Principal Structural Engineer - Offshore Design

Mc Dermott; Dubai; On-site; AED 391,000 - 580,000; Full time

Job summary

McDermott International, Ltd seeks a Principal Structural Engineer for offshore design in Dubai. You will provide technical leadership across conceptual studies, FEED, and detailed engineering for offshore facilities, with a focus on weight data, CG management, and multidisciplinary interfaces.

The role requires extensive knowledge of offshore structural systems, coding, and design analyses, with responsibility for coordinating with clients, certifying authorities, fabrication yards, and other

Qualifications

• Bachelor's or Master's degree in Engineering.
• 15–20 years of structural engineering experience in oil and gas/offshore.
• Strong experience with offshore topsides and jackets.

Responsibilities

• Perform concept to detailed structural engineering calculations per design basis, codes, and standards.
• Provide technically sound structural solutions for offshore facilities.
• Lead weight control and CG management activities for fabrication sequencing and installation.
• Coordinate with multiple disciplines and clients to ensure timely input and compliance.
• Mentor engineers and review subcontractor deliverables.
• Support fabrication yards and on-site construction activities.

Skills

Offshore structural design

FEED experience

Weight control & CG management

Finite element analysis

Seismic/hydrodynamic loading

Construction & fabrication support

Team leadership

Code compliance (API,AISC,Eurocodes)

Education

Bachelor's or Master in Engineering

Tools

UNIFI

3D model weight data handling

Job description

Principal Structural Engineer - Offshore Design

Location: Dubai, United Arab Emirates

Industry: Oil and Energy

Function: Structural

Experience: 15-20 years

Job Type: Full-time

Job Details Country: United Arab Emirates City: Dubai Industry: Oil and Energy Function: Structural Salary: 35000-52000 Estimated salary range based on similar jobs in the job city; please confirm the final offer with the employer. Gender: Any Candidate Nationality: Any Job Type: Full-time

Role Context The Principal Structural Engineer will provide specialist technical leadership across conceptual studies, FEED, detailed engineering, fabrication support, and project execution. The position requires extensive knowledge of offshore structural systems, engineering codes, design analysis, weight control, constructability, and multidisciplinary interfaces. Depending on project requirements, the engineer may act as Discipline Lead on medium to large EPC projects with responsibility for scope, schedule, resources, technical quality, engineering productivity, and coordination with clients, certifying authorities, fabrication yards, vendors, and other engineering disciplines. A significant part of the role involves controlling structural and multidisciplinary weight data. Accurate weight estimation, center of gravity management, and monitoring of design growth are essential for fabrication sequencing, transportation, lifting, offshore installation, and safe operation of offshore facilities.

