Senior Engineer - Instrumentation and Controls

Mc Dermott; Dubai; On-site; AED 334,800 - 502,200; Full time

Job summary

McDermott International, Ltd is looking for a Senior Engineer - Instrumentation and Controls based in Dubai. This role is crucial for leading engineering studies, detailed design, and managing complex projects in the oil and energy sector.

The ideal candidate will possess an engineering degree and has 8-15 years of relevant experience. This position involves providing technical leadership and ensuring compliance with safety and operational standards in a dynamic and challenging environment.

Qualifications

• 8-15 years of oil and gas engineering experience with a major contractor or consultancy.
• Strong knowledge of instrumentation engineering and control systems.
• Experience in leading small projects or technical work packages.

Responsibilities

• Provide technical leadership across engineering studies and design.
• Conduct design reviews and ensure compliance with project specifications.
• Coordinate technical deliverables across multidisciplinary teams.

Skills

Instrumentation engineering

Control systems engineering

FEED engineering

Detailed engineering design

Automation system architecture

Emergency shutdown systems

Fire and gas systems

Cause and effect diagrams

Control philosophies

Engineering calculations

Education

Bachelor's degree in Electrical, Electronics, or Instrumentation Engineering

Master's degree in a relevant engineering field

Job description

Senior Engineer - Instrumentation and Controls Job Snapshot

Position Overview

Senior Engineer - Instrumentation and Controls in Dubai, United Arab Emirates is a senior Oil and Energy engineering opportunity focused on conceptual design, FEED studies, detailed engineering, automation systems, safety controls, and multidisciplinary project delivery. McDermott International, Ltd is hiring an experienced engineer who can lead complex instrumentation and control activities, guide junior team members, coordinate technical deliverables, and support major offshore and onshore energy projects.

Job Details

Country: United Arab Emirates
City: Dubai
Industry: Oil and Energy
Function: Electrical-Electronics Engineering
Salary: 30000-45000 (estimated)
Gender: Any
Nationality: Any
Job Type: Full-time

Role Context

The Senior Engineer - Instrumentation and Controls will provide technical leadership across engineering studies, FEED assignments, detailed design, procurement support, fabrication activities, and project execution. The position carries responsibility for producing reliable instrumentation and automation solutions that comply with project specifications, customer requirements, applicable codes, safety standards, and operational objectives. Working closely with engineering disciplines, project management, fabrication teams, procurement personnel, vendors, subcontractors, and customers, the engineer will resolve complex technical matters and ensure that instrumentation and control systems remain safe, functional, coordinated, and suitable for construction and operation. The successful candidate may also act as Lead Engineer on smaller projects or serve as an area lead or deputy lead on larger assignments.

Key Responsibilities

• Perform conceptual engineering, FEED studies, technical assessments, and detailed instrumentation and control design activities.
• Prepare design calculations, engineering reports, control philosophies, technical specifications, procedures, and design basis documents.
• Develop and review automation system definitions, system architecture, safety drawings, and operating philosophies.
• Prepare and verify emergency shutdown logic, fire and gas logic, cause and effect diagrams, and related safety control documentation.
• Produce and review equipment specifications, data sheets, instrument indexes, spare parts lists, and technical requisitions.
• Support the development and markup of piping and instrumentation diagrams using approved project information and vendor data.
• Review instrumentation and control equipment testing procedures and participate in factory acceptance testing when required.
• Assist in closing HAZOP actions and resolving recommendations related to instrumentation, alarms, shutdowns, and process safety.
• Coordinate with process, piping, electrical, mechanical, structural, safety, layout, procurement, planning, fabrication, and project management teams.
• Identify interface concerns and design conflicts at an early stage and initiate practical corrective actions.
• Conduct single-discipline checks and inter-discipline design checks to confirm technical accuracy and clash‑free engineering.
• Review engineering work completed by other team members and confirm compliance with project procedures and specifications.
• Provide technical direction to engineers and designers preparing instrumentation and control deliverables.
• Guide less experienced engineers in engineering calculations, software applications, specifications, worksheets, requisitions, bid evaluations, and technical queries.
• Prepare technical queries to obtain missing information, define unclear requirements, and maintain compliance with approved engineering practices.
• Identify scope changes and support change notifications, variation orders, supporting estimates, and related documentation.
• Assist with bid proposals by reviewing technical requirements, preparing execution statements, and estimating engineering man‑hours.
• Finalize discipline deliverable registers and verify that planned outputs meet functional and contractual requirements.
• Participate in project reviews, engineering coordination meetings, vendor discussions, customer meetings, technical audits, and offshore site surveys.
• Support procurement activities by preparing requisitions, reviewing quotations, compiling technical bid tabulations, and issuing recommendations.
• Coordinate with procurement teams to obtain, review, and expedite vendor documentation.
• Review vendor and subcontractor submissions and provide clear technical comments where requirements are not fully satisfied.
• Verify vendor data manuals and confirm that requested documents have been reviewed and approved.
• Update design information and equipment weight reports when vendor details become available.
• Respond to fabrication and construction queries and identify suitable defect correction or rectification requirements.
• Provide instrumentation and control inputs required by other engineering disciplines.
• Maintain records of substantive technical communications, decisions, assigned actions, and project instructions.
• Monitor engineering hours, discipline costs, progress, productivity, forecasts, and short‑term work priorities.
• Keep the Lead Engineer informed of technical, schedule, budget, staffing, and execution concerns.
• Capture engineering lessons learned and record them within the company knowledge management system.
• Support responses to customers, certifying authorities, auditors, and third‑party reviewers.
• Maintain organized engineering records and ensure proper filing of approved discipline documentation.

