Design Engineering Manager

Job Code: 348/001/352
Industry: Water Treatment

Job Brief:
The Design Engineering Manager will lead the complete engineering design function for large-scale water and wastewater infrastructure projects, including seawater desalination plants, sewage treatment plants, Zero Liquid Discharge (ZLD) systems, and major foul sewage and stormwater pumping stations.
This role requires a technically strong, hands-on leader who can guide multidisciplinary engineering teams, ensure timely and accurate design deliverables, and prepare comprehensive execution plans for each project. The position plays a critical role in ensuring design quality, constructability, compliance with standards, and seamless coordination with procurement and execution teams.

Job Responsibilities:
A. Design Leadership

• Lead and manage the complete design lifecycle from Concept → Basic → Detailed Engineering.
• Review, validate, and approve all engineering deliverables, including P&IDs, hydraulic calculations, layouts, SLDs, BOQs, technical specifications, and data sheets.
• Ensure design alignment with client requirements, project specifications, and authority standards.
• Provide technical solutions for complex design challenges and cross-disciplinary issues.
• Maintain high standards of detail, accuracy, and constructability in all deliverables.

B. Detailed Engineering Planning & Forecasting (Critical Responsibility)
This is one of the core KPIs for the role.
1. Work Breakdown Structure (WBS)

• Prepare a complete and detailed Work Breakdown Structure for every project.
• Break down work into discipline-wise and package-wise tasks to ensure clarity and accountability.

2. Engineering Deliverables Planning

• Define all deliverables required for Concept, Basic, and Detailed Engineering phases.
• Develop and maintain a comprehensive engineering deliverable register with defined timelines.
• Track progress on a daily and weekly basis to ensure zero delays in deliverables.

3. Forecasting & Resource Allocation

• Estimate the engineering hours required for each discipline.
• Assign tasks across Mechanical, Electrical, Process, Civil (vendor), and drafting teams.
• Identify bottlenecks early and implement corrective actions to maintain progress.

4. Coordination with Execution Team

• Provide critical construction inputs, including foundation loads, cable routing, piping layouts, method statements, and installation drawings.
• Support procurement by ensuring the timely delivery of data sheets, specifications, and vendor approvals.
• Align engineering milestones with procurement schedules and site execution timelines.

5. Monitoring & Control

• Conduct weekly engineering review meetings to track progress and address issues.
• Maintain dashboards reflecting percentage progress, pending items, risks, and recovery plans.
• Take ownership of resolving delays, design gaps, and coordination challenges.

6. Accountability

• Ensure zero rework due to engineering errors through stringent quality control.
• Ensure engineering deliverables do not delay procurement or site execution.
• Take full responsibility for maintaining the engineering schedule from start to completion.

C. Project Execution & Technical Support

• Support tender engineering and preparation of technical proposals.
• Participate in technical discussions with clients, consultants, and OEMs.
• Lead design reviews, HAZOP studies, value engineering, and coordination meetings.
• Provide technical support to site teams during installation, testing, commissioning, and troubleshooting.
• Review and validate vendor designs and Factory Acceptance Test (FAT) reports.

D. Team Management

• Lead and mentor a team of 10+ engineers across Mechanical, Electrical, Process, and Drafting disciplines.
• Monitor individual performance, ensuring quality output and adherence to timelines.
• Develop team capabilities through structured training and technical development initiatives.
• Ensure effective coordination and communication across all engineering disciplines.

E. Quality & Documentation

• Establish and implement internal engineering standards, templates, and checklists.
• Ensure all drawings and documents meet IFC (Issued for Construction) quality standards.
• Manage document control and versioning through engineering document management systems.
• Ensure compliance with international standards such as AWWA, ASTM, ASME, BS, IEC, and NFPA.

F. Stakeholder Coordination

• Coordinate with clients, consultants, technology licensors, and government authorities.
• Present design concepts and technical solutions during workshops and approval meetings.
• Support procurement teams in vendor evaluation and finalization processes.

G. Required Technical Expertise

• Strong hands-on design experience in:
• SWRO Plants: intake systems, pre-treatment, membrane design, ERDs, post-treatment.
• STPs: MBBR, SBR, MBR, IFAS, tertiary treatment, and sludge systems.
• ZLD Systems: high-TDS treatment, evaporators, crystallizers.
• Foul Sewage & Stormwater Pumping Stations: pump sizing, surge analysis, hydraulics.
• Hydraulics: pipe sizing, head loss calculations, surge analysis, pump selection.
• Electrical systems: load analysis, SLDs, MCC design, cable sizing.
• Instrumentation: instrument selection, IO lists, control philosophy, SCADA fundamentals.
• International codes and standards: AWWA, ASTM, ASME, BS, IEC, NFPA, DEWA/ADDC/SEWA guidelines.