Key Responsibilities

• Perform conceptual, FEED, and detailed structural engineering calculations and analyses in accordance with approved design basis documents, project specifications, codes, and standards.
• Develop technically sound structural solutions for complex offshore and energy facilities.
• Prepare clear structural calculations, design reports, engineering procedures, and technical assessments.
• Apply advanced engineering judgment to nonstandard structural problems and challenging project conditions.
• Review calculations and engineering work prepared by other structural engineers.
• Perform discipline checks and contribute to interdisciplinary design checks.
• Verify structural designs for strength, serviceability, fatigue, operational requirements, constructability, and maintainability.
• Prepare project-specific structural engineering guides and technical criteria.
• Lead medium and large structural engineering teams when assigned Discipline Lead responsibility.
• Plan structural engineering scope, deliverables, schedule, and manpower requirements.
• Agree resource allocation and priorities with the Discipline Manager.
• Monitor engineering progress and productivity against approved plans.
• Identify schedule or resource concerns and implement corrective actions.
• Ensure discipline deliverables comply with project procedures, standards, Master Document Registers, and technical requirements.
• Define engineering interfaces and ensure required input from other disciplines is received on time.
• Coordinate structural requirements with Piping, Mechanical, Electrical, Instrumentation, Process, Safety, Naval, and other engineering functions.
• Represent the Structural discipline in project meetings with customers, certifying authorities, auditors, third parties, and project management.
• Clearly communicate complex technical matters and provide recommendations to support decision-making.
• Supervise Senior Engineers, Engineers, and Designers.
• Mentor less experienced personnel and strengthen technical capability within the department.
• Conduct peer reviews and provide specialist assistance on technically demanding assignments.
• Monitor and support engineering work performed by MOPEX offices.
• Coordinate technical information between multiple design centers when projects use distributed engineering execution.
• Maintain awareness of fabrication yard and construction site requirements when developing structural solutions.
• Define structural engineering scopes of work for construction, fabrication yards, consultants, or specialist subcontractors.
• Manage structural design subcontracts where required.
• Review subcontractor deliverables and resolve technical concerns.
• Provide engineering assistance during fabrication, construction, transportation, installation, and offshore execution.
• Perform engineering checks of structural drafting and design drawings.
• Review structural layouts, framing arrangements, details, and fabrication information.
• Prepare Material Take-Off information for structural components.
• Develop structural specifications and project-specific technical requirements.
• Prepare technical requirements for structural subcontracts.
• Review vendor data and identify structural interfaces or technical concerns.
• Prepare and review Technical Bid Evaluations for relevant materials, equipment, and services.
• Support proposal and tender preparation by developing structural concepts and estimates from preliminary information.
• Use historical experience to establish realistic design assumptions during bid stages.
• Identify special engineering studies, analyses, or execution requirements before project award.
• Provide technical input to department procedures and engineering process improvements.
• Maintain and support UNIFI engineering information where required.
• Provide specialist structural engineering support for offshore topsides, jackets, modules, complex structures, and related facilities.
• Perform or review finite element analyses for complex structural systems.
• Conduct dynamic analyses where operating or environmental conditions require advanced assessment.
• Evaluate structural fatigue performance for applicable offshore components.
• Support seismic and earthquake design assessments where required.
• Perform structural checks for blast or accidental loading conditions when applicable.
• Support hydrodynamic structural assessments for offshore facilities.
• Apply specialist knowledge of steel and concrete structural engineering.
• Coordinate geotechnical interfaces affecting foundations and structural response.
• Support structural engineering for jackets, topsides, FPSOs, and associated offshore facilities.
• Prepare center of gravity reports and structural weight assessments.
• Apply relevant international design codes such as EC, ACI, AISC, API, GOST, and project-specific standards where applicable.
• Lead project weight control and weighing activities.
• Prepare and issue project Weight Control Procedures.
• Establish methods for collecting, categorizing, validating, and reporting multidisciplinary weight information.
• Coordinate weight input from all engineering disciplines, vendors, subcontractors, and external design centers.
• Ensure weight information reflects build sequencing, fabrication strategy, installation methodology, and operational requirements.
• Develop clear weight breakdown structures and responsibility matrices.
• Review Material Take-Off data, engineering estimates, and 3D model outputs used for weight reporting.
• Verify weight data for completeness and consistency.
• Ensure items are neither omitted nor counted more than once.
• Review vendor weight data and reconcile discrepancies with project estimates.
• Coordinate weight reporting requirements and formats with the Client.
• Prepare and issue periodic Weight Control Reports.
• Monitor weight growth and identify trends that could affect project limits or installation strategies.
• Highlight significant changes and coordinate corrective action with engineering disciplines.
• Plan Weight Control Report issue dates in alignment with project milestones.
• Identify staffing, information, and schedule constraints affecting weight reporting.
• Maintain historical weight records for future estimating and benchmarking.
• Develop volumetric assessments and primary, secondary, tertiary, and multidisciplinary weight breakdowns.
• Maintain reliable historical information for first-principles estimating.
• Lead preparation of as-built weight estimates.
• Coordinate and supervise on-site weighing activities.
• Oversee third-party weighing contractors when required.
• Verify weighing arrangements and procedures before execution.
• Ensure weighing equipment remains appropriately calibrated.
• Maintain calibration records and supporting certification for weighing equipment.
• Review and issue final weighing results.
• Prepare center of gravity information required for transportation, lifting, and installation engineering.
• When assigned Lead Engineer responsibilities, take overall control of structural engineering delivery for the project.
• Manage engineering work hours, deliverables, materials, and progress.
• Coordinate closely with the Design Coordinator and Project Engineering Manager.
• Establish required engineering computer systems and project tools.
• Assist the Project Manager in developing deliverable control systems.
• Support preparation of engineering schedules and progress reporting.
• Prepare or review structural engineering man-hour estimates.
• Contribute to capital expenditure estimates where relevant.
• Coordinate structural activities with project management and project controls.
• Identify changes in structural scope and initiate appropriate change management processes.
• Maintain complete filing and traceability of structural engineering work.
• Provide relevant lessons learned and technical feedback to the department.
• Support orderly engineering closeout and handover of completed structural scopes.