Lead Engineering Responsibilities

• Taking responsibility for instrumentation and control engineering execution.
• Controlling engineering hours, resources, materials, priorities, and progress.
• Coordinating discipline activities with project management and other area leads.
• Preparing deliverable control registers, engineering schedules, progress reports, and forecasts.
• Developing man‑hour estimates and capital expenditure inputs.
• Allocating work and monitoring the quality and completion of discipline deliverables.
• Providing relevant project feedback to the engineering department.
• Supervising instrumentation and controls engineers and supporting their technical development.

Ideal Profile

• Bachelor's degree in Electrical Engineering, Electronics Engineering, Instrumentation Engineering, or a closely related discipline.
• Master's degree in a relevant engineering field is preferred.
• 8-15 years of oil and gas engineering experience with a major engineering contractor or consultancy.
• Extensive involvement in detailed design assignments for offshore or onshore energy projects.
• Strong understanding of instrumentation engineering, control systems, automation architecture, shutdown systems, and fire and gas systems.
• Detailed knowledge of applicable engineering standards, design codes, specifications, and project guidelines.
• Demonstrated capability in preparing and checking calculations, technical specifications, reports, data sheets, philosophies, and procedures.
• Experience reviewing vendor quotations, technical bids, requisitions, drawings, manuals, and equipment documentation.
• Ability to coordinate effectively across engineering, procurement, fabrication, construction, and project management functions.
• Previous experience leading small projects, technical work packages, or discipline areas is advantageous.
• Professional Engineer registration or membership in a recognized engineering institution is preferred.
• Strong written and spoken English communication skills.
• Ability to explain complex engineering matters to technical and non‑technical stakeholders.
• Proven organization, supervision, mentoring, and workload planning capability.
• Independent working style supported by sound engineering judgment and disciplined decision‑making.
• Awareness of health, safety, environmental, quality, cost, and schedule obligations.
• Willingness to support other departments, project sites, fabrication yards, and McDermott offices when operationally required.

Skills Set

• Instrumentation engineering
• Control systems engineering
• FEED engineering
• Detailed engineering design
• Automation system architecture
• Emergency shutdown systems
• Fire and gas systems
• Cause and effect diagrams
• Control philosophies
• Instrument data sheets
• Instrument specifications
• Piping and instrumentation diagrams
• Safety instrumented systems
• Factory acceptance testing
• HAZOP action closeout
• Technical bid evaluation
• Equipment requisitions
• Vendor document review
• Inter‑discipline design checks
• Engineering calculations
• Design verification
• Procurement engineering support
• Fabrication technical support
• Offshore site surveys
• Project engineering coordination
• Man‑hour estimating
• Progress forecasting
• Engineering team supervision
• Technical mentoring
• Oil and gas design standards

Why Join Us

This position offers the opportunity to influence technically demanding instrumentation and control work across major energy developments while progressing toward broader engineering leadership responsibilities. The role combines advanced design, multidisciplinary coordination, procurement support, vendor engagement, fabrication assistance, and team mentoring within a globally established project environment. Senior engineers joining McDermott International, Ltd can contribute to offshore infrastructure, onshore facilities, energy transition developments, and complex engineering projects supported by international technical resources.

About the Company

McDermott International, Ltd is a global engineering and construction organization serving the energy industry through integrated design, procurement, fabrication, installation, and project delivery capabilities. With more than a century of engineering experience and operations across numerous countries, the company supports offshore, subsea, onshore, and energy transition projects through multidisciplinary teams focused on safe, reliable, and sustainable execution.