Shift Charge Engineer

Role Overview

Shift Charge Engineer at ACWA Power, located in Shuaibah, KSA. Reports to the Operations Manager. Responsible for the overall operation of the RO Water Desalination Plant during assigned shifts, ensuring safe, reliable, and efficient plant operation in accordance with approved Standard Operating Procedures, operating limits, quality standards, production targets, environmental requirements, and applicable regulatory requirements.

Role Purpose

Lead and manage all shift operating activities for the RO desalination plant, ensuring safe and efficient start-up, normal operation, shutdown, and emergency operation. Coordinate across Maintenance, HSE, Chemistry/Laboratory, Engineering, and other departments to maintain plant availability, production targets, water quality, equipment integrity, and operational safety.

Key Responsibilities

Plant Operations & Supervision

• Lead and supervise all plant operation activities during the assigned shift.
• Ensure safe, reliable, and efficient operation of the RO desalination plant.
• Ensure safe start-up, normal operation, shutdown, and emergency operation of the plant.
• Ensure compliance with approved SOPs, operating procedures, work instructions, and operating limits.
• Monitor the overall plant operating status and ensure all process parameters remain within approved limits.
• Monitor RO trains, high-pressure pumps, feed and booster pumps, energy recovery systems, pretreatment, post-treatment, and chemical dosing systems.
• Monitor key operating parameters including flow, pressure, temperature, conductivity, differential pressure, recovery, and chemical dosing.
• Maintain a thorough understanding of P&IDs, control logic, interlocks, protection systems, and emergency operating procedures.
• Take immediate and appropriate action during abnormal operating conditions, equipment trips, process disturbances, and emergencies.

Production & Quality Management

• Ensure plant production, availability, recovery, and water quality targets are achieved safely and efficiently.
• Coordinate with the Chemistry/Laboratory team regarding plant chemistry and water quality requirements.
• Follow approved operational schedules and coordinate changes in plant status with the Operations Manager.

Maintenance & Equipment Management

• Supervise start-up checklists, interlock checks, protection tests, and operational functional checks.
• Coordinate and supervise non-routine activities such as membrane cleaning/CIP, acid cleaning, preservation, flushing, and equipment changeover.
• Coordinate with the Maintenance Section regarding equipment isolation, maintenance activities, equipment release, and return to service.
• Issue, control, suspend, and cancel Permit to Work (PTW) within the authorized level.
• Ensure proper equipment isolation and normalization following maintenance activities.
• Perform the necessary operational testing before returning equipment or systems to service.

Reporting & Documentation

• Maintain accurate shift logbooks covering plant status, equipment condition, abnormalities, alarms, trips, and major activities.
• Prepare daily plant status reports and ensure proper shift handover to the incoming team.
• Prepare and submit incident, accident, near-miss, and abnormal operating reports within the required timeframe.

Safety, Health & Environment

• Ensure compliance with plant safety rules, HSE procedures, PTW, LOTO, and emergency response requirements.
• Identify, assess, and control operational hazards within the assigned work area.
• Ensure Environmental Aspect & Impact and Hazard Risk Assessments are implemented and updated.
• Lead and support emergency response activities during major equipment failures, loss of power, RO train trips, chemical system failures, fire, leakage, or other plant emergencies.

Compliance & Continuous Improvement

• Monitor and report IMS objectives, targets, programs, deviations, and non-conformities.
• Conduct or support Root Cause Analysis (RCA) for operational failures, incidents, and recurring abnormalities.
• Implement corrective and preventive actions resulting from incidents, deviations, and investigations.
• Ensure compliance with applicable legal, environmental, regulatory, contractual, and organizational requirements.
• Identify opportunities to improve plant efficiency, reliability, production, energy consumption, and operational performance.

Coordination & Communication

• Coordinate with Operations, Maintenance, HSE, Engineering, and other departments during the shift.
• Communicate with the relevant Load Dispatch Center/Grid Control Authority regarding power availability and plant operating requirements, where applicable.
• Maintain effective communication and coordination between shifts and departments.

Team Development & Resource Management

• Assist in the training and familiarization of new operators and shift personnel.
• Identify competency gaps and support the implementation of appropriate training and development plans.
• Conduct periodic performance evaluations of reporting employees.
• Ensure effective utilization of manpower, equipment, and operational resources.

Additional Responsibilities

• Perform other duties as assigned by the Operations Manager.

Qualifications & Experience

Education

• Bachelor's degree in Engineering is required.
• Degree in Mechanical, Electrical, Chemical, Process, or a related Engineering discipline is preferred.
• Postgraduate degree in Engineering, Water Desalination, Process Engineering, Power Plant Engineering, or a related field is preferred.

Experience

• Minimum 8 years of relevant experience in Power, Water Desalination, RO Water Treatment, Utilities, or similar process plants.
• Relevant experience in plant operations, including shift operation and supervision.
• Experience in a similar RO desalination or combined Power & Desalination plant in the Middle East is preferred.
• Previous experience as Shift Charge Engineer, Shift Engineer, Senior Operations Engineer, or equivalent position is preferred.