Principal Engineering Lead

SSA Marine•Long Beach, CA

1d•Hybrid

About The Position

The Principal Engineering Lead position is responsible for the overall engineering strategy, technical governance, and delivery of all engineering activities for the POLA (Port of Los Angeles) Cruise Terminal Project from FEL2 through EPC execution, commissioning, and handover. This position supports a long-term project occurring in multiple phases and locations. For the first phase of the project (estimated for 2-3 years), the employee may either work from our Seattle, WA office or travel to this office location at a minimum once per month. Candidates must be willing to relocate to the Los Angeles, CA area for the subsequent phase of the project. Acting as SSA Marine's technical authority within an Owner-led Progressive Design-Build (PDB) model, this role ensures the development of a robust, optimized, and constructible technical baseline aligned with project objectives for cost, schedule, operability, and risk. This role oversees the Engineering & Design Criteria Document (DCD) Integrator, ensures engineering maturity at each FEL stage-gate, and drives integration between design, permitting (CEQA/NEPA), procurement, and construction. The role is critical to de-risking the project prior to GMP/Lump Sum conversion and ensuring engineering supports safe and efficient execution.

Requirements

Bachelor's degree in Engineering (Civil, Structural, Mechanical, Electrical, or related discipline).
Minimum 12--15 years of progressive engineering and project delivery experience in large infrastructure, port, marine terminal, or heavy industrial projects.
Proven experience leading engineering delivery for projects exceeding USD 500M+.
Strong experience in Owner, EPCM, Design-Build, or hybrid delivery models.
Demonstrated experience in FEL stage-gate processes and engineering governance frameworks.
Experience working within U.S. regulatory environments, including CEQA/NEPA processes preferred.
Strong understanding of: Multidisciplinary engineering coordination, Constructability and contractor-driven design, Cost estimation and value engineering.
Experience managing engineering consultants and multidisciplinary teams.
Strong technical leadership, communication, and stakeholder management skills.
Proven ability to resolve complex technical challenges and interface issues.
Fluency in English required.

Nice To Haves

Advanced degree (MBA, MSc) or professional certifications (PE, PMP) preferred.
Spanish speaking capabilities is strongly preferred.

Responsibilities

Act as SSA Marine's technical authority for the POLA project across all engineering disciplines.
Establish and enforce engineering standards, design criteria, and quality expectations aligned with SSA Marine and industry best practices.
Ensure engineering deliverables comply with project requirements, regulatory frameworks, and applicable codes and standards.
Lead engineering activities across FEL2 (Preliminary Engineering), FEL3 (Definition), and EPC execution.
Ensure engineering deliverables meet required maturity levels for stage-gate approvals and investment decisions.
Support preparation of engineering deliverables for FEL reviews, including design basis, technical reports, cost estimates, and engineering schedules.
Apply engineering maturity tools to ensure readiness for execution and procurement.
Direct and manage the Engineering and DCD Integrator as the primary engineering delivery partner.
Define scope, priorities, deliverables, and performance expectations.
Monitor engineering progress, resource allocation, and deliverable quality across disciplines.
Ensure timely development of a fit-for-purpose Design Criteria Document (DCD) to support CEQA and procurement.
Ensure alignment between engineering and the Design-Builder during Progressive DB phases.
Validate constructability, phasing strategies, and technical solutions with real-time contractor input.
Support development of cost estimates and technical inputs required for GMP/Lump Sum negotiations.
Ensure engineering decisions support efficient procurement packaging and construction execution.
Define and manage engineering execution plans, schedules, and deliverable requirements.
Ensure timely issuance of engineering documentation to support procurement, fabrication, and construction (IFC readiness).
Lead multidisciplinary coordination across civil, structural, marine, electrical, mechanical, and systems engineering.
Ensure engineering supports operational requirements, maintainability, and lifecycle performance.
Lead technical interfaces with: Engineering & DCD Integrator, Design Architect - design intent alignment, Design builder, CEQA/NEPA consultants - environmental inputs, POLA stakeholders - regulatory and compliance alignment, SSA internal functions (Operations, Procurement, Sustainability, Safety, Technology).
Resolve cross-functional and cross-party technical conflicts efficiently.
Own engineering input into CAPEX development, cost estimates, and value engineering initiatives.
Drive optimization of design solutions balancing cost, performance, operability, and risk.
Prevent overdesign and ensure practical, constructible, and cost-effective solutions.
Identify, assess, and mitigate technical and design risks across all project phases.
Integrate engineering risks into the overall project risk management framework.
Lead technical reviews, constructability reviews, and assurance processes.
Ensure engineering supports construction sequencing, procurement strategy, and field execution requirements.
Coordinate closely with the Construction Manager and Procurement teams to ensure readiness.
Support resolution of technical issues during construction, commissioning and start-up.
Capture lessons learned from engineering and execution phases.
Contribute to improving SSA Marine's engineering standards, governance, and delivery practices.