Principal Structural Engineer - Design

range based on similar jobs in the job city; please confirm the final offer with the employer.
Gender: Any
Candidate Nationality: Any
Job Type: Full-time

Role Context

The Principal Structural Engineer provides specialist leadership across structural engineering design, analysis, verification, fabrication support, and project execution. The role helps convert project requirements into reliable calculations, specifications, material take-offs, technical reports, design checks, construction support, and engineering deliverables that meet client, code, safety, cost, and schedule expectations. By supervising engineers and designers, coordinating with other disciplines, supporting bids, and resolving complex design issues, this position strengthens engineering integrity and improves the quality of structural delivery across major oil and energy projects.

Key Responsibilities

* Perform conceptual, FEED, and detailed structural analyses and design in accordance with design basis, project specifications, design codes, and standards.
* Apply advanced structural engineering knowledge to solve complex problems, nonstandard design situations, and project execution challenges.
* Prepare accurate design calculations, structural analyses, design reports, procedures, specifications, and technical documentation.
* Manage assigned work priorities and forecast resource needs when acting as Lead Engineer.
* Communicate complex structural concepts clearly and influence project stakeholders toward practical engineering solutions.
* Lead medium to large engineering teams when assigned as Lead Engineer.
* Manage discipline engineering design for assigned work areas within agreed schedule, budget, standards, project procedures, and professional quality expectations.
* Plan and direct discipline execution, including scope, deliverables, schedule, manpower resources, and coordination with the Discipline Manager.
* Ensure discipline interfaces, deliverables, engineering inputs, and design responsibilities are clearly identified and controlled.
* Maintain responsibility for engineering progress and productivity while identifying corrective actions where required.
* Represent the structural discipline in meetings with project teams, customer discipline leads, certifying authorities, auditors, and third-party representatives.
* Train, mentor, and guide engineers and designers within the department.
* Assist and monitor MOPEX offices on project engineering activities where required.
* Coordinate with other engineering disciplines to obtain inputs needed for structural design development.
* Apply practical understanding of construction sites, fabrication yards, client requirements, and commercial project needs.
* Prepare bid inputs from sketching data, previous project experience, technical judgment, and scope understanding.
* Define scopes of work for engineering, construction, and fabrication yard activities.
* Provide engineering support during design, fabrication, construction, technical clarification, and project execution stages.
* Perform engineering checks of drafting work and review calculations prepared by others within the structural discipline.
* Carry out design verification through single discipline checks and support inter-discipline checks.
* Prepare material take-offs for structural scopes and support project quantity control.
* Prepare structural specifications, subcontract inputs, technical bid evaluations, and vendor data reviews.
* Coordinate and check the work of senior and junior engineers.
* Conduct peer reviews and provide specialist technical assistance when requested.
* Prepare structural analyses and calculation reports for complex structures, topsides, jackets, underground piping support, architectural elements, weight control, and center of gravity requirements.
* Apply specialist knowledge across areas such as geotechnical design, steel structures, concrete structures, dynamic analysis, FEM, fatigue, earthquake design, jackets, FPSOs, blast design, hydrodynamics, and architectural structures.
* Use relevant structural design codes such as EC, ACI, AISC, API, GOST, and other applicable project standards.
* Check designs for operational requirements, constructability, maintainability, safety, and execution feasibility.
* Prepare project engineering guides and contribute to department technical improvement.
* Work as Lead Engineer on medium to large EPC projects when assigned.
* Control engineering work hours, materials, progress, deliverables, and discipline execution performance.
* Coordinate closely with the Design Coordinator, Project Manager, Project Engineering Manager, project controls, document control, procurement, QC, certification, subcontractors, vendors, and customers.
* Assist with deliverable control, schedules, progress reports, man-hour estimates, and capital expenditure estimates.
* Manage design subcontracts and support engineering filing, handover, and closeout requirements.
* Identify and manage changes in scope of work and provide technical input for change control.
* Give relevant feedback to the department on lessons learned, process improvements, resource needs, and engineering quality.

Ideal Profile

* Bachelor’s degree or master’s degree in Engineering.
* 15-20 years of oil and gas experience with a major contractor, consultant, EPC company, or engineering project delivery organization.
* Strong background in detailed structural design for offshore, onshore, fabrication, construction, or energy infrastructure projects.
* Seasoned structural engineering knowledge with the ability to solve complex technical problems independently.
* Detailed knowledge of structural design techniques, analysis methods, engineering theory, applicable codes, standards, and guidelines.
* Experience with topsides, jackets, complex steel structures, concrete structures, fatigue calculations, dynamic analysis, earthquake design, blast design, hydrodynamics, weight reports, and center of gravity reports is preferred.
* Good understanding of design codes such as EC, ACI, AISC, API, GOST, or similar project-specific standards.
* Preferably a Registered Professional Engineer or member of a professional engineering society.
* Strong project coordination and execution skills across engineering, construction, fabrication, procurement, QC, certification, and customer interfaces.
* Very good organizer, motivator, and supervisor with the ability to lead engineers and designers.
* HSE, TQM, and cost-conscious approach to engineering decisions and project delivery.
* Fluent written and spoken English communication skills.
* Strong ability to support company goals, work processes, quality expectations, and project requirements.
* Flexible approach to reassignment across departments, construction sites, fabrication yards, and other offices when required.
* Willingness to support colleague replacement, high workload periods, future work methods, and new software applications.
* Strong commercial awareness with the ability to balance technical integrity, constructability, schedule, and cost requirements.
* Ability to mentor personnel, manage discipline priorities, and support continuous improvement within the structural engineering function.

Skills Set

* Structural engineering
* FEED design
* Detailed design
* Conceptual design
* Structural analysis
* Design calculations
* Engineering reports
* Design verification
* Single discipline checks
* Inter-discipline checks
* Material take-offs
* Structural specifications
* Technical bid evaluations
* Vendor data review
* Subcontract preparation
* EPC project execution
* Offshore structures
* Onshore structures
* Topsides design
* Jacket structures
* Steel structures
* Concrete structures
* Complex structures
* FEM analysis
* Fatigue calculations
* Dynamic calculations
* Earthquake design
* Blast design
* Hydrodynamics
* Geotechnical interface
* FPSO structures
* Underground piping design
* Weight control reports
* Center of gravity reports
* Constructability review
* Maintainability review
* Fabrication yard support
* Construction support
* API standards
* AISC standards
* ACI standards
* EC standards
* GOST standards
* Discipline leadership
* Manpower planning
* Progress reporting
* Scope change management

Why Join Us

This opportunity offers senior structural engineers a high-impact platform to lead complex oil and energy design scopes where engineering accuracy, constructability, safety, and schedule control are critical. The role provides exposure to major EPC projects, offshore and onshore structures, fabrication yard interfaces, multidisciplinary design coordination, bid support, technical reviews, and leadership of engineers and designers. It is a strong fit for professionals who want to apply specialist structural expertise while shaping reliable and cost-conscious project delivery from Dubai, United Arab Emirates.

About the Company

McDermott International, Ltd is a global engineering, procurement, construction, installation, and technology company serving the oil and energy sector. The company supports offshore, subsea, onshore, and energy transition projects across the energy value chain. In Dubai, McDermott International, Ltd offers opportunities for structural engineering professionals who want to contribute to safe, sustainable, and technically advanced energy infrastructure delivery.