Sr Principal Instrument & Controls Eng

McDermott International, Ltd; Abu Dhabi; On-site; AED 477,414 - 587,587; Full time

Job summary

McDermott International, Ltd seeks a Senior Principal Instrument & Controls Engineer in Abu Dhabi. The role involves leading a team, solving complex engineering problems, and ensuring project compliance with specifications and standards.

The ideal candidate will have over 20 years of experience in the oil and gas sector, with a strong engineering background and proven leadership skills. This position requires excellent communication skills and the ability to innovate within the industry.

Qualifications

• 20+ years of experience in oil and gas with major contractors.
• Recognized as a key leader or highly skilled analyst.
• Detailed knowledge of design techniques and standards.

Responsibilities

• Lead and manage the Instrumentation & Controls Engineering team.
• Develop innovative solutions for engineering challenges.
• Prepare estimates for bids and ensure compliance with specifications.

Skills

Instrumentation & Controls design expertise

Project coordination

Creative problem solving

Technical leadership

Communication and presentation skills

Education

Bachelor’s Degree in Electrical, or Electronics and Instrumentation Engineering

Master’s Degree (preferred)

Tools

Various design software as applicable

Job description

Job Overview

The Sr Principal Instrument & Controls Eng is tasked with solving unique and complex problems that have a broad impact on the business. They must proactively identify and solve the most complex problems that impact the management and direction of the business. The Sr Principal Instrument & Controls Eng is considered a specialist in the field of Instrumentation & Controls, and they offer a broad base of knowledge about the Engineering function. The Sr Principal Instrument & Controls Eng impacts the direction and resource allocation of programs and projects in their discipline and works within general functional policies and industry guidelines. The Sr Principal Instrument & Controls Eng role requires conceptual and innovative thinking to develop creative solutions to Instrumentation & Controls challenges.

