Principal Commissioning Engineer

McDermott International, Ltd; London Borough of Ealing; On-site; GBP 90,000 - 140,000; Full time

Job summary

McDermott International, Ltd is seeking a Principal Operations Engineer in London to lead a team of engineers for offshore/offshore pipeline and umbilical pre-commissioning operations. You will coordinate with Field Engineers to develop execution methodologies and oversee the timely delivery of pre-commissioning scopes.

Expect extensive collaboration across disciplines and a focus on safety, efficiency, and project KPIs.

Qualifications

• 10+ years in oil and gas with major contractors.
• Experience leading a team of 6+ engineers.
• General experience in shallow and deepwater water installation operations.
• Rigid & flexible pipeline pre-commissioning and decommissioning on at least 10 projects.
• Umbilical pre-commissioning on at least 6 projects.
• Decommissioning and isolation knowledge is essential.

Responsibilities

• Coordinate pre-commissioning methodologies with Field Engineers.
• Develop offshore/onshore pre-commissioning execution plans.
• Manage equipment, vessels, and subcontractor scopes.
• Review deliverables and manage documentation.
• Lead Readiness reviews, HAZID/HAZOP.
• Support budget, risk, and cost control.
• Mentor Field Engineers and drive project KPIs.
• Liaise across disciplines and interfaces.

Skills

Team leadership

Offshore operations

Pre-commissioning

Project coordination

Job description

Job-ID: 26002497Category: EngineeringLocation: Chiswick, London, United KingdomSchedule: Full timePosted: 2026-06-18Job Overview:The Principal Operations Engineer manages a team of Engineers for the preparation and execution of offshore/offshore pipeline and umbilical pre-commissioning operations.

Qualifications

• Essential Qualifications and Education:10 plus years of experience in the oil and gas industry working for major Contractors.
• Experience managing a team of more than 6 Engineers.
• The following experience is required: General experience of all shallow and deepwater water installation operations.
• Rigid & flexible pipeline pre-commissioning and decommissioning experience - execution of a minimum of 10 projects.
• Umbilical pre-commissioning experience - execution of a minimum of 6 projects.
• Decommissioning and isolation knowledge is essential#LI-HYBRID#LI-SM1

Key Tasks and Responsibilities

• Liaise with installation team during early project execution to ensure alignment
  on methodologies.
• Work with Field Engineers to develop pre-commissioning execution methodologies for offshore and onshore projects.
• Coordinate engineering and planning for the timely execution of the work scope to include Document Deliverable Register management.
• Selection of the required pre-commissioning and marine spreads.
• Detailed reviewing of internal and external deliverables (drawings, reports, procedures, risk assessments, scopes of work, subcontracts).
• Coordinate the definition and ordering of equipment and installation aids.
• Coordinate the preparation of subcontractor scopes of works followed by the award and execution of the subcontract.
• Coordinate the preparation of pre-commissioning procedures.
• Vetting and approval of pre-commissioning subcontractor personnel, onshore and offshore.
• Coordinate mobilizing pre-commissioning equipment and vessels to execute work scopes.
• Coordinate testing and load-out of pre-commissioning equipment and installation aids.
• Liaise with pre-commissioning
  subcontractor and offshore project teams to resolve any technical issues encountered during offshore execution.
• Coordinate the demobilization of the pre-commissioning equipment, marine spread, and the off-hire of subcontract equipment.
• Coordinate Readiness review, Constructability, HAZID and HAZOP.
• Work at site and offshore as required by the project.
• Prepare MOC's with support from Field Engineers.
• Compile and present return of experience and lesson learned documents.
• To train and mentor Field Engineers and Senior Field Engineers.
• Set goals for your team to maintain the Project KPIs.
• Work with the Pre-Commissioning Technical Authority to align on pre-com execution methodologies.
• Manage pre-commissioning subcontracts.
• Support internal initiatives within the pre-commissioning operations group.
• Support in variation order request, technical deviation/Queries.
• Budget performance management.
• Risk Management & Cost Control.
• SIMOPS management.

The Principal Operations Engineer will maintain strong interfaces
with the various disciplines within the business line. The main interfaces for Pre-Commissioning are:Marine Operations Engineers (Inclusive of ROV & Survey) Engineering and Engineering ManagerSCMQHSESEnvironmental SpecialistsVessel Operations ManagersMarine Construction ManagerProject Managers and Project DirectorInterface Managers (For Projects that involve Consortium partners & Subsea Connectors) Hook-up & Commissioning Team Flow Assurance TeamFabrication TeamDocument Controller TeamBrownfield ManagersEnsure the Core Competencies of the greater organization are embraced.Live the Rules: Treat the Life-Saving Rules as non-negotiable principles that guide your daily decisions and routines. Lead by Example: Show your commitment through your actions and inspire others to do the same. Speak Up: Act immediately if you see something unsafe or identify a potential risk. Empower one another to intervene with courage and care. Educate and Share: Continue fostering conversations about the
Life-Saving Rules within your teams, ensuring everyone understands their importance and application. Collaborate: Work together as One Team to make safety a shared responsibility, ensuring no one is left behind.Goals: Focus on and execute your most important goals. Feedback: Provide Positive and Instructive feedback on Team's progress. Lay out the facts, don't label and be clear. Vision: Together we will continue to enhance, grow and transform.

About the company

Our ingenuity fuels daily life. Together, we've forged some of the most trusted partnerships across the energy value chain to make what was once just an idea a reality: laying subsea infrastructure thousands of feet below sea level, installing platforms hundreds of miles from shore, using our expertise to design and build offshore wind infrastructure, and reshaping the onshore landscape to deliver the energy products the world needs safely and sustainably. For more than 100 years, we've been making the impossible
possible. Today, we're driving the energy transition with more than 30,000 of the brightest minds across 54 countries.