Plant Engineer – District Cooling Plant

Job Title: Plant Engineer (District Cooling)

Department: Operations / Engineering

Reports To: Plant Manager / Operations Manager

Location: Dubai, United Arab Emirates

Job Purpose

The Plant Engineer – District Cooling is responsible for ensuring the efficient operation, maintenance, and continuous improvement of chilled water production and distribution systems. The role focuses on Driving Thermal Reliability in Utility Operations by maximizing plant delta-T, minimizing energy consumption (kW/TR), and ensuring 24/7 cooling availability through the supervision of specialized technical teams.

Key Responsibilities

Facility & Infrastructure Oversight

• Oversee daily O&M of centrifugal chillers, cooling towers, primary/secondary pumps, and Thermal Energy Storage (TES) systems.
• Supervise preventive and corrective maintenance on high-capacity HVAC equipment and chilled water distribution networks.
• Coordinate with OEMs and vendors for spare parts procurement, AMC (Annual Maintenance Contracts), and major overhaul services.
• Monitor plant performance via SCADA and PLC systems to track real-time cooling loads and production efficiency.
• Troubleshoot critical failures in pumps, variable frequency drives (VFDs), and control valves to minimize service interruptions.

Team Leadership

• Provide technical supervision to plant operators, pipefitters, and HVAC technicians working in complex mechanical environments.
• Coordinate field activities for chemical dosing, water quality testing, and heat exchanger cleaning.
• Ensure compliance with manufacturer guidelines and international engineering standards during all repair activities.

Operational Excellence

• Implement maintenance programs including vibration analysis, oil analysis for chillers, and hydraulic balancing of the distribution network.
• Optimize energy consumption by managing plant load profiles and identifying opportunities for cost reduction in water and power usage.
• Participate in site inspections and commissioning of plant upgrades to ensure operational quality and asset longevity.

Risk & Compliance

• Ensure all O&M work strictly adheres to industrial safety procedures, Environmental Health and Safety (EHS) standards, and Permit-to-Work (PTW) requirements.
• Lead safety briefings and toolbox talks focused on high-pressure systems, chemical handling, and confined space entry.
• Guarantee proper use of PPE specific to mechanical plant environments and industrial noise/heat protection.

Monitoring & Reporting

• Prepare daily operational logs , cooling production reports, and maintenance history records.
• Analyse performance trends (e.g., kW/TR efficiency and Delta-T) and report abnormalities to management.

Qualifications & Requirements

• Education: Bachelor’s Degree in Mechanical or Electrical Engineering.
• Experience: 5–10 years of experience in plant operations or utility maintenance (District Cooling experience is highly preferred).
• Knowledge: Deep understanding of industrial refrigeration, water treatment, and large-scale pumping systems.
• Advantage: Previous experience with District Cooling Providers (e.g., Tabreed, Empower, or similar) within the GCC region.

Preferred Skills & Competencies

• Technical: Proficiency in reading P&IDs (Piping and Instrumentation Diagrams), SLDs, and managing CMMS (Computerized Maintenance Management Systems).
• Adaptability: Willingness to support 24/7 operations, including on-call support for emergency breakdowns.
• Coordination: Strong leadership skills to supervise multi-disciplinary teams and manage external contractors effectively.

KPIs (Key Performance Indicators)

• Chilled Water Availability: Guaranteeing 100% uptime for connected customers.
• Specific Power Consumption: Maintaining optimal kW/TR (Efficiency) targets.
• Delta-T Optimization: Ensuring efficient heat transfer across the network.
• Safety & Compliance: Zero Lost Time Injuries (LTI) and full regulatory adherence.