Principal Engineer - Rig Positioning & QC

Global Maritime; New Jersey; On-site; USD 130,000 - 210,000; Full time

Job summary

Global Maritime invites applications for a Principal Engineer – Rig Move and QC to lead technical work in offshore positioning, rig moves, and anchoring projects. You will provide guidance to offshore teams and onshore personnel, ensuring high-quality data and safe operations across complex projects.

You will review key documents, mentor junior staff, and contribute to tenders and business development, while upholding the Global Maritime management system and regulatory compliance.

Qualifications

• MSc or BSc in Geomatics, Surveying Engineering, Navigation, Oceanography, or related discipline.
• 10+ years offshore and marine industry experience, with focus on rig positioning, marine surveying, and offshore operations.
• Minimum 5 years hands-on experience supporting offshore rig moves, anchor handling, DP or surface positioning.
• Proven experience leading or supporting complex rig move, offshore positioning, and anchoring operations.
• Strong understanding of geodesy, coordinate systems, datums, and surveying principles.
• Experience with online positioning systems, GNSS, anchoring analyses, catenary calculations, and anchor line geometry.
• Experience reviewing and preparing Statements of Work, pre-lay plans, and anchoring documentation.
• Offshore operational experience with AHTS/AHV vessels, drilling rigs, or related sectors.
• OPITO BOSIET/HUET and offshore medical certificate.
• Industry certifications (FIG/IHO Hydrographic) are advantageous.
• Strong English and Norwegian communication skills; commercial awareness for tenders and business development.

Responsibilities

• Provide technical leadership across offshore positioning, rig moves, and anchoring projects to ensure safety and quality.
• Review and approve key project documents such as SOWs, pre-lay plans, and anchoring analyses.
• Mentor and develop junior engineers and surveyors.
• Support tender activities and client engagement for Marine Services growth.

Skills

Leadership

Communication

Mentoring

Commercial awareness

Education

MSc Geomatics / related maritime engineering

BSc Geomatics / Surveying Engineering

Tools

GNSS technologies

Surveying equipment

Geodetic software

Job description

Job Advertisement

Who are we?

Global Maritime is a leading marine, offshore, and engineering consultancy that offers intellectually stimulating work within a deeply collaborative culture and with uniquely supportive leadership. This environment creates a culture where talented professionals truly thrive. At the heart of what we do are extraordinary challenges. We directly contribute to unique, often world-first projects on the global stage. We are driven by a vibrant culture of innovation, including dedicated R&D, advanced in-house software, and the freedom to develop your own ideas. This rapid exposure across the entire spectrum of marine, offshore, and engineering consultancy accelerates your expertise like nowhere else.

Welcoming you to our team:

Our Marine Services team plays a critical role in supporting complex offshore operations, rig moves, positioning campaigns, and anchoring activities across the energy sector. Based in Bergen, Norway, you will report to the Manager Marine Services / Head of Marine Operations and take on a technical leadership role within a highly experienced team of marine and positioning specialists. The team is involved in marine operations of all sizes, from new technology demonstrators to the largest energy projects, ensuring safe, efficient, and technically robust execution. This role is ideally suited to a practical engineer who enjoys combining offshore operational experience with technical excellence and has a genuine interest in developing projects from the planning stage through to successful execution in the field.

What does success look like in this position?

Success in this role means confidently leading and supporting complex rig moves, positioning, and anchoring operations while maintaining the highest standards of technical quality and operational safety. You will consistently provide thorough and reliable quality control of offshore positioning and navigation data, ensuring accuracy and confidence throughout project execution. You will successfully supervise vessel mobilizations, offshore positioning spreads, and critical marine operations, helping project teams achieve safe and efficient outcomes.

