Mechanical Engineering Lead - Reading, UK
Contract: 12 Months
Pay Rate: £56.91/ph - £75.31/ph
Our client is seeking an experienced Mechanical Engineering Lead to play a pivotal role in a major petrochemical and refinery upgrade programme. This is an exciting opportunity to guide the technical definition of a world-scale mixed-feed steam cracker and associated refinery enhancements, ensuring designs are safe, operable, and cost-effective while supporting ambitious project objectives.
Role Overview
As the Mechanical Engineering Lead, you’ll represent the client within a joint venture project management team, working closely with contractors to optimise scope, manage technical risk, and deliver engineering solutions that meet standards and performance expectations. You’ll bring extensive experience in mechanical and static equipment engineering, enabling you to challenge, influence, and support decisions across the pre-FEED and FEED stages.
Key Responsibiities
*Provide technical leadership and engineering guidance aligned with project objectives.
*Steward contractor performance and ensure design development reflects value improvement and capital efficiency.
*Evaluate new technologies and ensure appropriate qualification and assessment.
*Own and develop engineering standards, philosophies, specifications, and procedures for mechanical and static equipment.
*Ensure technical definition is complete and meets FEL maturity expectations.
*Support development and evaluation of FEED and EPC scopes of work.
*Participate in design reviews and ensure timely closure of assigned actions.
*Oversee engineering surveillance to confirm compliance with philosophies and standards.
*Prioritise workload effectively and obtain specialist support when needed.
*Apply risk-based decision making to equipment, technical issues, and facilities design.
Requirements
(Essential)
*15+ years’ relevant experience in mechanical engineering roles within refining, petrochemical or related industries.
*Strong technical expertise with tools, programmes and analytical techniques relating to static equipment.
*Experience writing and optimising engineering standards and design basis documents.
*Background across owner/operator and contractor environments.
*Experience in downstream applications such as hydroprocessing, cracking, sour gas treatment, heavy oil upgrading and utilities/offsites.
*Knowledge of large-scale modular design and its impact on technical specifications.
*Proven leadership, collaboration and communication skills.
(Desirable)
*Familiarity with Middle East projects or working cultures.
*Experience with ExxonMobil or Saudi Aramco project environments.
*Understanding of advanced analysis, FFS, NDE methods and solid mechanics.


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This vacancy is being advertised by Belcan