Principal Pipeline Engineer - Offshore

Mc Dermott; Dubai; On-site; AED 38,000 - 56,000; Full time

Job summary

Mc Dermott is seeking a Principal Pipeline Engineer - Offshore in Dubai, United Arab Emirates. This is a senior role requiring expertise in offshore pipeline design. The successful candidate will lead complex engineering challenges, ensuring integrity across major energy projects.

Responsibilities include preparing technical specifications, reviewing engineering designs, and coordinating with various teams. Applicants should possess 15-20 years of relevant experience and a strong foundation in pipeline engineering techniques.

Qualifications

• 15-20 years of oil and gas experience with a major contractor or consultant, mainly performing detail design.
• Strong pipeline engineering background covering offshore pipelines and subsea systems.
• Detailed knowledge of pipeline design techniques, analysis methods, engineering codes, and applicable industry guidelines.

Responsibilities

• Interpret internal and external project challenges related to pipeline engineering.
• Lead complex pipeline engineering problem solving with minimal guidance.
• Prepare, review, and approve pipeline engineering design basis, philosophies, and technical specifications.

Skills

Pipeline engineering

Offshore pipelines

Subsea pipelines

Onshore pipelines

Pipeline detail design

Pipeline installation analysis

Wall thickness design

On-bottom stability analysis

Cathodic protection design

Free-span analysis

Pipeline buckling mitigation

Seismic analysis

Material specifications

Technical specifications

Education

Bachelor's Degree or Master's Degree in Engineering

Job description

Principal Pipeline Engineer - Offshore

Location: Dubai, United Arab Emirates

Industry: Oil and Energy

Function: Engineering

Experience: 15-20 years in oil and gas pipeline engineering detail design

Job Type: Full-time

Salary: 38,000-56,000 (estimated, please confirm final offer with the employer)

Overview

Principal Pipeline Engineer - Offshore in Dubai, United Arab Emirates is an Oil and Energy opportunity for a senior pipeline engineering specialist with deep experience in offshore pipeline design, installation analysis, route selection, wall thickness design, on-bottom stability, buckling mitigation, cathodic protection, and detailed engineering delivery. This role is suited for a principal-level engineer who can lead discipline teams, solve complex pipeline engineering challenges, guide technical decision‑making, and ensure engineering integrity across major offshore and subsea energy projects.

Key Responsibilities

• Interpret internal and external project challenges related to pipeline engineering and recommend best practices for safe and efficient project delivery.
• Lead complex pipeline engineering problem solving with minimal guidance, using specialist knowledge of design methods, codes, standards, and execution requirements.
• Review project scope, specifications, schedule, contractual requirements, and inter‑discipline dependencies to identify concerns early and support timely resolution.
• Prepare, review, and approve pipeline engineering design basis, philosophies, technical specifications, design reports, procedures, and calculation notes.
• Develop and review pipeline deliverables including material specifications, datasheets, fabrication specifications, installation specifications, material takeoffs, pipeline reports, and installation manuals.
• Perform, review, and approve wall thickness designs, on‑bottom stability analyses, cathodic protection designs, free‑span analyses, installation analyses, and route selection studies.
• Review pipeline expansion, rigid riser stress analysis, local and global buckling mitigation, seismic analysis, shore approach design, crossing support design, and bottom roughness evaluation.
• Support pipeline component and subsea‑related designs, including dropped object protection structures, clamp designs, subsea structures, and related engineering evaluations.
• Interface with engineering disciplines, planning, fabrication, marine, safety, quality, certification, procurement, document control, subcontractors, vendors, and customers.
• Coordinate discipline inputs to develop clash‑free designs and ensure other disciplines receive accurate pipeline engineering information on time.
• Prepare bid proposal inputs including technical query reviews, execution statements, work‑hour estimates, software requirements, and project‑specific engineering assumptions.
• Raise technical queries to clarify missing information, confirm scope, and maintain alignment with project procedures, specifications, standards, and operational requirements.
• Identify scope changes promptly and prepare supporting documentation, estimates, change notifications, and variation order support.
• Review project and fabrication schedules in relation to construction sequence, milestones, engineering deliverables, and installation requirements.
• Attend kickoff meetings, project reviews, vendor meetings, engineering meetings, design reviews, and offshore site surveys as required.
• Provide technical direction to pipeline designers and review design outputs for accuracy, compliance, and discipline quality.
• Assist procurement teams with requisitions, technical quotation evaluations, bid tabulations, purchase requisitions, vendor document follow‑up, and technical clarifications.
• Review vendor and subcontractor submittals to confirm compliance with project specifications and provide clear technical comments.
• Perform and approve design verification through single‑discipline checks and inter‑discipline checks.
• Provide technical support for fabrication queries, including defect identification, rectification requirements, and field engineering clarification.
• Check final subcontractor and vendor data manuals to ensure required technical data has been received, reviewed, and approved.
• Support customer, certifying authority, auditor, and third‑party comments by preparing responses and guiding document updates.
• Capture lessons learned and knowledge objects in company database systems for future project improvement.
• Supervise and guide senior pipeline engineers, pipeline engineers, and associate pipeline engineers on procedures, standards, calculations, software, technical queries, and design practices.
• Maintain responsibility for engineering integrity, discipline performance, cost awareness, productivity, and technical quality within the assigned work area.
• Participate in technical audits, design reviews, global procedure development, software improvement, standards development, and discipline knowledge‑sharing activities.