Ideal Profile

• Bachelor 's degree or Master 's degree in Engineering.
• 15-20 years of structural engineering experience within oil and gas projects.
• Extensive experience with a major engineering contractor or consultant.
• Career background predominantly involving detailed design engineering.
• Seasoned expertise in offshore structural analysis and design.
• Strong experience with structural steel systems used in offshore facilities.
• Detailed knowledge of design techniques, structural analysis methods, codes, standards, and engineering guidelines.
• Practical experience with FEED and conceptual engineering is valuable.
• Experience leading structural engineering teams on medium or large EPC projects.
• Ability to plan scope, manpower, schedule, deliverables, and engineering resources.
• Strong knowledge of topsides, jackets, modules, and offshore structures.
• Familiarity with FPSO structural engineering is advantageous.
• Advanced understanding of finite element analysis.
• Knowledge of dynamic analysis, fatigue, seismic response, blast, and hydrodynamic loading.
• Strong working knowledge of API, AISC, ACI, Eurocodes, and other relevant standards.
• Experience performing multidisciplinary design checks and technical peer reviews.
• Strong understanding of fabrication and construction requirements.
• Experience supporting fabrication yards and construction sites.
• Practical understanding of offshore installation requirements.
• Experience preparing structural Material Take-Offs and technical specifications.
• Ability to prepare Technical Bid Evaluations and review vendor documentation.
• Experience defining and managing structural engineering subcontracts.
• Strong knowledge of multidisciplinary weight control and center of gravity management.
• Experience preparing Weight Control Procedures and periodic Weight Reports.
• Ability to coordinate weight data from engineering disciplines, vendors, and 3D models.
• Experience supervising project weighing activities is highly valuable.
• Commercial awareness and understanding of engineering cost and schedule performance.
• Strong organizational, leadership, and team supervision capabilities.
• Ability to solve complex technical problems independently.
• Strong commitment to HSE, quality, productivity, and cost-conscious engineering.
• Fluent written and spoken English.
• Professional Engineer registration or membership in a recognized professional engineering society is preferred.
• Ability to work across engineering offices, fabrication yards, construction sites, and other project locations when required.
• Flexibility to support other projects or departments during periods of high workload.
• Ability to adapt to evolving engineering software, systems, and execution methods.

Skills Set

• Structural engineering
• Offshore structural design
• Structural analysis
• Detailed design
• FEED
• Conceptual engineering
• EPC engineering
• Structural steel
• Offshore topsides
• Offshore jackets
• FPSO structures
• Complex structures
• Finite Element Analysis
• FEM
• Dynamic analysis
• Fatigue analysis
• Seismic analysis
• Earthquake engineering
• Blast analysis
• Hydrodynamic analysis
• Geotechnical interfaces
• Steel design
• Concrete design
• API standards
• AISC
• ACI
• Eurocodes
• GOST
• Structural calculations
• Design reports
• Structural specifications
• Material Take-Off
• MTO
• Technical Bid Evaluations
• Vendor data review
• Engineering subcontracts
• Design verification
• Inter-discipline checks
• Constructability
• Maintainability
• Fabrication engineering
• Construction support
• MOPEX coordination
• Engineering leadership
• Resource planning
• Man-hour control
• Engineering schedules
• Project Controls
• Scope management
• Change management
• Weight control
• Weight Control Procedures
• Weight Control Reports
• Center of gravity reports
• 3D model weight data
• As-built weight estimates
• On-site weighing
• Weighing equipment calibration
• Multidisciplinary weight management
• Engineering closeout

Why Join Us

This position offers the opportunity to combine specialist structural engineering with discipline leadership and project-wide weight management across technically demanding offshore developments. The scope extends beyond conventional structural design into fabrication support, installation considerations, multidisciplinary interfaces, technical assurance, and management of engineering performance. For a Principal Structural Engineer in Dubai, the role provides significant exposure to major Oil and Energy projects, international EPC execution, offshore structures, advanced engineering analysis, fabrication yards, and multidisciplinary leadership. The breadth of responsibility also creates a strong platform for progression into Lead Engineer, Engineering Manager, or broader technical leadership positions.

About the Company

McDermott International, Ltd delivers engineering, procurement, fabrication, construction, installation, and project management services for complex energy developments worldwide. Its structural engineering teams support offshore facilities from early design through detailed engineering, fabrication, installation, and final handover while maintaining rigorous technical, safety, weight control, and project execution standards.