Principal Piping Engineer - EPC Design

Mc Dermott; Dubai; On-site; AED 335,000 - 502,000; Full time

Job summary

McDermott International, Ltd seeks a Principal Piping Engineer to lead piping design across FEED and EPC phases in Dubai. You will drive concept through detailed design, supervise discipline teams, and ensure compliance with project requirements, codes, and budgets.

You will coordinate with process, mechanical, and procurement groups to deliver high‑quality piping solutions. The role requires 15–20 years of piping experience in Oil & Gas, with strong leadership, communication, and

Qualifications

• Bachelor's or Master's degree in Mechanical Engineering from an accredited institution.
• 15‑20 years of piping engineering experience in Oil & Gas industry.
• Lead Piping Engineer experience on FEED and EPC projects.
• Strong knowledge of piping design, ANSI/ASME/API/BS/NFPA standards.
• Experience with SP3D, E3D and model reviews.

Responsibilities

• Lead piping design analyses across conceptual to detailed stages following project specs and codes.
• Coordinate with multi-disciplinary teams to ensure on-time, within-budget delivery.
• Mentor engineers and designers, review deviations and change requests.
• Interface with clients, vendors, and auditors for technical resolutions.
• Monitor progress, risks, and resource needs; implement corrective actions.

Skills

Piping engineering

Mechanical engineering

Conceptual design

Pre‑FEED

FEED

Detailed design

EPC project execution

Layout optimization

Piping layout

Pipe stress analysis

Pipe supports

Material take-off

Schedule management

Team leadership

Standards knowledge

Education

Bachelor's or Master's in Mechanical Engineering

Tools

SP3D

E3D

Navisworks

Job description

Principal Piping Engineer – EPC Design

Location: Dubai, United Arab Emirates | Industry: Oil & Energy | Function: Mechanical Engineering | Experience: 15-20 years | Job Type: Full-time

McDermott International, Ltd is hiring an accomplished piping professional to lead discipline teams, resolve complex engineering challenges, control technical deliverables, and ensure piping design work meets project specifications, international codes, schedules, budgets, and client expectations.

Job Details

Country: United Arab Emirates
City: Dubai
Industry: Oil and Energy
Function: Mechanical Engineering
Salary: 30,000 – 45,000 (estimated; final offer to be confirmed with the employer)
Gender: Any | Nationality: Any | Job Type: Full-time

Role Context

The Principal Piping Engineer serves as a senior technical authority across piping design, layout, stress engineering, supports, materials, modelling, and material take‑off activities. The role supports the full project lifecycle from early engineering studies through FEED, EPC design, procurement, fabrication, construction, and technical closeout.

Key Responsibilities

• Perform conceptual, Pre‑FEED, FEED, and detailed piping design analyses in accordance with the approved scope of work, design basis, project specifications, codes, standards, and McDermott procedures.
• Complete assigned engineering activities within approved schedules, budgets, quality requirements, and professional standards.
• Apply extensive technical and commercial knowledge to resolve complex piping problems and non‑standard project situations.
• Identify significant technical, scope, schedule, cost, or resource concerns early and report them to project and departmental management.
• Prepare and approve detailed engineering calculations, design reports, technical philosophies, specifications, and procedures.
• Plan personal assignments, forecast workload, and identify future engineering resource requirements.
• Lead engineers and designers in evaluating technically complex problems and developing innovative, practical solutions.
• Interpret internal and external project challenges and recommend improvements to engineering methods, technology, processes, or services.
• Explain difficult engineering concepts clearly and negotiate technically justified solutions with clients, contractors, vendors, and multidisciplinary teams.
• Maintain strict compliance with health, safety, environmental, quality, and project execution requirements.
• Direct medium or large piping engineering and design teams when assigned as Lead Engineer.
• Lead discipline execution for assigned projects or work areas and ensure completion within the approved schedule and budget.
• Plan, organize, and direct piping scope, deliverables, interfaces, schedules, manpower, and technical resources.
• Confirm that discipline responsibilities, project interfaces, and required inputs are clearly defined.
• Monitor engineering progress, productivity, and performance and initiate corrective actions where required.
• Represent the piping discipline during meetings with clients, project management, certification bodies, auditors, third parties, and relevant agencies.
• Develop a complete understanding of the project scope, specifications, schedule, contract requirements, and multidisciplinary dependencies.
• Coordinate with process, mechanical, structural, civil, electrical, instrumentation, construction, fabrication, procurement, planning, and project controls teams.
• Interface with High‑Value Engineering Centers and ensure their scope, responsibilities, deliverables, and schedule requirements are understood.
• Prepare piping isometric production curves using project inputs and the approved Level3 schedule.
• Review the piping budget and provide discipline inputs to the Project Execution Plan.
• Assign tasks, responsibilities, deliverables, and man‑hour budgets to piping sub‑disciplines.
• Verify that assigned work is completed within approved man‑hours and technical requirements.
• Lead and support three‑dimensional model reviews at 30percent, 60percent, and 90percent completion.
• Provide piping inputs to Level2, Level3, and Level4 project schedules.
• Review schedule dependencies and identify risks affecting piping engineering, modelling, procurement, or construction deliverables.
• Prepare discipline forecasts and promptly raise notifications for identified scope changes.
• Alert project leadership when work deviates from the approved scope or requires a formal change order.
• Develop piping man‑hour estimates, schedules, deliverable registers, and discipline execution plans.
• Review and approve piping design philosophies, specifications, pipe support documents, standard details, material take‑offs, and material requisitions.
• Ensure approved documents comply with contract requirements, technical standards, and project scope.
• Monitor discipline key performance indicators and implement corrective actions where performance falls below target.
• Lead piping participation during internal audits, external audits, technical reviews, and quality assessments.
• Assist the Department Manager with technical and performance evaluations of piping team members.
• Support proposals, feasibility studies, estimates, execution planning, and tender development.
• Review piping layouts for accessibility, safety, constructability, maintainability, operability, and modular execution.
• Coordinate pipe stress, support design, material engineering, layout development, and quantity control activities.
• Review vendor and subcontractor information affecting piping design and project interfaces.
• Support procurement with technical requisitions, bid evaluations, vendor clarifications, and document reviews.
• Coordinate with fabrication and construction teams to resolve design queries and improve field execution.
• Promote consistent use of approved engineering practices, lessons learned, codes, standards, and design tools.
• Mentor engineers and designers and strengthen technical capability within the piping discipline.
• Maintain accurate records of technical decisions, approved deviations, interface agreements, and design changes.
• Travel to project offices, fabrication yards, construction sites, vendor facilities, or client locations when required.

