LEAD NAVAL ENGINEER / NAVAL ARCHITECT (FLOATING & OFFSHORE STRUCTURES)

Independent Contractor | Dubai, UAE | International Travel

Ocean Builders designs and develops floating homes and marine structures. We have taken our concepts from prototype through fabrication and deployment, and our project pipeline is expanding into larger and more technically demanding work.

We are looking for a senior naval engineer or naval architect who can take substantial technical ownership across those projects. You will work directly with our Head of Engineering, solve difficult engineering problems, review and challenge technical work, and help define the engineering basis for structures that do not always fit neatly into an existing rulebook.

THE ROLE

You will work across Ocean Builders projects as engineering priorities evolve, from early technical assessment and concept development through detailed design, fabrication, installation, commissioning, and operation.

Your work may include:

• Leading naval architecture and technical engineering work for floating and offshore structures.
• Defining design criteria and assessing stability, hydrostatics, hydrodynamics, structural behaviour, fatigue, environmental loads, and mooring.
• Developing the design and regulatory basis for novel structures using appropriate marine, offshore, classification, and engineering standards.
• Working with classification societies and relevant authorities on certification and technical acceptance.
• Reviewing and challenging calculations, drawings, specifications, and designs produced by internal engineers, external consultants, design offices, and fabricators.
• Providing technical input to bids, tenders, and contract specifications for large projects.
• Coordinating engineering across structural, mechanical, electrical, fire-safety, habitability, and utility requirements.
• Supporting marine operations such as transport, tow-out, installation, and mooring deployment.
• Resolving technical issues during fabrication, installation, commissioning, and operation.
• Communicating engineering decisions clearly to technical teams, clients, contractors, and other stakeholders.

WHAT WE'RE LOOKING FOR

• A recognized university degree in Naval Architecture, Naval Engineering, Ocean or Offshore Engineering, Marine Engineering, or a closely related discipline with strong relevance to floating or offshore structures.
• Substantial senior-level experience with vessels, floating structures, offshore structures, marine structures, or similarly complex maritime engineering.
• Design or technical responsibility on at least one vessel, floating structure, or offshore structure that was built and put into service.
• Strong command of stability, hydrostatics, hydrodynamics, structural engineering, environmental loads, and mooring.
• Ability to reason from first principles when there is no established template or single rulebook to follow.
• Experience working with classification societies, engineering standards, certification, and technical documentation.
• Experience taking engineering work beyond analysis into fabrication, construction, installation, commissioning, or real-world operation.
• Experience working directly with fabricators, contractors, specialist consultants, and multidisciplinary engineering teams.
• Ability to independently review complex engineering work and make well-founded technical decisions.
• Professional proficiency in English.

Professional registration such as CEng, EUR ING, PE, or equivalent is a strong advantage. Previous experience as a lead engineer, technical authority, engineering manager, or in a comparable senior technical role is also valuable.

Relevant backgrounds may include offshore structures, offshore wind, FPSOs, floating platforms, shipbuilding, advanced vessels, or other demanding marine environments. Previous floating-home experience is not required.

LOCATION AND WORKING ARRANGEMENT

Dubai, UAE is the intended base for this engagement. We are looking for someone who is genuinely open to relocating there.

Some work can be performed remotely, while international travel and on-site involvement will be required depending on project needs.

This is an independent-contractor engagement. Relocation arrangements can be discussed with shortlisted candidates.

HOW TO APPLY

Please send your CV or LinkedIn profile together with a short note covering:

• The most technically demanding marine, offshore, or floating project you have worked on and the engineering decisions you personally owned.
• Your availability.
• Your readiness to relocate to Dubai.

Pay: From AED22,000.00 per month

Work Location: In person