Mechanical Installation Engineer - Equipment Installation & Maintenance Planning

Mechanical Installation Engineer — Equipment Installation & Maintenance Planning (Consultancy / Project Lead)
Location: Riyadh, Saudi Arabia (Riyadh-based; travel as required)
Reporting to: Lead Mechanical Engineer / Programme Director

Project overview
Under Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030, our client is developing a first-of-its-kind facility to process critical minerals, produce rare-earth products and manufacture permanent magnets. The programme will capture higher value domestically, support export-oriented industrial clusters and accelerate energy-transition technologies (EVs, wind power). This strategic initiative will reinforce the Kingdom’s position as a regional hub for rare-earth processing and magnetics.

Role overview
We are recruiting a senior Mechanical Installation Engineer to lead equipment installation strategy, site installation planning and maintenance planning for the magnet production facility during Stage 1 (feasibility/concept) and Stage 2 (FEED/RFQ). This consultancy role will prepare FEED-level installation deliverables, define installation methods and sequences, develop commissioning and maintenance strategies, and support RFQ preparation for installation and maintenance packages.

Key responsibilities

• Define equipment installation philosophies and methodologies for major production packages (presses, furnaces, sintering lines, material handling systems, HVAC for controlled-atmosphere areas, powder handling enclosures, cranes and lifting systems).
• Produce mechanical installation deliverables: installation sequences, erection diagrams, lifting plans, anchor bolt and grouting details, alignment and levelling specifications, foundation interface requirements, and temporary works strategy.
• Develop commissioning, pre-commissioning and SAT/FAT interfaces relevant to mechanical systems.
• Prepare maintenance planning deliverables: preventive maintenance strategy, reliability-centred maintenance inputs, spare-parts list, maintenance tooling requirements, access/egress and ergonomics for safe maintenance, and maintenance KPI recommendations.
• Define scope and RFQ content for mechanical installation contractors and specialist installers; develop scope-of-work and technical acceptance criteria.
• Identify installation, logistical and constructability risks (e.g., tight tolerances, heavy lifts, contamination control for powders) and propose mitigation measures and QA/QC processes.
• Coordinate with process, mechanical design, E&I, civil and HSE teams to ensure installation feasibility and safe access; review equipment supplier installation requirements and vendor manuals.
• Provide input to site layout, erection yards, storage strategies and temporary utilities needed for installation works.
• Support tender evaluation for installation contractors and advise on contractor selection and packaging strategies.
• Mentor junior engineers and review deliverables from external installation contractors.

Essential qualifications & experience

• BSc in Mechanical Engineering (or related engineering discipline) from a recognized university. MSc/PhD desirable.
• Minimum 15–20 years’ industrial mechanical installation and site delivery experience across feasibility, FEED, construction/installation and commissioning phases.
• Direct experience in equipment installation and maintenance planning for process or heavy-industrial facilities. Experience in powder metallurgy, ceramic processing or magnet production equipment is highly desirable.
• Proven experience preparing FEED-level installation packages, RFQs for installation works, lifting/rigging plans and commissioning interfaces.
• Strong knowledge of mechanical alignment, grouting, foundation interfaces, lifts and rigging, and heavy equipment installation best practices.
• Experience with maintenance planning methodologies (RCM/PM), spare parts strategies and maintenance tooling specification.
• Excellent technical writing skills, stakeholder management and leadership capability; comfortable working in multinational teams.
• Outcome-driven: prioritizes timely delivery and consistently meets cost, schedule and quality requirements
• Comfortable working with multinational teams; fluent in English.

Desirable

• Experience with contamination control, controlled-atmosphere handling and clean-handling installations for sensitive powders.
• Experience in Middle East / GCC projects and familiarity with regional construction practices and local regulations.
• Certification in lifting/rigging engineering, mechanical alignment or maintenance management is a plus.

• A strategic role on a landmark national industrial programme.
• Competitive consultancy remuneration (commensurate with experience)
• Riyadh-based role with travel as required.