.
• Lead testing and commissioning of irrigation systems and post-handover optimisation.

Skills

Irrigation design

Coordination across trades

English communication

Education

BSc Agricultural/Mechanical Eng

Irrigation design certification

Job description

The Lead Irrigation Engineer is responsible for leading the design coordination, installation and commissioning of irrigation systems across landscaping and infrastructure projects. The role provides specialist technical leadership on irrigation networks, water management and controller systems, ensures efficient water use and plant health outcomes, and works closely with Projects, Civil & Infrastructure and the Nursery function to deliver irrigation packages safely, on time and to budget.

KEY ACCOUNTABILITIES:

Technical Leadership & Design Coordination

• Provide specialist technical leadership on irrigation system design and installation, including piping networks, sub surface system, pump stations, controllers, sensors and authority water source approvals with connections.
• Review irrigation design packages, shop drawings and technical submittals, coordinating with consultants and designers to resolve technical queries and design clashes.
• Ensure irrigation designs and installations comply with relevant UAE standards (DM/ ADM), water authority requirements and water efficiency best practices.

Construction Delivery

• Oversee day-to-day execution of irrigation works on site, ensuring alignment with project program, planting schedules and quality standards.
• Coordinate closely with technical team, project engineers, PMs, irrigation subcontractors and suppliers to ensure efficient sequencing, quality workmanship and timely completion.
• Lead testing and commissioning of irrigation systems, including controller programming, zoning and flow/pressure testing, ensuring systems operate to design performance prior to handover.
• Monitor and optimize irrigation scheduling post-handover during defects liability periods to support healthy plant establishment and efficient water use.

Quality & Compliance

• Ensure all irrigation work comply with quality assurance procedures and HSE requirements, including safe excavation and working near live utilities.
• Oversee testing and inspection of irrigation installations, ensuring timely close-out of non-conformances and authority inspections where applicable.

Cross-Functional Coordination

• Work closely with Project Managers, the Nursery Manager and Civil & Infrastructure team to align irrigation delivery with planting program and overall project sequencing.
• Coordinate with Commercial and Estimation teams on technical input for irrigation-related variations, claims and pricing.

EXPERIENCE & QUALIFICATION:

• Minimum Qualification: Bachelor's degree in Agricultural Engineering, Mechanical Engineering or a related field. Specialist irrigation design certification is an advantage.
• Minimum Experience: 8+ years of experience in irrigation system design, installation and management within the landscaping or contracting sector, with at least 3 years in a senior irrigation leadership role, ideally within the UAE/GCC market.

SKILLS, KNOWLEDGE & ABILITIES:

• Job Specific: Strong technical knowledge of irrigation network design, hydraulic calculations, controller and sensor technology, water source and pump systems, and UAE water authority requirements; ability to read and coordinate irrigation and landscaping drawings.
• Generic Skills: Strong technical problem-solving, attention to detail, coordination across multiple trades, and good verbal and written communication skills in English (Arabic is an advantage).