Engine Superintendent

Darwin Recruitment; Houston (TX); On-site; USD 110,000 - 170,000; Full time

Job summary

Darwin Recruitment seeks an Engine Superintendent to provide technical leadership and oversight of propulsion engine operations, maintenance, reliability, and performance across a fleet of marine vessels. Reporting to the Vessel Manager, you will mentor Engine Room crews and promote standard maintenance practices while supporting travel to remote locations.

This role requires hands-on troubleshooting, audits, and leadership to reduce unplanned failures and maintenance costs while ensuring

Qualifications

• Extensive experience with marine propulsion systems and engine rooms.
• Ability to supervise and mentor Chief Engineers and engine crews.
• Proven track record in preventive and corrective maintenance.
• Strong diagnostic and problem-solving skills.
• Commitment to safety and regulatory compliance.
• Willingness to travel to remote project locations.

Responsibilities

• Develop and maintain technical standards for propulsion engine operation and maintenance.
• Provide technical leadership and on-site support to engineering teams.
• Monitor preventive and corrective maintenance to ensure reliability.
• Collaborate with vessel management to identify recurring issues and fixes.
• Review engine performance data to identify improvement opportunities.
• Conduct technical audits of engine rooms and equipment.
• Ensure spares and tools are identified and available.
• Standardise maintenance and troubleshooting practices across vessels.
• Coach and train Chief Engineers and Engine Room crews.
• Support fleet in resolving major engine defects, including site travel.

Skills

Marine propulsion engines

Leadership & mentoring

Maintenance planning

Troubleshooting & fault finding

Safety, health, environment compliance

Travel to remote locations

Job description

The Engine Superintendent is responsible for providing technical leadership and oversight of engine operations, maintenance, reliability, and performance across a fleet of marine vessels, with a particular focus on larger or long-distance vessels. Reporting to the Vessel Manager and working closely with the Maintenance Manager, Port Engineers, and Chief Engineers, the role ensures that preventive and corrective maintenance is completed safely, correctly, and within required timeframes. The position provides technical direction, training, mentoring, and support to Chief Engineers and Engine Room personnel, while promoting consistent maintenance standards, improving equipment reliability and availability, reducing unplanned failures and maintenance costs, and ensuring accurate maintenance records. The role is primarily based around a standard working week but may require weekend work, travel, and extended periods at remote marine project locations to support vessels experiencing operational or technical issues.

Key Responsibilities

• Develop, implement, and maintain technical standards for propulsion engine operation, maintenance, overhauls, inspections, spare parts management, and engine-room housekeeping across the fleet.
• Provide technical leadership, guidance, and hands-on support to Chief Engineers and Engine Room personnel, including mechanics, watch engineers, and oilers.
• Monitor and support the completion of preventive and corrective maintenance to ensure engines remain safe, reliable, and operationally efficient.
• Work closely with the Maintenance Manager and vessel engineering teams to identify recurring problems and develop effective corrective and preventive actions.
• Review engine performance and reliability data to identify potential failures, maintenance trends, and opportunities for improvement.
• Conduct regular technical audits of vessel engine rooms, including equipment condition, maintenance activities, engine performance, logs, tools, spare parts, and service documentation.
• Ensure critical engine spares, specialist tools, and maintenance materials are appropriately identified, maintained, stored, and available when required.
• Standardise maintenance and troubleshooting practices across vessels and promote consistent application of technical procedures.
• Develop the technical competency of Chief Engineers and Engine Room crews through coaching, mentoring, training, and practical instruction.
• Support the fleet in resolving significant engine defects and failures, including travelling to vessels or remote project locations when required.

Requirements & Qualifications

• Extensive practical and technical knowledge of marine propulsion engines, preferably including GE and/or MAK engine systems or comparable equipment.
• Proven experience supervising, directing, or mentoring marine engineering personnel and Engine Room crews.
• Strong mechanical, electrical, hydraulic, and marine engineering knowledge.
• Demonstrable experience in engine troubleshooting, diagnostics, preventive maintenance, corrective maintenance, and fault-finding.
• Strong analytical and problem-solving abilities, with the capacity to diagnose complex technical issues and develop practical solutions.
• Effective leadership, communication, coaching, and mentoring skills.
• Knowledge of marine equipment, engineering tools, machinery, maintenance systems, and associated operational procedures.
• Strong commitment to health, safety, environmental, and regulatory requirements, with the ability to consistently follow and promote safe working practices.
• Ability and willingness to travel and work at remote marine project locations, including extended periods away from home and occasional weekend work when operationally required.
• Reliability, initiative, professionalism, and a results-focused approach, with the ability to work effectively both independently and as part of a wider technical team.