Principal Instrumentation Engineer

About the Role
The role focuses on ensuring compliance with company and statutory requirements in Instrumentation and Process Automation design across all projects. You will be responsible for maintaining knowledge of industry standards, ensuring the technical integrity of deliverables, and addressing safety hazards associated with the asset lifecycle. This position requires a proactive approach to design, continuous improvement, and effective communication with project teams.

Primary Objectives / Responsibilities

• Ensure compliance with company and statutory requirements and applicable engineering standards in Instrumentation and Process Automation design.
• Maintain up-to-date knowledge of relevant industry standards and ensure project designs comply with current requirements.
• Ensure technical integrity through checking, verification, and design review activities.
• Understand safety hazards and risks associated with the designed product, plant, or equipment.
• Address actions from Project Reviews and Value Improvement Practices (VIPs) in a timely manner.
• Design and develop innovative technical approaches to engineering challenges, contributing to continuous business improvement initiatives.
• Communicate key design decisions with safety impacts to project teams and ensure documentation is maintained.
• Drive continuous improvement in project delivery through elimination, simplification, standardization, and automation while maintaining high-quality outcomes.

Specific Accountabilities

• Plan the execution of Instrumentation and Process Automation (PACO) activities to maintain project schedules.
• Manage quality and consistency within the discipline.
• Provide technical direction, control, and supervision for engineering and design activities.
• Resolve discipline-related technical issues.
• Prepare discipline man-hour estimates for proposals and develop deliverables lists.
• Deliver discipline design deliverables within approved man-hour budgets.
• Collaborate with the Project Engineering Manager to manage discipline resources.
• Identify software requirements and select appropriate design tools.
• Assess training and development needs of discipline personnel.
• Perform or delegate checking of deliverables.
• Report on deliverables and tasks progress and provide updates for project reporting.
• Identify and report potential project variances.
• Maintain and update lessons learned registers.
• Undertake or delegate site visits as required.
• Manage interfaces within the discipline, across other disciplines, and with third-party contractors.
• Interface with procurement and construction teams.
• Coordinate change control and technical query processes within the discipline.

Essential Skills and Experience

• Minimum 15 years of experience in Brownfield Oil & Gas Instrumentation, Control, and Automation Design and Engineering, including at least 5 years in construction and commissioning.
• Experience as a professional Instrumentation and Process Automation Engineer for projects from Front-End Engineering Design (FEED) through execution, commissioning, and start-up.
• Demonstrated experience in:
  • Technical support for operation and maintenance of instrumentation and automation systems.
  • Testing, installation, commissioning, and start-up of instrumentation and automation equipment.
  • Design, selection, and specification of instrumentation and automation equipment and systems.
• Minimum 5-10 years of experience leading engineering activities within multidisciplinary project delivery teams.
• Preferably, experience in the Middle East.
• Familiarity with project management.
• Experience managing EPCM projects.

Required Competencies

• Bachelor’s Degree in Instrumentation, Control, Automation Engineering, or equivalent.
• Professional Engineering status or equivalent registration.
• Proven leadership skills with a strong drive to meet deadlines and targets.
• Ability to work effectively within multidisciplinary teams and in a multicultural environment.
• Strong commitment to HSSE leadership and experience managing HSSE throughout all project phases.
• Expertise in design, selection, and specification of instrumentation, control, and automation systems and equipment.

Moving Forward Together
We empower our people to drive sustainable impact through a values-inspired culture that encourages belonging, connection, and innovation. Our mission is to create a diverse, inclusive, and respectful workplace where everyone can express themselves and be heard.
We are committed to reskilling our workforce, leveraging transferable skills, and supporting the transition to low carbon energy infrastructure and technology. Whatever your ambition, there is a path for you here. Join us to broaden your horizons, explore diverse opportunities, and be part of delivering sustainable change.