The Head of Design & Engineering will lead the design and engineering function, overseeing the development of detailed ship designs, technical plans, and Bills of Materials (BOM). This role requires ensuring alignment with project specifications, industry standards, and classification society requirements. The position bridges design, shipyard production, and client requirements, delivering technically sound, high-quality vessel and marine structure designs.
The incumbent will manage a team of naval architects, design engineers, and technical experts to deliver innovative, cost-effective, and regulatory-compliant engineering solutions.
Key Responsibilities
Functional
Oversee seamless progression from basic to detailed design phases, meeting client and classification approval criteria.
Deliver engineering packages such as refined hull geometry, preliminary structural drawings, arrangement plans, piping GA drawings, isometrics, and hydrostatic/hydrodynamic analyses.
Review and approve critical design deliverables, ensuring technical accuracy and compliance.
Establish and monitor quality assurance systems for revision control and inter-discipline dependencies.
Guide teams on technology tools, including CFD (Computational Fluid Dynamics) and integrated CAD/CAM platforms (e.g., AVEVA Marine, NAPA, ANSYS).
Oversee structural optimization initiatives for performance and efficiency.
Ensure adherence to budgets and timelines, identifying risks early and implementing corrective actions.
Ensure compliance with IMO, SOLAS, MARPOL, and obtain class approvals (e.g., ABS, DNV, BV).
Drive compliance with international shipbuilding and ship repair quality standards.
Recruit, train, and develop qualified design professionals, fostering academic and industry talent.
Financial
Monitor design deliverable costs, including validation and outsourcing, ensuring budget adherence and avoiding overruns.
People & Leadership
Act as the primary liaison between the design team, ship design agencies, project managers, clients, and classification societies.
Lead multidisciplinary design teams, ensuring cohesive and timely output.
Conduct performance evaluations using KPIs such as project turnaround time, design reusability, and compliance audit outcomes.
Promote continuous training and upskilling to keep the design department technically competitive.
Qualifications, Experience & Skills
Bachelors / Masters Degree in Naval Architecture, Marine Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, or related field (Masters preferred).
15+ years of ship design and engineering experience, with at least 5 years in a senior leadership role.
