Discipline Head

Tata Consulting Engineers; Charleston (WV); On-site; USD 180,000 - 260,000; Full time

Job summary

Tata Consulting Engineers (TCE) is seeking six Discipline Heads across Electrical, Process, Piping, Mechanical, Civil and Instrumentation. Positions are office-based and may be located in Charleston, WV; Midland, MI; Louisville, KY; Baton Rouge, LA; or Houston, TX.

The role focuses on technical governance, quality management, and strategic leadership within a global delivery framework. As the SME and technical authority, you will mentor Professional Engineers, define standards, lead risk

Qualifications

• Bachelor's Degree in Electrical, Process, Piping, Civil and Instrumentation Engineering from an accredited university.
• A PE license or Chartered status is required, with ability to obtain licensure elsewhere.
• Proven leadership, communication, and strategic thinking in a matrix organization.

Responsibilities

• Provide technical governance and design quality across the discipline(s).
• Mentor engineers and lead capability development and succession planning.
• Support business development with technical input and project execution guidance.

Education

Bachelor's Degree in Electrical, Process, Piping, Civil and Instrumentation Engineering

Master's degree preferred

Job description

We are seeking to fill SIX Discipline Head positions, with one opening available within each of the following disciplines: Electrical, Process, Piping, Mechanical, Civil, and Instrumentation. These positions are required to be office-based and may be located in any of our approved office locations, including Charleston, WV; Midland, MI; Louisville, KY; Baton Rouge, LA; or Houston, TX. Candidates MUST be able to work from one of these office locations.

A Legacy of Trust, A Future of Collaboration

For over 150 years, the Tata Group has been a global powerhouse, built on a foundation of trust and a commitment to the communities it serves. In the United States, Tata has a significant and growing presence, investing billions in technology, manufacturing, and services while creating thousands of American jobs.

Tata Consulting Engineers (TCE) is the engineering heart of this legacy. For more than six decades, we have provided critical design and engineering solutions for some of the world's most complex industrial projects. In the U.S., TCE is a key partner in driving progress across essential sectors. We engineer impactful solutions contributing directly to the nation's industrial backbone and energy landscape.

As a seasoned technical leader, your role is multifaceted, acting as the guardian of technical standards, the champion of quality, the conduit of knowledge, the mentor of talent, and a key contributor to strategic growth. In this senior role, you will drive innovation, standardization, and technical excellence across design and project execution. This role is both strategic and hands-on, responsible for technical leadership, design governance, business development and project delivery support, and development of best practices.

Your Role and Impact

The Discipline Head is a senior leadership role responsible for the technical governance, capability development, and overall technical health of their designated engineering discipline.

Acting as the firm's foremost Subject Matter Expert (SME) and technical authority, you will mentor and guide a team of Professional Engineers (PEs), setting technical standards, driving quality assurance, and fostering a culture of technical integrity, innovation, and continuous improvement.

This strategic role operates outside of direct project delivery teams, serving as a critical interface for technical assurance, mentorship, and knowledge management across the organization's entire project portfolio.

The Discipline Head is the guardian of technical standards and a champion of technical excellence, ensuring that the discipline maintains the highest level of technical excellence, aligns with the company's strategic objectives, and provides robust support to projects through expert guidance and resource development.

How You'll Measure Success

Your performance and impact will be measured by your ability to deliver on key business drivers:

The successful candidate will work on a range of projects in a variety of roles, taking ownership of the following key areas:

