Head of Design & Engineering

• Location:

  Chennai, India

• Salary:

  Competitive, as per industry norms

Role Overview

• 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.
• Strong expertise in ship design fundamentals (hull form, hydrostatics, structural integrity, stability, marine systems).
• Proven track record in obtaining approvals from classification societies (e.g., ABS, DNV, BV) and regulatory compliance (IMO, SOLAS, MARPOL).
• Experience managing multidisciplinary engineering teams and coordinating with production, quality, and project management departments.
• Practical experience in both

  Basic Design

  and

  Detailed Design

  , including technical specifications preparation.
• Advanced skills in CAD (AutoCAD, Rhino) and marine design software (NAPA, Ship Constructor, AVEVA Marine, FORAN, TRIBON).
• Experience in detailed piping design and drawings, using integrated CAD/CAM platforms.
• Knowledge of pipe strength and stress analysis software (CAESAR-II, PIPENET, AUTOPIPE).
• Proficiency in hydrodynamic and structural analysis tools.
• Ability to conduct feasibility studies, cost-benefit analyses, and risk assessments to support design and engineering decisions.

• What We Offer

• A leadership opportunity to shape innovative marine design solutions.
• A collaborative work environment with global exposure.
• Competitive compensation aligned with industry benchmarks.

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