Principal Subsea Engineer

McDermott International, Ltd; Dubai; On-site; AED 367,242 - 550,863; Full time

Job summary

McDermott International, Ltd in Dubai is seeking a Principal Subsea Engineer to lead subsea and offshore projects. The ideal candidate will have extensive experience in installation engineering and will be responsible for overseeing engineering activities while ensuring compliance with safety and legal objectives.

This role involves working closely with project teams, providing technical direction, and supporting graduates and junior engineers. A Bachelor's or Master's in Engineering and 10-15 years in the field are required.

Qualifications

• Minimum 10–15 years of industry experience related to SURF.
• Familiar with the content and application of standards, codes, and guidelines.
• Experience with installation engineering and analyses for subsea infrastructure.

Responsibilities

• Support subsea and offshore projects performing design and installation engineering.
• Perform conceptual, FEED, and detailed analyses and design as per specifications.
• Coordinate daily activities and schedule priorities for subsea engineering under limited supervision.

Skills

Subsea engineering

Installation engineering

Communication skills

Analytical skills

Project management

Education

Bachelor’s Degree or Master’s Degree in Engineering

Tools

Orcaflex

MCS Pipelay

Abaqus

Job description

Principal Subsea Engineer

The Principal Subsea Engineer interprets business issues, recommends best practices, solves complex Subsea problems, and works independently with minimal guidance. They may lead functional teams or projects and are regarded as a specialist in Subsea, requiring in‑depth expertise and broad knowledge within the Engineering function.