Key Tasks and Responsibilities

• Perform conceptual, FEED, and detailed analyses and design as per design basis, project specifications, design codes, and standards
• Develop creative and innovative solutions that are reliable and cost-effective for problems and challenges when they arise
• Apply expertise to the most complex problems
• Manage own time to meet objectives and (as Lead Engineer) forecast and plan resource requirements
• Develop and manage plans to achieve business objectives
• Clearly communicate and explain highly complex ideas and anticipate potential objections, influencing outcomes
• When acting as Lead Engineer, in addition:
  • Direct large Instrumentation & Controls Engineering team as a Lead Engineer
  • Lead the Discipline engineering design of the assigned work area and completed within the planned schedule and budget, in accordance with standards, MDR, and project-specific procedures and to a high professional standard
  • Plan, organize, and direct all aspects of Discipline execution on the assigned project including scope, deliverables, schedule, and all manpower resources – agree allocations with the Discipline Manager
  • Ensure interfaces and deliverables are clearly identified
  • Maintain responsibility for progress and productivity, identifying any required corrective action
  • Act as project representative for the Discipline during meetings with the Project Team, Customer discipline lead, and relevant agencies such as certifying authorities, auditors, third parties, etc.
• Become fully familiar with the project scope of work, specifications, schedule, and all inter-discipline requirements, including identifying concerns as early as practicable and taking appropriate initiatives to address the issues
• Interpret contractual requirements as they relate to engineering execution
• Identify changes to scope and promptly raise change notifications, including providing any necessary supporting documentation and estimates
• Provide similar support for Variation Orders
• Interface with all disciplines to develop clash‑free designs
• 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 (communications that result in significant decisions or assignment of actions) and forward copies to the Discipline Lead Engineer and Discipline Manager
• Prepare estimates for bid proposals, including technical query reviews, execution statements, and manhour estimates, identifying software requirements and any 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 finalizing deliverables lists and deliverables, ensuring compliance with specifications and functional integrity
• Review project schedule and fabrication schedule about construction sequence, milestones, and engineering scope
• Attend project kickoff and review meetings, vendor meetings, engineering meetings, and offshore site surveys, as required
• Provide technical direction and review of Designers producing products related to Instrumentation and Controls 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, preparing queries, compiling bid tabulations and recommendations, preparing purchase requisitions, and coordinating with Procurement to expedite vendor documents, as directed by the Discipline Lead Engineer
• Assist in updating weight report based on receipt of vendor information
• 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/inter-discipline check (IDC)
• Provide technical support to fabrication queries, including identifying defect/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 by project and company requirements
• Perform (as required) Technical Quality Audit reviews by MDR Global Procedures
• Assist Lead Engineer with responses to Customers and other agencies (such as certifying authorities, auditors, third parties, etc.) on their review and approval
• Capture lessons learned and entered them into MDR's Lessons Learned system
• Provide leadership, mentoring, and guidance to other Engineers
• Supervise and guide assigned engineers and coordinate with project Lead Designers for Discipline engineering and design deliverables
• Assign personnel to analyze and design tasks based on knowledge of individual strengths and capabilities
• Monitor costs of own work processes
• Evaluate costs associated with products and solutions
• Assist in the maintenance of departmental technical guidelines and standard calculation notes
• Participate in the development and maintenance of Global Procedures, Software, and Standards
• Incorporate approved Lessons Learned into MDR Level 2 & 3 engineering procedures, as applicable
• May participate in standards development committees or task groups such as API
• Assist Department Manager in identifying departmental needs including the development of personnel and technical capabilities
• Participate in McDermott forums and represent McDermott as a subject matter expert (SME)
• Provide information on employee performance to the Discipline Manager
• Assist the Discipline manager in interviewing job applicants
• Prepare, review, and (as Lead Engineer) approve automation system definition, including philosophy, specifications, safety drawings, and system architecture
• Prepare, review, and (as Lead Engineer) approve ESD logic (as applicable) / cause & effect diagrams and F&G logic (as applicable) / cause & effect diagrams
• Review and (as Lead Engineer) approve specifications and data sheets for Instrumentation & Controls equipment
• Review and (as Lead Engineer) approve I&C equipment spare parts lists
• Review and (as Lead Engineer) approve inputs to P&ID development and markups based on receipt of vendor information
• Review and (as Lead Engineer) approve I&C equipment testing procedures
• Attend I&C equipment FATs, as required
• Participate in HAZOP, SIL, and Classification Studies, as required
• Assist in closing out HAZOP action items
• Provide construction, pre‑commissioning, and commissioning support, as required
• Participate in automation testing, as required
• 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 to be based on knowledge of individual engineer's 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 real‑time 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 & other agencies on documents and drawings produced by the team, and 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, Project Engineering Manager or Project Manager
• Functional: Supervising Engineer or Engineering Manager

Liaise with

• AII Engineering disciplines, Fabrication Group, Safety Department, Offshore Group, Project Management Team, Document Control, Project Planner, Project Cost Controller, QC and Certification Group, Procurement Group, Subcontractors and Vendors, and Customers

Supervises

• Senior Instrumentation and Controls Engineers and Instrumentation and Controls Engineers

Essential Qualifications and Education

• Bachelor’s Degree in Electrical, or Electronics and Instrumentation Engineering (Master’s Degree is preferred)
• 20+ years of experience in oil and gas with major contractors or consultants predominantly performing detail design
• Preferably Registered Professional Engineer or member of a professional engineering society
• Detailed knowledge of design techniques and analysis methods, and detailed knowledge of the theory, content, and application of standards, codes, and guidelines as applicable
• Knowledgeable in project coordination and execution skills
• Recognized across the company as a key leader, highly innovative designer, or highly skilled analyst
• Recognized as having good communication and presentation skills (e.g., published technical papers are written, actively participates in conferences and/or seminars, and/or is a capable presenter of design solutions or presenting topics at "lunch and learns"; etc.)