Principal Mechanical Engineer [HOU]

Hanwha Ocean Energy Plant Unit•Houston, TX

11d

About The Position

As Principal Mechanical Engineer, you will serve as the technical cornerstone of Hanwha Ocean EPU’s onshore power plant EPC team. You will guide multidisciplinary engineers through the full project lifecycle, from concept design to commissioning and testing, ensuring mechanical systems are optimized for performance, reliability, and safety. Your leadership will contribute to major projects and long-life infrastructure. The role provides end-to-end discipline leadership from FEED through EPC execution. It includes developing and reviewing engineering deliverables such as P&IDs, flow schematics, equipment datasheets and specifications, sizing calculations, piping layouts and isometric drawings, valve and line lists, general arrangements, and equipment layouts. You will coordinate mechanical design with civil, electrical, instrumentation and controls, and project management teams. The position focuses on large-scale onshore power plant EPC projects and requires experience in natural-gas-based power generation and industrial facilities, including simple-cycle and combined-cycle plants with gas turbines, gas engines, HRSGs, steam turbines, and balance-of-plant systems. The role also involves technical leadership during construction, pre-commissioning, commissioning, and performance testing, as well as coordination with global engineering centers, contractors, vendors, OEMs, system integrators, and clients. Travel to project sites may be required.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree or higher in Mechanical Engineering.
U.S. Professional Engineer (PE) license required.
10+ years of mechanical engineering experience in large-scale power plant EPC projects, including at least 3 years in a lead role.
Experience in onshore natural-gas-based power generation and industrial facilities, including leadership of mechanical engineering tasks for complex power or microgrid projects.
Strong experience across Pre-FEED, FEED, and EPC(I) phases, including bid-phase technical definition.
Expertise in gas turbines and rotating equipment, gas engines, cooling systems, steam cycle systems, high-pressure piping design, and other power plant balance-of-plant systems.
Strong knowledge of EPC project execution from FEED through commissioning and performance testing.
Knowledge of international codes including ASME, API, and ISO, and ability to meet client specifications.
Familiarity with Bluebeam and Navisworks.
Excellent leadership, communication, and stakeholder management skills.
Ability to work in fast-paced, multicultural project environments and travel to project sites as needed.
Proven ability to lead and mentor engineering teams and complex design efforts.
Strong analytical, problem-solving, and technical decision-making skills.
Excellent written and verbal communication skills, including the ability to explain complex technical concepts clearly.
Strong organizational skills and ability to manage multiple priorities in a dynamic EPC/EPCI environment.
Ability to work effectively with internal teams, global engineering centers, vendors, EPC contractors, and clients.

Nice To Haves

Experience with gas turbine, combined-cycle, renewable, nuclear, or hybrid power generation facilities, including greenfield and brownfield projects.
Experience supporting power systems serving mission-critical or high-availability loads, such as data centers, industrial campuses, or critical infrastructure.
Familiarity with high-availability power architectures, including N and N+1 redundancy, fault tolerance, and recovery strategies designed to minimize load interruption.
Understanding of reliability, availability, and maintainability (RAM) principles as applied to power generation and distribution systems.
Experience on projects with stringent uptime, performance, or operational continuity requirements.
Ability to work safely and effectively in operating power plant and construction environments, with commitment to safety procedures and hazard awareness.
Ability to coordinate effectively with operations, maintenance, commissioning, and construction teams to support safe and reliable plant operation.
Strong documentation, organizational, and project execution skills, including developing clear, accurate, and traceable engineering deliverables.
Ability to function effectively in multidisciplinary and multicultural teams, including collaboration with global engineering centers.
Fluency in English and ability to communicate technical concepts clearly in writing and verbally.

Responsibilities

Lead process and mechanical engineering scope for large-scale onshore power plant EPC projects, ensuring compliance with international codes and client specifications.
Oversee design and integration of boilers, turbines, condensers, heat exchangers, piping networks, and balance-of-plant equipment.
Review and approve engineering deliverables, including P&IDs, equipment datasheets, equipment and piping layouts in 3D models, and stress analysis reports.
Lead multidisciplinary design review sessions using 3D models and coordinate with stakeholders.
Manage vendor selection, technical bid evaluations, and factory acceptance testing for major mechanical equipment.
Provide technical guidance during construction, pre-commissioning, and commissioning, resolving site issues.
Drive value engineering initiatives to optimize cost, schedule, and performance without compromising safety or quality.
Support construction by resolving field engineering issues, reviewing contractor submittals, and conducting site inspections.
Champion safety in design and incorporate constructability reviews and risk assessments throughout the project.
Provide technical leadership on complex design issues and decisions affecting project schedule and cost.
Serve as the primary technical interface with internal global engineering centers, EPC contractors, OEMs, system integrators, and clients.
Ensure compliance with applicable safety, regulatory, and industry requirements, including OSHA and EPA requirements.