Responsibilities

• Support subsea and offshore projects performing design and installation engineering/analysis in a lead role and address various procurement requirements.
• Provide specialist skills and knowledge in areas related to engineering and analysis, including design codes related to subsea and installation engineering.
• Perform conceptual, FEED, and detailed analyses and design as per design basis, project specifications, design codes and standards.
• Apply in‑depth skills and broad business knowledge to address complex problems and non‑standard situations.
• Coordinate and engage in daily activities and schedule priorities for subsea engineering under limited supervision.
• Tender engineering support with emphasis on document review, preparation of subcontractor documents, CTR preparation, bid evaluation, and vendor selection.
• Assume responsibility for technical reports, design calculations, engineering analysis, and interface with third parties including subcontractors and verification bodies.
• Attend and prepare for project progress meetings and departmental meetings.
• Manage own time to meet objectives and, as Lead Engineer, forecast and plan resource requirements.
• When acting as Lead Engineer, in addition:
  • Direct small or medium‑sized Engineering teams.
  • Lead the Discipline engineering design of the assigned work area, completing it within the planned schedule and budget while adhering to standards, MDR, and project‑specific procedures.
  • Plan, organize, and direct all aspects of Discipline execution, including scope, deliverables, schedule, and manpower resources, agreeing allocations with the Discipline Manager.
  • Ensure interfaces and deliverables are clearly identified.
  • Maintain responsibility for progress and productivity, identifying required corrective action.
• Act as project representative for the Discipline during meetings with Project Team, Customer discipline lead, and relevant agencies such as certifying authorities, auditors, third parties, etc.
• Adhere to safety and legal objectives of the company.
• Train and mentor graduates and junior engineers.
• Perform Installation Analysis for rigid pipelines and risers (CLAD and Lined pipelines from reel-lay and S-lay vessels).
• Perform Installation Analysis for flexible flowlines, flexible risers of various configurations, umbilicals (static and dynamic), and subsea structures.
• Prepare Installation Analysis models using industry‑standard packages and post‑process analysis results applying design criteria from industry codes and client specifications.
• Support the development of knowledge in the area of design and installation analysis related to subsea and offshore engineering.
• Review and, as Lead Engineer, approve third‑party reports related to Installation Engineering and Analysis.
• Understand client requirements and develop solutions to address them, satisfying necessary codes and specifications.
• Take personal responsibility for design, analyses, and technical documentation.
• Liaise with operational teams to support project engineering and be available for site visits and offshore trips when necessary.
• Become fully familiar with the project scope, specifications, schedule, and all inter‑discipline requirements; identify concerns early and take initiatives to address issues.
• Interpret contractual requirements as they relate to engineering execution.
• Identify scope changes and promptly raise change notifications, providing necessary supporting documentation and estimates; provide similar support for Variation Orders.
• Interface with other departments to obtain input for Discipline designs and drawings.
• Maintain close coordination with other engineering disciplines, Planning, Fabrication, Marine, and Project Management Teams, as required.
• Document substantive communications and forward copies to Discipline Lead Engineer and Discipline Manager.
• Prepare estimates for bid proposals, including technical query reviews, execution statements, and manhour estimates, identifying software requirements and other project‑specific requirements.
• Raise technical queries to obtain missing information, clarify work scope, and maintain preferred McDermott procedures, specifications, standards, practices, and operational requirements.
• Prepare, review, and, as Lead Engineer, approve Discipline engineering design basis, philosophies, and technical specifications.
• Participate in finalising deliverable lists and documents, ensuring compliance with specifications and functional integrity.
• Review project schedule and fabrication schedule in relation to construction sequence, milestones, and engineering scope.
• Attend project kick‑off and review meetings, vendor meetings, engineering meetings, and offshore site surveys, as required.
• Provide technical direction and review of Designers producing products related to Subsea Engineering.
• Prepare, review, and, as Lead Engineer, approve design reports and procedures.
• Assist in providing necessary design inputs to other disciplines to enable them to proceed with their deliverables.
• Assist procurement personnel in procuring Discipline equipment, materials, and services; ensuring that work produced complies with Customer objectives and procedures. Procurement assistance includes preparing, reviewing, and, as Lead Engineer, approving requisitions, evaluating technical quotations, and preparing queries, compiling bid tabulations and recommendations, preparing purchase requisitions, and coordinating with Procurement to expedite vendor documents, as directed by Discipline Lead Engineer.
• Review and, as Lead Engineer, approve vendor and subcontractor submittals, checking for compliance with project specifications and providing comments as necessary.
• Review and, as Lead Engineer, approve design verification through single‑discipline check I interdisciplinary check (IDC).
• Provide technical support to fabrication queries, including identifying defect and rectification requirements.
• Keep the Discipline Manager and Project Management Team apprised of all activities and concerns, technical, budgetary and manpower related.
• Assist in providing inputs for actual, planning, and forecasting progress reports including associated productivity.
• Check final subcontractor and vendor data manuals to ensure that all requested data has been received and approved.
• Present issues and problems to Customers in a timely manner and assist the Lead Engineer in negotiating resolution in accordance with project and company requirements.
• Perform (as required) Technical Quality Audit reviews in accordance with MDR Global Procedures.
• Assist Lead Engineer with responses to Customer and other agencies (such as certifying authorities, auditors, third parties, etc.) on their review and approval.
• Capture lessons learned and enter into MDR’s Lessons Learned system.
• Capture Knowledge Objects and enter into MDR’s system.
• Guide less experienced engineers on MDR and Discipline procedures, standards, worksheets, design calculations, software, requisitions, technical bid evaluations, technical queries, etc.
• Supervise and guide assigned engineers and coordinate with project Lead Designers for Discipline engineering and design deliverables.
• Responsible for the engineering integrity of the assigned work area.
• Monitor costs of own work processes.
• Assist in the maintenance of departmental technical guidelines and standard calculation notes.
• Participate in development and maintenance of Global Procedures, Software, and Standards.
• May participate in standards development committees or task groups such as DNV and API.
• Develop communication and presentation skills (e.g., write technical papers, participate in conferences and/or seminars, present design solutions, and/or present topics at "lunch and learns").
• Identify and provide training to staff in specific techniques and proprietary software.
• Provide information on employee performance to the Discipline Manager.
• Assist the Discipline manager in interviewing job applicants.
• Review and, as a Lead Engineer, approve drawings and design reports ensuring technical correctness, professional presentation, and satisfaction of fabrication/installation requirements.
• Participate in Constructability Review meetings and offshore visits as required to support offshore installation.
• When acting as Lead Engineer, in addition:
  • Act as project‑based Discipline point of contact in communications and meetings with Customer counterparts.
  • Ensure substantive communications are documented.
  • Prepare bids and project's Discipline engineering budget and execution plans, updating as required.
  • Identify project staff needs based on knowledge of individual engineers’ skill sets and provide requests to the Discipline manager.
  • Plan, organize, and assign tasks, responsibilities, and manhour budgets to the discipline team, and verify tasks are completed within budgets.
  • Plan Discipline Level 4 detail deliverable schedule/ register compliant with the overall execution plan.
  • Prepare working forecasts identifying change management plans, corrective action, and realtime schedule.
  • Provide Discipline inputs for actual, planning, and forecasting progress reports including associated productivity.
  • Alert the project team of any deviation from the scope or a need for a change order.
  • Monitor KPI measurement results, and take corrective action as necessary to improve Discipline performance, including performance at interfaces with others.
  • Coordinate with other Discipline Lead Engineers and Designers to ensure timely receipt of necessary design inputs.
  • Review and approve requisitions, technical quotation evaluations and queries, compiled bid tabulations and recommendations, and purchase requisitions; and coordinate with Procurement to expedite vendor documents as required.
  • Lead the Discipline team during project audits (internal, Customer, and third‑party technical audits) and Design Reviews.
  • Review comments from Customers and other agencies on documents and drawings produced by the team, resolve and give guidance on their update and incorporation.
  • Assist the Discipline manager in the preparation of quarterly forecasts and manpower planning.
  • Anticipate project engineering needs and plan accordingly.
  • Coordinate with vendor for discipline‑managed/procured items.
  • Assist the Discipline manager and Project Engineering Manager or Project Manager in the performance evaluation of project team members.

Reports To

Project: Lead Engineer
Functional: Supervising Department Manager
Liaise With: Other engineering disciplines, PMT, Client, Planning, Cost Control, Document Control, Procurement, QA, Subcontractors, and Vendors
Supervises: Subsea Engineers

Qualifications

• Minimum 10–15 years of industry experience related to SURF.
• Bachelor’s Degree or Master’s Degree in Engineering.
• Familiar with the content and application of standards, codes, and guidelines as applicable.
• Knowledge of many basic design techniques and analysis methods.
• Experience related to installation engineering and analyses for subsea infrastructure including rigid pipelines, flexible flowlines, risers, and subsea structures.
• Experience with industry‑standard software packages for analysis (e.g., Orcaflex, MCS Pipelay, Abaqus).
• Experience with industry‑commonly used codes and standards for subsea installation engineering and analysis.
• Good organization and communication skills and ability to prioritize workload to meet project deadlines.