Principal Project Engineer (EPC & Detail Engineering)

Role Overview

Principal Project Engineer (EPC & Detail Engineering) at McDermott. This is a project-based engineering role responsible for interpreting business issues, recommending best practices, and solving complex project engineering problems with minimal guidance.

Role Purpose

The Principal Project Engineer manages the engineering scope and technical execution of McDermott projects, ensuring deliverables meet quality and contractual requirements. They lead functional teams, serve as a specialist in project engineering, and exercise sophisticated judgment to deliver innovative solutions across complex, multi-office international projects.

Key Responsibilities

Scope & Execution Planning

• Manage the engineering scope of a McDermott project.
• Develop and implement the Project Execution Plan.
• Incorporate multi-office execution as appropriate (MOPEX).
• Develop internal and external Division of Responsibility (DOR) matrix as required.
• Prepare a Project Coordination Procedure.
• Help prepare and understand the requirements of Engineering in the contract documents.
• Manage technical execution to support business considerations established for the project.

Quality & Procedures

• Establish and implement project procedures to ensure deliverables meet quality and technical content requirements in accordance with contract documents.
• Demonstrate broad technical knowledge of detailed design engineering codes and standards.
• Practice and promote Safety in designs and work processes.
• Develop and maintain Project Engineering documents.

Leadership & Supervision

• Provide direction to and coordinate with the Engineering and Design Leads on an assigned project.
• Supervise and provide guidance to other Project Engineers.
• Lead functional teams or projects as assigned.
• Lead others to solve complex problems using sophisticated analytical thought to exercise judgment and identify innovative solutions.
• May be assigned as the Project Engineering Manager (PEM) for smaller or medium size EPC projects.
• Assemble and approve the Engineering Staffing Plan.

Communication & Coordination

• Communicate project requirements to the team.
• Ensure effective communication among engineering disciplines.
• Explain difficult concepts and negotiate with others to adopt a different point of view.
• Effectively communicate with all stakeholders on a project.
• Coordinate third-party interfaces.
• Coordinate with the engineering team to identify and correct problems.
• Review work with clients, management, and project leads.

Documentation & Reporting

• Document discussions and decisions related to the design.
• Prepare, review, and approve meeting minutes.
• Prepare, review, and approve Technical Queries and Design Deviations.
• Prepare, review, and approve responses to RFIs and other correspondence.
• Prepare and approve weekly and monthly reports for management.
• Develop and maintain Equipment List.
• Develop and maintain Potential Change Notices.
• Develop and maintain weekly and monthly reports for management.
• Develop and maintain Action item lists (internal and external).
• Review and approve Lessons Learned submitted.

Cost & Change Management

• Assume responsibility for cost, schedule, quantity, and budget control.
• Manage change effectively and proactively.

Project Closeout

• Lead orderly handover and archiving of the completed project.
• Approve and submit the closeout report.

Proposal & Process Support

• Be regularly requested to support the preparation of proposals for prospective projects.
• Review and provide input to Company work processes and procedures as requested.

Qualifications & Experience

• Bachelor's Degree or Master's Degree in Engineering.
• 5–10 years of Project Engineering experience.
• 2–4 years of experience as Project Engineering Manager on a project.
• Field assignment experience.
• Experience in International Projects.
• Experience with multi-office (MOPEX) execution.
• Experience in execution as part of a Joint Venture or Consortium Group.
• Experience developing proposals and contractual documentation.
• Experience in revamping (Brownfield) and grassroots (Greenfield) projects.
• Familiar with detailed engineering and design work procedures and processes.
• Able to read and understand contractual documentation.
• Preferably Registered Engineer in Training (EIT) or member of a professional engineering society as applicable.

Skills & Competencies

• Depth and/or breadth of expertise in own specialized discipline or field.
• Broad technical knowledge of detailed design engineering codes and standards.
• Ability to solve complex problems and take a broad perspective to identify innovative solutions.
• Ability to work independently or with guidance in complex situations.
• Ability to lead others to solve complex problems using sophisticated analytical thought.
• Ability to explain difficult concepts and negotiate with others to adopt a different point of view.
• Effective communication with all stakeholders on a project.

Additional Information

• Show flexibility and ensure proper hand-over with regards to reassignment to other departments, construction sites, and fabrication yards.
• Show flexibility and ensure proper hand-over with regards to replacement of colleagues during illness and holidays.
• Show flexibility and ensure proper hand-over with regards to provision of assistance to other colleagues with heavy workloads (also other projects) when possible or desirable.
• Manage and learn future current working methods and software applications.
• Reports to Project Engineering Manager or Project Manager on project basis; reports functionally to Manager of Project Engineering or Engineering Director.
• Liaises with Project Engineer, PEM, PM, Discipline Lead Engineers, Engineering Department Managers, Construction/Fabrication team, Project Controls, and Finance.
• Supervises Project Engineers and Engineering Discipline Leads on a project (as PEM).