Operations and Maintenance Engineering Lead

Operations & Maintenance Engineering Lead
Project: LNG
Contract: 6 months (renewable)
Location: Paris, France
Company: International EPC Contractor
Start Date: ASAP

🌍 Role Overview We are supporting a major LNG development project and are looking to appoint an experienced Operations & Maintenance (O&M) Engineering Lead to guide the project from early design through execution and operational readiness.
In this pivotal leadership role, you will ensure that the LNG facilities are operable, maintainable, safe, and cost‑effective throughout their lifecycle. Acting as the interface between engineering, construction, commissioning, and operations, you will play a critical role in enabling a smooth transition from EPC delivery to operations.
This opportunity suits a senior O&M professional with a strong technical background, natural leadership style, and proven experience in Oil & Gas operations—ideally within LNG projects.

🎯 Key Responsibilities
📐 Home Office – Pre‑FEED / FEED / EPC Support

• Lead and manage the O&M Engineering team, including KPI definition, performance monitoring, and resource planning.
• Define and develop the O&M Engineering scope during Pre‑FEED, FEED, and EPC phases, ensuring operability, maintainability, safety, and lifecycle cost optimisation.
• Develop O&M strategies across multiple business lines (digitalisation, gas monetisation, decarbonisation, offshore wind, hydrogen).
• Support Asset Life Excellence initiatives and contribute to O&M scopes for bids, tenders, and proposals.
• Develop and implement Operations Readiness programmes, incorporating lessons learned from previous major projects.
• Participate in operability and maintainability reviews, RAM studies, lifecycle cost assessments, and maintenance system development.
• Manage subcontractors involved in maintenance systems and interface with corrosion and inspection disciplines for integrity systems development.
• Contribute to Asset Integrity Management Systems, shutdown strategies, and typical lifting programmes.
• Develop training frameworks, competency assessment tools, and support hiring strategies for future operations organisations.
• Ensure O&M manuals, training packages, and subcontractor documentation meet EPC scope, quality, and contractual requirements.
• Support the development of digital tools aimed at O&M optimisation and OPEX reduction.
• Ensure all O&M engineering activities comply with HSE, quality, cost, and schedule objectives.

⚙ Execution Phase – Mobilisation to Operations

• Transfer O&M Engineering scope from home office to site execution teams.
• Support recruitment, onboarding, training, and mobilisation of operations personnel.
• Lead the deployment of the Operations Management System, in line with EPC contractual obligations.
• Oversee delivery of O&M‑related EPC deliverables, including training, documentation, operations readiness, material readiness, and HSE compliance.
• Ensure effective coordination between Construction, Commissioning, Operations, and Maintenance during interim operations.
• Act as the primary interface between the project and subcontractors for O&M documentation and systems.
• Track and secure availability of consumables, spares, and materials critical to operational performance.
• Participate in emergency response leadership, permit‑to‑work systems, and operational safety management.
• Provide regular daily and weekly reports to project leadership during shipyard and offshore phases.

🔧 Required Competencies & Experience

• Engineering degree in Petroleum, Mechanical, Chemical Engineering, or equivalent technical background.
• 10+ years’ experience in Oil & Gas project and operations environments, ideally within LNG facilities.
• Strong technical expertise in operations, maintenance management, LNG processing, utilities, and troubleshooting.
• Proven experience supporting start‑up, commissioning, and performance testing activities.
• Demonstrated leadership of multi‑disciplinary teams in complex project environments.
• Solid understanding of QA/QC standards in the petroleum industry.
• Excellent English communication skills (written and spoken).
• High level of autonomy, problem‑solving capability, and stakeholder management skills.

🧑‍🤝‍🧑 People & Project Leadership

• Ensure O&M Engineering deliverables are achieved to quality, schedule, and budget commitments.
• Identify, assess, and onboard qualified resources for O&M scope execution.
• Participate in subcontractor evaluation and selection during tendering phases.
• Act as the central communication focal point between operations, commissioning teams, and project management.

With over 90 years' combined experience, NES Fircroft (NES) is proud to be the world's leading engineering staffing provider spanning the Oil & Gas, Power & Renewables, Chemicals, Construction & Infrastructure, Life Sciences, Mining and Manufacturing sectors worldwide. With more than 80 offices in 45 countries, we are able to provide our clients with the engineering and technical expertise they need, wherever and whenever it is needed. We offer contractors far more than a traditional recruitment service, supporting with everything from securing visas and work permits, to providing market-leading benefits packages and accommodation, ensuring they are safely and compliantly able to support our clients.