Principal Equipment Design Engineer - Power Generation

KBR; Al Khobar; On-site; SAR 900,000 - 1,300,000; Full time

Job summary

KBR in Saudi Arabia seeks a Principal Equipment Design Engineer - Power Generation to lead a design team for large-scale power projects. The role emphasizes FEED, detailed engineering, and procurement support while ensuring safety, reliability, and cost optimization across multiple projects.

You will guide equipment selection, vendor reviews, and technical assurance, coordinating with stakeholders to maintain quality, schedule, and technical integrity throughout the project lifecycle.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in mechanical engineering from an accredited university.
• Minimum 15 years of relevant experience in power generation projects, involving FEED, detailed engineering and procurement support is required.
• Demonstrated experience with large-scale power generation projects (700 MW and above).
• Experience in combined-cycle, cogeneration, or conventional thermal power plants is required.
• Professional Engineer (PE), Chartered Engineer (CEng), or equivalent professional certification is desirable.

Responsibilities

• Lead, supervise, and mentor a team of mechanical engineers and designers.
• Develop engineering execution plans, deliverable registers, manpower plans, and schedules.
• Ensure compliance with project requirements, applicable codes, standards, specifications, and company procedures.
• Review and approve equipment data sheets, technical specifications, calculations, and engineering deliverables.
• Lead technical bid evaluations and provide procurement support for mechanical equipment and packages.
• Review, coordinate, and approve vendor drawings and documentation.
• Coordinate mechanical engineering activities with other engineering disciplines and project stakeholders.
• Provide technical leadership and engineering guidance to project teams, clients, and vendors.
• Participate in design reviews, risk assessments, constructability reviews, and value engineering studies.
• Drive initiatives related to safety, reliability, maintainability, sustainability, and cost optimization.
• Monitor engineering progress and ensure timely completion of project deliverables.
• Manage technical risks and resolve complex engineering issues.
• Support client meetings, audits, and technical presentations.
• Ensure quality assurance requirements are implemented and maintained throughout project execution.
• Be accountable for the technical integrity, completeness, quality, and schedule performance of all assigned mechanical engineering work and personnel.

Skills

Engineering leadership

Team mentoring

Mechanical design

Project execution

Codes & standards

Education

Bachelor of Mechanical Engineering

PE/CEng desirable

Tools

Thermoflow

GT PRO

GateCycle

PEPSE

Job description

Title:

Principal Equipment Design Engineer - Power Generation

Overall Summary

A Principal Mechanical Engineer with extensive experience in the design, specification, and technical leadership of power generation equipment and associated auxiliary systems for thermal power plants. Proven expertise in the execution of FEED, detailed engineering, procurement support, and technical assurance activities for medium to large-scale power generation projects (700 MW and above).

Responsible for leading and mentoring a team of engineers and designers, ensuring the delivery of safe, reliable, cost-effective, and technically compliant engineering solutions in accordance with project requirements, industry standards, and company procedures. Provides technical leadership throughout the project lifecycle, including equipment selection, bid evaluation, vendor document review, design optimization, and stakeholder engagement.

A minimum of 15 years of relevant experience in power generation engineering, with demonstrated capability in managing engineering deliverables, coordinating multidisciplinary interfaces, and ensuring the quality, integrity, and timely execution of projects.

Duties and Responsibilities:

The duties and responsibilities will be as follows but may not be limited to

• Lead, supervise, and mentor a team of mechanical engineers and designers.
• Develop engineering execution plans, deliverable registers, manpower plans, and schedules.
• Ensure compliance with project requirements, applicable codes, standards, specifications, and company procedures.
• Review and approve equipment data sheets, technical specifications, calculations, and engineering deliverables.
• Lead technical bid evaluations and provide procurement support for mechanical equipment and packages.
• Review, coordinate, and approve vendor drawings and documentation.
• Coordinate mechanical engineering activities with other engineering disciplines and project stakeholders.
• Provide technical leadership and engineering guidance to project teams, clients, and vendors.
• Participate in design reviews, risk assessments, constructability reviews, and value engineering studies.
• Drive initiatives related to safety, reliability, maintainability, sustainability, and cost optimization.
• Monitor engineering progress and ensure timely completion of project deliverables.
• Manage technical risks and resolve complex engineering issues.
• Support client meetings, audits, and technical presentations.
• Ensure quality assurance requirements are implemented and maintained throughout project execution.
• Be accountable for the technical integrity, completeness, quality, and schedule performance of all assigned mechanical engineering work and personnel.

Qualifications & Years of Experience:

• Bachelor’s degree in mechanical engineering from an accredited university.
• Minimum 15 years of relevant experience in power generation projects, involving FEED, detailed engineering and procurement support is required.
• Demonstrated experience with large-scale power generation projects (700 MW and above).
• Experience in combined-cycle, cogeneration, or conventional thermal power plants is required.
• Professional Engineer (PE), Chartered Engineer (CEng), or equivalent professional certification is desirable.
• Experience in Oil & Gas, industrial utilities, or energy transition projects would be advantageous.

Key Skills & Technical Competencies:

• Extensive knowledge of engineering design methodologies, construction practices, commissioning procedures, and project execution requirements.

• Extensive knowledge and application of international codes, standards, and recommended practices including ASME, ANSI, API, NFPA, OSHA, ISA, NEC, IEC, and other applicable power industry standards.

• Extensive experience in design, procurement, installation, mechanical completion, pre-commissioning, commissioning, startup, and performance testing of power generation equipment and auxiliary systems.

• Working knowledge of power plant performance and simulation software such as Thermoflow, GT PRO, GateCycle, PEPSE, or equivalent tools is highly desirable.

• Recognized Subject Matter Expert (SME) capable of providing technical leadership, resolving complex engineering challenges, supporting root cause investigations, and developing practical solutions to field and operational issues.

• Participation in industry committees, technical conferences, professional associations, and publication of technical papers is considered an advantage.

• Experience in the design of rotating and/or static equipment is an additional advantage.