Technical Manager

Role Overview

Technical Manager at ACWA Power, Engineering & Technical Support Management Department, reporting to the Operation Manager or General Manager, Technical Manager.

Role Purpose

Provide engineering support and technical consultancy to all NOMAC-operated power and water-producing facilities to resolve operational difficulties, evaluate material performance, review plant and equipment designs, coordinate project development, suggest proactive actions to enhance plant performance, minimize operations and maintenance costs, achieve targeted plant availability, maximize production sustainability, and extend plant life.

Key Responsibilities

Design Verification & Specifications

• Verify basic data, design specifications, and systems standards of major plant equipment installed by EPC contractors in NOMAC-operated power and desalination projects or to be installed in new projects.
• Participate in developing scope of work that defines functional requirements and equipment specifications when systems or equipment require modification by outsourced agencies.
• Assist plant management in responding to contractor queries and clarifications concerning technical specifications.

Operations Support & Troubleshooting

• Assist plant operations and maintenance crews in analyzing critical system upsets and operating problems.
• Recommend measures to avoid recurrences of identified problems.
• Conduct failure case studies and event investigations.
• Suggest remedial actions for recurring and unusual problems.
• Monitor feed and product water qualities.

Equipment Life Assessment

• Perform Residual Life Assessment studies for major plant equipment.
• Recommend corrective actions for extending equipment lifespan and economic utilization where necessary.
• Monitor equipment aging and determine plant life prediction.

Applied Studies

• Conduct process development and optimization of conventional thermal and membrane desalination processes.
• Optimize pretreatment processes.
• Identify root causes of corrosion, scaling, and other process-related problems.
• Assess environmental impacts of power and desalination plant discharges on marine habitat and vice versa.
• Evaluate state-of-art assessment of project designs and their current status.

Evaluation Studies

• Evaluate performance of different materials and equipment for suitability and application in desalination and power industry.
• Assess proprietary chemicals including antiscalants, antifoam, coagulants, oxygen scavengers, disinfectants, corrosion inhibitors, and cleaning agents.
• Evaluate metallic alloys, non-metallic construction materials, coatings, and insulators.
• Assess equipment including pressure exchangers, condenser tubes, energy recovery devices, reverse osmosis, ultrafiltration, membranes, multi-cartridge filter elements, membrane hybrid desalination units, sponge ball cleaning systems, and sponge balls.

General Duties

• Perform other duties as assigned.

Qualifications & Experience

Education

• Minimum: Bachelor degree in Engineering.
• Preferred: Master of Science in Chemical Science, Chemical Engineering, or Mechanical Engineering with 20 years of relevant experience, or Doctor of Philosophy in Chemical Science, Chemical Engineering, or Mechanical Engineering with 15 years of relevant experience.

Experience

• Minimum: 16 years' experience with a Bachelor degree in operations and maintenance of major co-generation plants (combined cycle power generation and MED + SWRO desalination units) in a senior position, or 10 years' experience with a Ph.D. in operations and maintenance of major co-generation plants (combined cycle power generation and MED + SWRO desalination units) in a senior position; both require sound chemical, biological, and metallurgical backgrounds.
• Preferable: Master of Science with 20 years' experience in operations and maintenance of major co-generation plants (combined cycle power generation and MED + SWRO desalination units), with minimum five papers or project reports published and attendance at five conferences in this field; or Doctor of Philosophy with 15 years' experience in operations and maintenance of major co-generation plants (combined cycle power generation and MED + SWRO desalination units), with minimum five papers or project reports published and attendance at five conferences in this field.
• Membership of national, regional, and international professional societies, associations, boards, committees, agencies, and forums counts as additional merit.

Skills & Competencies

Technical Knowledge

• Extensive practical exposure to power generation and desalination plants, particularly MED and SWRO processes.
• Capability to review plant designs and conduct technical evaluation of projects.
• Proficiency in engineering calculations, material and energy balance, thermal design, and rating of heat exchangers.
• Knowledge of hydraulic calculations, process and control systems, system and protection analyses.
• Familiarity with international codes, practices, regulations, and standards.
• Expertise in material performance and corrosion analysis.
• Knowledge of Risk-Based Inspection and inspection techniques.
• Ability to determine plant aging and perform Residual Life Assessment on fixed equipment including boilers, turbines, evaporators, pumps, energy recovery devices, water transmission pipelines, pressure vessels, columns, heat exchangers, and pressure piping.
• Proficiency in schematic diagrams and specification assessment.
• Working knowledge of process-related latest software.
• Analytical ability to handle troubleshooting, process and equipment failures, and root cause analysis investigations.
• Capability to suggest plant modifications and process improvements.
• Ability to analyze the impact of chemical imbalances.
• Knowledge of potential water and environmental pollutants, their maximum permissible limits, and hazards.
• Experience conducting feasibility studies, technical report writing, and editing.

Competencies

• Awareness of quality, occupational health and safety, and environment management system principles.
• Familiarization with value engineering, predictive, preventive, and corrective maintenance practices.
• Ability to analyze process data sheets.

Computer & Communication Skills

• Proficiency in MS Word, MS Excel, MS PowerPoint, and MS Project.
• Proficient English communication, reporting, and presentation skills.

Additional Information

Work Conditions

• Travel frequently to various plants.
• Drive company car independently.
• Enter segments of MSF distillers and boilers for physical inspection.
• May be assigned to work jointly with designers and contractors in the field and on sites during design, erection, and commissioning phases of plants.