Piping Lead Inspector (Offshore Substation Dubai)

Piping Lead Inspector

📍 Berlin, Germany (remote) → Dubai, UAE (fabrication yard) → Offshore

🕒 Contract / Long-term assignment | Start: December 2026

We are looking for an experienced Piping Lead Inspector to act as the Client / Owner's Representative for the piping scope of a 2 GW HVDC offshore converter platform in the Baltic Sea, built for a German transmission system operator.

The scope covers the water supply system (seawater intake, desalination, potable water, hydrant and deck wash), hazardous and non-hazardous drains and sewage, the diesel fuel system, and the piping and valves of the auxiliary systems: HVAC chilled and closed cooling water, fire-fighting foam and helideck systems, and converter cooling water. You follow this scope from requirements verification to offshore commissioning.

Assignment Timeline

• Start: December 2026

• Contract: 12 months, with option to extend

• Work split: 50% on site in Dubai, 40% remote, 10% in Berlin

Key Responsibilities

• Review the contractor's evidence against the Employer's Requirements in the verification plan (Relatics) and recommend verification status

• Review and comment on contractor and supplier documents, including:

  • ITPs, FAT and commissioning procedures

  • Material traceability, test-pack and flushing procedures

  • WPS, WPQR, welder qualifications and NDT procedures

• Define client hold, witness, review and monitoring points and keep the piping inspection register up to date

• Witness valve FATs (ball, butterfly, gate, check, balancing, pressure relief and quick-closing valves), including pressure, seat leakage and functional tests

• Inspect pipe spools, supports and prefabricated components before shipment

• Verify material certificates, PMI records, dimensional checks, coating and traceability documentation

• Carry out surveillance visits at international sub-suppliers during spool, support and coating work

• At the Dubai yard, inspect:

  • spool fabrication, material traceability and welding against approved procedures

  • NDT activities and reports, surface preparation and coating

  • installation of piping, supports, valves and flanged joints, including torqueing

• Review test packs and witness hydrostatic, pneumatic and leak tests

• Witness flushing, cleaning, drying and reinstatement, including converter cooling water systems

• Witness commissioning of water supply, hydrant, drain, sewage, fuel and cooling water systems

• Plan inspection coverage, coordinate the client inspection team and make sure every hold and witness point is attended

• Raise NCRs, assess root causes and verify closure of corrective and preventive actions

• Carry out mechanical completion inspections (ITR-A) and review punch list items and completion dossiers in the contractor's system

• Take part in final inspections, harbour acceptance tests (HAT) and load-out readiness reviews

• Offshore: witness re-commissioning, final pressure tests and flushing after hook-up

• Issue daily and weekly inspection reports with KPIs (hold and witness point attendance, NCR ageing, punch list close-out)

• Report HSE non-conformities and take part in safety walks and HSE reviews

Required Qualifications

• Welding Engineer qualification or certified Welding Inspector (e.g. IWI, CSWIP 3.1)

• NDT certification, minimum ISO 9712 Level 2

• Minimum 8 years in QA/QC inspection of piping fabrication, installation and testing, of which at least 5 years on offshore or marine projects

• Proven experience leading a team of inspectors

• Experience as Lead Inspector, Client Representative or Owner's Inspector on offshore substations, HVDC platforms, oil & gas topsides or ships

• Experience in FAT witnessing and surveillance at international sub-suppliers

• Experience in mechanical completion, pre-commissioning and commissioning, including punch list and completion management systems

• Fluent English, minimum C1 (spoken and written)

• Valid work and travel permits for Europe and the UAE; willingness to travel to suppliers worldwide and to be deployed long-term at the Dubai yard and offshore

• Working knowledge of codes and standards, e.g. EN 13480, EN 1092-1, EN 1591-1, ISO 14692, EN ISO 12944, PED 2014/68/EU, ISO 3834, ISO 5817, ISO 15614-1, ISO 9606-1

All experience must be backed by personal project references stating client, period, scope and your role.

Nice to Have

• International Welding Engineer (IWE)

• Coating inspection certification (NACE / AMPP, FROSIO or equivalent)

• API 570 certification

• GRP/GRE piping systems (ISO 14692)

• Potable water systems and hygiene requirements

• Previous work on HVDC converter platforms or offshore substations, or converter cooling water systems

• Experiance on European Projects

• DNV certification processes; yard experience in the Middle East or Asia

Additional Advantages

• German and Arabic language skills

• Valid GWO BST or OPITO BOSIET (incl. HUET) and offshore medical, or willingness to obtain them before the offshore phase

• Knowledge of BSH offshore codes, DNV-ST-0145 and German occupational safety rules (BetrSichV, DGUV, ASR)

Why This Role

• Owner's-side position with real authority over the piping scope

• One platform from start to finish: verification, FATs, yard, load-out and offshore commissioning (2026 to 2031)

• Lead Inspector role with your own team of inspectors at a major fabrication yard in Dubai

• Grid connection project for the German energy transition, 2 GW HVDC

👉 Interested?

Apply directly or reach out for more information. Please send your CV with project references.