Ideal Profile

• Bachelor's or Master's Degree in Mechanical Engineering from an accredited institution.
• 15‑20years of piping engineering experience in the Oil & Gas industry.
• Extensive employment history with a major EPC contractor, engineering consultant, or energy project organization.
• Previous experience serving as Lead Piping Engineer on FEED and EPC projects.
• Demonstrated involvement in multi‑office project execution and coordination with international engineering centers.
• Detailed knowledge of conceptual engineering, Pre‑FEED, FEED, detailed design, procurement support, fabrication, and construction phases.
• Strong expertise in piping design techniques, analysis methods, international standards, and project specifications.
• Broad knowledge of piping layout and modelling, pipe stress and supports, piping materials, material take‑offs, and discipline deliverables.
• Strong project coordination, execution planning, resource forecasting, and discipline management capability.
• Detailed familiarity with ANSI, ASME, API, BS, NFPA, and other applicable international standards.
• Practical experience using SP3D, E3D, Navisworks, or comparable plant design and model review applications.
• Knowledge of both stick‑built construction and modularization strategies.
• Experience reviewing three‑dimensional models at formal project maturity stages.
• Ability to develop piping execution plans, schedules, man‑hour estimates, forecasts, budgets, and deliverable registers.
• Strong understanding of project commercial considerations, contract types, change management, and scope control.
• Experience reviewing design philosophies, specifications, material requisitions, pipe supports, standard details, and quantity take‑offs.
• Proven ability to lead multidisciplinary teams and coordinate piping sub‑disciplines.
• Strong analytical judgment with the ability to resolve complex technical and interface problems.
• Excellent written, verbal, presentation, negotiation, and stakeholder management skills.
• Ability to communicate confidently with project managers, clients, certifying authorities, vendors, and construction personnel.
• Professional Engineer registration or membership in a recognized engineering society is preferred.
• Strong commitment to safety, quality, ethical conduct, and McDermott values.
• Flexibility to undertake domestic and international business travel.

Skills Set

• Piping engineering, mechanical engineering, conceptual design, Pre‑FEED, FEED, detailed design, EPC project execution
• Piping layout, plant design, pipe stress analysis, pipe support engineering, piping material engineering, material take‑off, material requisitions
• Three‑dimensional model review, SP3D, E3D, Navisworks, isometric production planning, piping execution plans, discipline scheduling, man‑hour estimation, resource forecasting, scope change management
• Technical specifications, design philosophies, standard detail drawings, modularization, stick‑built construction, ANSI, ASME, API, BS, NFPA standards
• Technical audits, procurement support, fabrication coordination, construction support, multi‑office engineering, team leadership

Why Join Us

This position provides the opportunity to lead piping engineering for technically demanding offshore and onshore energy developments. The Principal Piping Engineer will influence design strategy, plant layout, modularization, material selection, project schedules, resource planning, fabrication readiness, and construction performance. The role offers significant interaction with international engineering centers, project management teams, clients, vendors, fabrication groups, and certification authorities. It also provides a strong platform for progression into discipline management, engineering management, project engineering leadership, or senior technical authority positions within the global energy sector.

About the Company

McDermott International, Ltd delivers integrated engineering, procurement, construction, installation, and project management solutions across the global energy value chain. Its capabilities include subsea infrastructure, offshore facilities, onshore developments, and offshore wind projects. With more than 100years of industry experience and over 30,000 professionals operating across 54 countries, McDermott combines advanced engineering knowledge, global project resources, and disciplined execution to deliver complex energy infrastructure safely and sustainably.