Principal Engineer, Rotating Equipment
Located:
Houston
SummaryVenture Global is seeking a Principal Engineer, Rotating Equipment to join our Pipeline Engineering team in Houston, Texas.
This role will serve as the technical authority for all pipeline rotating equipment systems and will oversee activities spanning the complete equipment life cycle - from specification and selection, through commissioning and startup, and continuing through long-term operation, maintenance, and reliability monitoring.
The Principal Engineer will ensure that design and operational decisions support maximum equipment uptime, safety, and cost-efficiency, and will guide both internal teams and external engineering partners to achieve consistent reliability and best-in-class performance of turbomachinery assets across Venture Global's pipeline compressor station facilities.
Key ResponsibilitiesEquipment Specification and Selection
- Define and validate technical requirements for rotating equipment, including gas and steam turbines, compressors, pumps, motors, and related auxiliaries.
- Review vendor proposals and engineering deliverables to ensure alignment with Venture Global's operational strategy, reliability targets, and technical standards.
- Collaborate with EPCM and OEM partners during design development to ensure optimal equipment configuration and materials selection for long-term maintainability and performance.
Commissioning and Startup
- Advise on pre-commissioning, commissioning, and startup activities, ensuring that manufacturer recommendations and operational requirements are met.
- Support field teams with performance testing, vibration analysis, and acceptance validation of rotating equipment systems.
- Coordinate issue resolution between operations, maintenance, and vendor teams during early operational phases.
Operations and Maintenance
- Provide day-to-day technical support for equipment performance, troubleshooting, and maintenance optimization across operating facilities.
- Review predictive maintenance data and vibration analysis reports; ensure prompt and accurate interpretation leading to actionable recommendations.
- Drive Reliability Centered Maintenance (RCM) improvements and ensure maintenance plans are cost-effective, safe, and aligned with reliability goals.
- Support turnaround planning and execution with detailed technical scope input, risk assessments, and resource coordination.
Reliability Monitoring and Improvement
- Implement and manage condition monitoring and reliability tracking systems, ensuring equipment health indicators are properly analyzed and acted upon.
- Develop Key Performance Indicators, including MTBR and MTBF, and the development and oversight to a Reliability Improvement Team in pursuit of continuous improvement.
- Lead Root Cause Failure Analysis (RCFA) exercises and produce comprehensive failure reports with recommended corrective actions.
- Identify opportunities for design, maintenance, or operational improvements across the fleet to reduce downtime, unplanned outages, and cost of ownership.
- Promote standardization and reduced interfaces across engineering, operations, and vendor teams to improve consistency and communication through the asset life cycle.
Leadership and Mentorship
- Serve as the pipeline organization's subject matter expert for rotating equipment, mentoring less experienced engineers and technicians.
- Foster collaboration with Venture Global's Terminal Engineering and Maintenance Teams, EPCM partners and OEMs, ensuring that reliability and maintenance considerations are embedded in all life cycle stages.
QualificationsEducation and Certifications
- Required: Bachelor's degree in Mechanical Engineering or relevant technical discipline (required).
- Preferred: Professional Engineering (PE) license.
Experience
- Minimum 15 years of engineering experience in rotating and mechanical equipment within the natural gas pipeline industry.
- Proven expertise across the entire equipment life cycle - specification, selection, commissioning/startup, operations, maintenance and reliability monitoring and improvement.
- Extensive knowledge of gas turbines (Frames and Aero-derivatives), compressors, and associated systems such as couplings, bearings, lubrication systems, and dry gas/mechanical seals.
- Extensive experience with major turbomachinery OEMs, including Baker Hughes, Siemens and Solar.
- Strong background in compressor performance evaluation, vibration analysis, and reliability analytics.
- Extensive experience with key pipeline codes and standards, such as 49 CFR Part 192, ASME B31.8, and API 616, 617 and 692.
Technical Skills
- Proficiency in RCFA and RCM methodologies.
- Working knowledge of CMMS systems and condition monitoring software (e.g., Bently Nevada or equivalent).
- Familiarity with engineering documentation (P&IDs, equipment specs, wiring diagrams, maintenance procedures).
- Ability to synthesize technical data into clear operational recommendations.
- Development of governing standards and procedures.
Soft Skills
- Excellent communication, collaboration, and problem-solving skills.
- Able to lead multidisciplinary teams and coordinate with external stakeholders effectively.
- Strong leadership and mentoring capabilities, fostering technical excellence and reliability culture.
