Technical Lead, Submarine Power Cables (Manager / Principal Engineer)

The Technical Lead, Submarine Power Cables will be the senior technical authority for the team's submarine power cable projects, including cross-border interconnectors, offshore wind export cables, and island and inter-island supply links. The incumbent will lead engineering delivery across the full project lifecycle, from feasibility and route development through FEED, manufacturing, installation, and commissioning. The role is client-facing and will act as the technical lead on proposals, studies, owner's engineer and lender's engineer assignments.

Key Responsibilities

• Lead the technical delivery of submarine power cable projects across all stages: feasibility study, concept design, FEED, procurement, manufacturing, installation, testing, and commissioning.
• Lead feasibility studies, cable route studies, desktop studies, technical assessments, and technical due diligence for HVAC and HVDC submarine cable systems.
• Define and review cable system design, including cable type selection, conductor sizing, current rating, burial depth and protection, landfall and HDD solutions, cable and pipeline crossings, joints, and terminations.
• Prepare and review minimum functional specifications (MFS), technical specifications, employer's requirements, and tender documents for cable supply and installation (EPCI) contracts.
• Review contractor and manufacturer deliverables, including type test, prequalification, factory acceptance test (FAT), and routine test programmes, installation engineering, burial assessment studies, and as-built documentation.
• Act as owner's engineer during manufacturing, including factory inspections, FAT witnessing, and QA/QC oversight at cable OEM facilities.
• Oversee installation and commissioning activities, including review of marine spread and vessel suitability, cable lay and burial, post-lay surveys, high-voltage testing, and energisation.
• Coordinate inputs from marine survey (geophysical and geotechnical), metocean, environmental and permitting, grid connection, and civil and marine works disciplines.
• Lead cable risk assessments covering third-party threats (anchoring, fishing, dredging), seabed mobility, and interfaces with port and maritime authorities.
• Serve as the primary technical point of contact for clients, utilities, regulators, lenders, and contractors; present findings and lead technical workshops.
• Draft, review, and approve technical reports and deliverables to ensure quality, accuracy, and consistency with client requirements.
• Lead the technical sections of proposals and tender submissions, including methodology, work plan, team structure, and fee input, and support go/no-go decisions.
• Provide technical guidance and mentorship to project engineers and junior team members.

Requirements

• Degree in Electrical, Power, Marine, Offshore, Civil, or Mechanical Engineering, or a related discipline. A postgraduate qualification is an advantage.
• At least 10 years of relevant experience in submarine power cables, HV cable systems, interconnectors, or offshore wind export cables, including at least 3 years in a technical lead or senior role.
• Demonstrated experience across multiple project stages, from feasibility and FEED through manufacturing, installation, and commissioning.
• Strong working knowledge of relevant standards and guidance, such as IEC 60840, IEC 62067, IEC 60287, IEC 63026, CIGRE TB 490 and TB 496, DNV-ST-0359, and DNV-RP-0360.
• Experience reviewing cable manufacturing and testing, and familiarity with major submarine cable OEMs and installation contractors.
• Proven track record in client engagement, proposal writing, and drafting and reviewing technical reports.
• Familiarity with cable rating and design tools (e.g. CYMCAP), GIS, and CAD is an advantage.
• Professional registration (e.g. PE, CEng, CPEng) is an advantage.
• Experience on projects in Asia Pacific or ASEAN is an advantage.
• Strong communication, leadership, and stakeholder management skills.
• Able to travel regularly and stay overseas for site, factory, or offshore assignments.