You will be trusted to review and approve Statements of Work, pre-lay plans, and anchoring analyses with a sharp technical eye, ensuring that all work meets client expectations and industry standards. Success also means building strong relationships with clients, vessel masters, and project stakeholders, creating a collaborative environment that supports excellent project delivery. You will actively mentor junior engineers and surveyors, helping them develop their technical capabilities and offshore understanding. Your contributions to tenders, technical proposals, and business development activities will support the continued growth of the Marine Services business while maintaining a strong commitment to HSE performance, Norwegian regulatory compliance, and the Global Maritime Business Management System.

How you make an impact:

As our Principal Engineer – Rig Move and QC, you will make a significant impact by providing technical leadership across offshore positioning, rig move, and anchoring projects, ensuring that complex marine operations are executed safely, efficiently, and to the highest quality standards. You will act as a subject matter expert in positioning quality control, supporting both offshore teams and onshore project personnel with specialist knowledge and guidance. Your expertise will help strengthen operational performance through the review and approval of key project documentation, including Statements of Work, pre-lay plans, and anchoring analyses. By working closely with vessel crews, clients, project managers, and engineering teams, you will help mitigate technical risks and ensure smooth project execution from planning through to offshore delivery. You will champion knowledge sharing and promote consistency across projects while supporting the professional development of junior engineers and surveyors. Through your involvement in tender preparation, technical proposal development, and client engagement activities, you will contribute directly to the continued growth and success of the Marine Services business. Furthermore, you will support the ongoing development and application of the Global Maritime Business Management System, ensuring our services remain aligned with industry requirements, client expectations, and the evolving needs of offshore marine operations.

Your starting point when you join:

• MSc or BSc degree in Geomatics, Surveying Engineering, Navigation, Oceanography, or a related maritime or engineering discipline.
• Minimum 10 years of offshore and marine industry experience, preferably exceeding 10 years, with a strong focus on rig positioning, marine surveying, and offshore operations.
• Minimum 5 years of hands‑on experience supporting offshore rig moves, anchor handling operations, dynamic positioning, or surface positioning quality control activities.
• Proven experience leading or supporting complex rig move, offshore positioning, and anchoring operations.
• Strong understanding of geodesy, coordinate systems, datums, coordinate transformations, and fundamental surveying and positioning principles.
• Practical experience with online positioning systems, GNSS technologies, anchoring analyses, catenary calculations, and anchor line geometry.
• Experience reviewing and preparing Statements of Work, pre-lay plans, and anchoring documentation.
• Offshore operational experience gained from AHTS/AHV vessels, drilling rigs, or related offshore sectors such as survey, construction, seismic, or cable‑laying operations.
• Valid offshore survival certification such as OPITO BOSIET/HUET.
• Valid offshore medical certificate accepted for offshore operations.
• Industry‑recognized professional certifications, such as FIG/IHO Category A or B Hydrographic Surveyor certification, are considered highly advantageous.
• Strong communication skills with the ability to work effectively in both Norwegian and English.
• Demonstrated commercial awareness with the ability to contribute to tender activities, technical proposals, and business development initiatives.
• To act within the powers of their role, leading by example and following GM compliance, ethics and company values.

Working with us

Global Maritime stands out as the premier destination for any maritime professional due to our unique blend of technical opportunities – the chance to shape the industry's future on globally significant, cutting‑edge projects – within a genuinely supportive and collaborative international community. This is all combined and led with leadership that actively mentors your growth within an empowering non‑political environment.

At Global Maritime, you'll find an exceptionally supportive and collaborative environment. We cultivate close-knit global teams built on transformative relationships, not transactional ones. Expect transparent, two‑way communication and a genuine sense of community, fostered through shared celebrations, activities, and a commitment to social responsibility. This ensures you feel connected, valued, and part of a cohesive international network focused on making a positive real‑world impact.

Your journey will be guided by leaders defined by integrity, accessibility, and honest investment in your growth. You can expect clear strategic direction, open communication channels right up to the CEO, and a transparent Career Framework. You'll be mentored and developed by recognized industry thought leaders within an informal, flat structure where data drives decisions. This ensures you're empowered, supported, and valued as an individual, never just a cog in the machine.