• Technical Leadership & Governance
• Act as the ultimate technical authority and final point of technical escalation for the discipline, providing resolution for complex engineering challenges and holding the authority to approve any deviations from standard design.
• Lead the development, implementation, and continuous improvement of the discipline's engineering philosophies, technical standards, design criteria, and work instructions to ensure consistency and excellence.
• Provide technical assistance and expertise, from home office or on-site to the Global Delivery team.
• Establish, own, and enhance a robust technical assurance and Quality Management System (QMS), ensuring all discipline-related deliverables comply with corporate, client, and industry standards.
• Define the scope of engineering, execution strategies, and technical approaches for major projects, providing governance for schedules and key engineering documentation through all project phases, including Feasibility/Concept, FEED, and Detailed Design.
• Lead technical risk assessments, peer reviews, and other assurance activities for high-risk projects, providing strategic guidance to ensure designs are safe, constructible, and cost-effective.
• Manage the formal escalation path for resolving conflicts between technical standards and project budget/schedule constraints, escalating unresolved issues up the functional hierarchy to roles such as a "Technical Director" or "Chief Technology Officer" for systemic risks.
• Stay current with the latest industry trends, technological innovations, and changes to codes and standards, ensuring their integration into TCE's practice.

2. People Management & Capability Development

• Manage and lead a team of Professional Engineers and technical specialists, fostering a supportive, inclusive, and high-performance culture that promotes technical excellence.
• Assess, maintain, and improve the discipline's competency matrix, using it as a tool for strategic workforce planning, identifying skill gaps, and defining training and upskilling needs.
• Provide dedicated coaching, technical guidance, and professional development support to junior, intermediate, and senior engineers.
• Mentor the next generation of engineers, assisting staff with setting career development goals and contributing to succession planning to expand the technical authority within the team.

3. Quality & Knowledge Management

• Serve as the primary point of contact for discipline-specific quality, taking single-point accountability for design excellence and the technical quality of all design deliverables across the project lifecycle.
• Lead and participate in critical project assurance activities, including design reviews, constructability reviews, and HAZOPs, and provide technical assurance on designs undertaken by others.
• Establish clear plans for reviews, checks, and approvals, and perform quality reviews and sign-offs on complex design packages and key deliverables at major project stage-gates.
• Oversee the review and approval of contractor submittals, including shop drawings, material specifications, and method statements, to ensure alignment with design intent and contract requirements.
• Drive a culture of continuous improvement by championing the development of best practices, standard methodologies, and lessons learned.
• Promote knowledge sharing by leading the discipline's "Community of Practice" (CoP), and leveraging internal tools, to connect experts and disseminate best practices across the BU.
• Lead internal and external quality audits to ensure compliance with the company's business management system and drive technical integrity.

4. Strategic & Business Development Support

• Collaborate with the Technical Director and other senior leaders to align the discipline's capabilities with TCE USA's long-term growth strategy.
• Support business development and proposal efforts by providing expert technical input, developing execution strategies, preparing cost and staffing estimates, and presenting technically and commercially sound solutions to clients.
• Act as an "external face" for the discipline's expertise, representing the company in key client engagements, resolving major technical issues, and acting as a key technical advisor to clients and partners.

What You'll Need to Succeed (Requirements)

Qualifications & Experience

Education: Bachelor's Degree in Electrical, Process, Piping, Civil and Instrumentation Engineering from an accredited university. A Master's degree is often preferred.

Licensure: Must be a licensed Professional Engineer (PE) or hold equivalent Chartered status, with the ability to obtain licensure in other jurisdictions as required.

Experience:

• Leadership: Strong, inclusive leadership skills with the ability to inspire, motivate, and develop a team of technical experts to promote technical excellence.
• Communication & Stakeholder Management: Excellent verbal and written communication skills, with the ability to act as a senior advisor, resolve major technical issues, and manage stakeholder relationships effectively within a matrix organization.
• Technical Acumen: Recognized as a subject matter expert with deep and broad technical knowledge, capable of ensuring solutions meet the highest standards of performance and constructability.
• Capability Development: Proven ability to assess team capabilities, identify skill gaps, and implement development plans using tools like competency matrices.
• Quality Focus: A strong commitment to quality, safety, and continuous improvement, with a thorough understanding of quality management systems (e.g., ISO 9001) and technical assurance processes.
• Strategic Thinking: Ability to think strategically, identify emerging trends, and align discipline capabilities with broader business objectives, including resource planning and talent acquisition.
• Problem-Solving: Advanced analytical and problem-solving skills, with the ability to provide practical solutions to complex challenges and act as the final point of technical resolution.