Ideal Profile

• Bachelor's Degree or Master's Degree in Engineering.
• 15-20 years of oil and gas experience with a major contractor or consultant, mainly performing detail design.
• Strong pipeline engineering background covering offshore pipelines, subsea systems, onshore pipelines, shore approaches, installation design, and pipeline component analysis.
• Detailed knowledge of pipeline design techniques, analysis methods, engineering codes, standards, and applicable industry guidelines.
• Experience with wall thickness design, on‑bottom stability, cathodic protection, free‑span analysis, buckling mitigation, route selection, seismic analysis, installation analysis, and FEA‑based stress evaluation.
• Ability to lead discipline teams, assign work, review deliverables, manage work‑hour budgets, and support project forecasts.
• Knowledge of project coordination, engineering execution, procurement support, vendor review, fabrication support, marine interfaces, and customer communication.
• Preferably registered as a Professional Engineer or member of a professional engineering society.
• Very good organizational, supervision, mentoring, and motivation skills.
• Able to solve complex technical problems independently and guide less experienced engineers.
• HSE‑conscious, quality‑focused, TQM‑aware, and cost‑conscious in engineering decisions.
• Fluent English communication skills for technical writing, presentations, customer meetings, and discipline coordination.
• Flexible approach to supporting other McDermott offices, colleagues, projects, software tools, and evolving work methods when required.

Skills Set

• Pipeline engineering
• Offshore pipelines
• Subsea pipelines
• Onshore pipelines
• Pipeline detail design
• Pipeline installation analysis
• Wall thickness design
• On‑bottom stability analysis
• Cathodic protection design
• Free‑span analysis
• Pipeline expansion analysis
• Rigid riser stress analysis
• Finite element analysis
• Route selection design
• Bottom roughness evaluation
• Crossing support design
• Dropped object protection
• Clamp design
• Subsea structure design
• Shore approach design
• Pipeline buckling mitigation
• Pipeline seismic analysis
• Material specifications
• Pipeline datasheets
• Fabrication specifications
• Installation specifications
• Pipeline reports
• Installation manuals
• Material takeoffs
• Design basis
• Technical specifications
• Technical queries
• Vendor document review
• Subcontractor submittal review
• Procurement support
• Technical bid evaluation
• Purchase requisitions
• Inter‑discipline checks
• Single‑discipline checks
• Fabrication query support
• Design reviews
• Technical audits
• Discipline leadership
• Engineering integrity
• Work‑hour estimates
• Cost monitoring
• Lessons learned
• Project coordination

Why Join Us

This role offers a high‑value opportunity for a principal pipeline engineer to lead technically demanding Oil and Energy work from Dubai, United Arab Emirates, supporting offshore, subsea, and onshore pipeline systems that are critical to major energy infrastructure. The position provides discipline authority, exposure to global project execution, technical ownership of complex analyses, leadership of experienced engineering teams, and close collaboration with customers, vendors, fabrication teams, marine teams, and project management. It is an excellent fit for a pipeline specialist who wants to influence engineering standards, improve project outcomes, and contribute to safe and sustainable energy delivery.

About the Company

McDermott International, Ltd is a global engineering, procurement, construction, and installation company serving the energy industry. The company delivers offshore, subsea, onshore, and energy transition projects through engineering expertise, procurement capability, fabrication resources, marine execution, project management, and field delivery. With more than 100 years of experience and a worldwide workforce, McDermott helps customers deliver complex energy infrastructure safely, reliably, and sustainably.