Lead Pipeline Engineer

J H Operating Company; Baton Rouge (LA); On-site; USD 110,000 - 160,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Health insurance

Life insurance

401(k) match

Paid time off

Career growth

Job summary

JH Operating Company, LLC is seeking an experienced pipeline engineer to join our midstream engineering team in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. This hands-on role carries project ownership from concept through commissioning, with a focus on technical quality and code compliance.

You will work across multi-discipline teams, addressing piping and facility design, reviewing specifications, and supporting procurement and field startup. Travel about 10–15% and no business development duties.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in engineering; preferred mechanical, civil, petroleum, or related field.
• Five+ years of pipeline, piping, facilities, or midstream experience with independent technical decisions.
• Experience supporting or leading capital projects of various sizes.
• Knowledge of CFR 49 parts 192/195, ASME B31.4/B31.8, API 1104, and related codes.

Responsibilities

• Lead/design pipeline projects and facilities from concept through commissioning.
• Develop and review project requirements, cost estimates, schedules, specs, datasheets, and requisitions.
• Evaluate routes, hydraulics, operability, costs, and constructability in design recommendations.
• Coordinate and review pipe supports, coatings, pigging facilities, and interfaces with other disciplines.
• Provide technical leadership to engineers, designers, and vendors; ensure quality control and timely delivery.

Skills

Pipeline design

Piping engineering

Project leadership

Code compliance

Technical writing

Education

Bachelor's degree in engineering

Tools

Autodesk

ProMax

Job description

About JH:

J H Operating Company, LLC (JH) is an engineering, procurement, and construction management firm serving the upstream and midstream oil and gas industry. JH delivers practical, buildable solutions for oil, natural gas, and water pipeline systems and associated facilities.

Position Summary:

JH is looking for an experienced pipeline engineer to join our growing midstream engineering team. This is a hands‑on technical role with significant project ownership—without the expectation of business development or account management.

The Lead Pipeline Engineer leads and executes pipeline engineering work from early concept and route evaluation through detailed design, procurement support, construction, commissioning, and handover. The role is responsible for the technical quality, code compliance, constructability, cost awareness, and schedule performance of multiple projects in various geographies, with typical total installed costs ranging from $2 million to $50 million.

This is primarily an engineering delivery role—not a client-account or business-development role. Occasional client interaction may be required for technical coordination, requirements clarification, design reviews, and project handover, but client engagement is not a primary responsibility.

Primary Responsibilities:

The role’s primary responsibilities are as follows:

• Lead and/or participate in the design, specification, procurement, and execution of pipeline projects and associated facilities from concept through commissioning.
• Develop and review project requirements, design bases, cost estimates, AFEs, preconstruction schedules, specifications, datasheets, material requisitions, and other engineering deliverables.
• Evaluate pipeline routes, crossings, construction feasibility, hydraulics, operability, reliability, maintainability, capital cost, and operating cost when developing design recommendations.
• Perform or review pipeline stress checks and related design calculations; identify loads, restraints, support needs, and other conditions that may affect pipeline integrity or constructability.
• Prepare P&ID sketches, design markups, and technical direction for the drafting/design team; review P&IDs, alignment sheets, isometrics, 3D models, layouts, and civil drawings for accuracy and interdisciplinary coordination.
• Develop, review, and apply pipe specifications, material requirements, valve and fitting requirements, joining requirements, and testing criteria appropriate to the service and governing code.
• Incorporate operational requirements for pigging, launching and receiving facilities, isolation, blowdown or drain provisions, maintenance access, and safe commissioning.
• Coordinate and review requirements for pipe supports, anchors, guides, cathodic protection, coatings, corrosion control, and pipeline interfaces with civil, mechanical, electrical, instrumentation, and process disciplines.
• Apply applicable federal and state pipeline regulations, including relevant requirements of 49 CFR Parts 192 and 195, together with governing industry codes, standards, and recommended practices.
• Serve as an internal technical resource for ASME B31.4, ASME B31.8, API 1104, and other applicable ASME, ANSI, and API requirements.
• Participate in hazard reviews, safety evaluations, constructability reviews, quality reviews, and other formal design assurance activities.
• Support procurement through bid evaluations, vendor‑document review, technical clarifications, expediting priorities, and coordination of construction logistics.
• Provide technical leadership to engineers, designers, consultants, and vendors; reinforce quality‑control and document‑control requirements and ensure timely completion of assigned work.
• Support field execution and commissioning activities, including site walkdowns, resolution of technical questions, pre‑startup safety reviews (PSSRs), testing, startup, turnover, and closeout.
• Review invoices and progress information as assigned and communicate technical, cost, schedule, quality, and execution risks to project leadership.
• Protect the confidentiality of JH and customer information and contribute to a professional, accountable, team‑oriented culture.

QUALIFICATIONS:

Required:

• Bachelor's degree in engineering; a degree in mechanical, civil, petroleum, or a closely related engineering discipline is preferred.
• Five or more years of relevant pipeline, piping, facilities, or midstream engineering experience, including responsibility for independent technical decisions.
• Demonstrated experience supporting or leading small to large capital projects
• Working knowledge of applicable Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) requirements and pipeline codes, including 49 CFR Parts 192 and/or 195, ASME B31.4, ASME B31.8, and API 1104, as applicable to prior work.
• Ability to evaluate and balance safety, code compliance, operability, reliability, constructability, schedule, capital cost, and operating cost.
• Ability to travel domestically approximately 10-15%, including visits to project sites, fabrication facilities, vendors, outside engineering firms, and customer locations.
• Authorization to work and remain in the United States without current or future employer sponsorship.
• Ability to satisfy applicable background‑check and drug‑screening requirements.

Preferred:

• Experience with Autodesk design tools, ProMax or comparable process‑simulation tools, and the review of CAD‑produced pipeline deliverables.
• Familiarity with pipeline stress checks, civil drawing review, pipe supports, pigging operations and facilities, cathodic protection, corrosion control, and pipe specifications.
• Experience coordinating civil, mechanical, process, electrical, instrumentation, and corrosion‑control interfaces while mentoring engineers and designers or leading multidisciplinary technical work packages.
• Strong technical writing, documentation, coordination, and internal team‑leadership skills.
• Field experience with pipeline construction, hydrostatic testing, pigging, commissioning, and startup

Full‑time, exempt | Baton Rouge, Louisiana | Approximately 10-15% domestic travel

Benefits Summary

JH offers a competitive compensation and benefits package, including:

• Competitive salary commensurate with experience
• Health, dental, and vision insurance
• Company‑paid life insurance
• 401(k) with 5:1 company match
• Paid holidays and paid time off
• Long‑term career growth with a growing engineering consulting firm

JH provides equal employment opportunities to all qualified applicants and employees without regard to race, color, religion, sex, pregnancy, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, national origin, age, disability, genetic information, veteran status, or any other status protected by applicable law.