[Hiring] Principal Mechanical Engineer @Hanwha Energy USA

Role Description

The Principal Mechanical Engineer is accountable for the overall mechanical engineering strategy, technical governance, and lifecycle performance of utility-scale gas-fired power plants, including gas turbine– and gas reciprocating engine–based generation facilities. This role serves as the owner-side mechanical authority across the full project lifecycle—from early development and Pre-FEED through EPC execution, commissioning, and operations.

The principal defines mechanical design philosophy with emphasis on heavy civil/structural, governs EPC and OEM designs, and ensures plant reliability, availability, and long-term operability, particularly for high-duty and mission-critical applications such as data center–driven power supply.

This position requires a blend of high-level technical expertise with a general understanding of commercial aspects, regulatory awareness, and cross-functional coordination to bring utility scale power projects to life. The employee may be required to perform other job-related duties as requested by management. All duties will be assigned in accordance with applicable laws and company policies.

Responsibilities

• Mechanical Engineering Technical Authority (Owner-Side)
• Establish and own the overall mechanical engineering philosophy for gas-fired power plants (SCGT, CCGT, and reciprocating gas engine).
• Act as the final technical decision-maker for mechanical system design, equipment selection, and lifecycle-related issues.
• Define company-wide standards for:
  • Rotating equipment and balance-of-plant (BOP) systems
  • Redundancy, sparing philosophy, and maintainability
  • Design margins, derating, and availability targets
• Plant System Engineering Design (Owner-Side)
• Lead plant-level system and process engineering for gas-fired power plant projects from concept through execution.
• Develop and review key system design deliverables, including:
  • Fuel Gas System configuration and pressure/flow control philosophy
  • Heat & Material Balance diagrams
  • Water Balance Diagrams for various operating scenarios
• Perform and validate cycle analysis for SCGT, CCGT, and gas engine plants, including:
  • Plant efficiency, heat rate, and auxiliary power assessment
  • Impact of ambient conditions, part-load operation, and degradation
• Define overall plant configuration and operating concept based on system-level trade-off studies.
• Ensure consistency between system design assumptions and detailed mechanical/BOP design.
• Prime Mover & Major Equipment Oversight
• Provide technical leadership for gas turbines and gas engines, including:
  • Performance, efficiency, and degradation assumptions
  • Operating envelopes and dispatch flexibility
  • Maintenance strategies and long-term service considerations
• Govern selection and integration of:
  • Heat Recovery Steam Generators (HRSGs)
  • Steam turbines (where applicable)
  • Compressors, pumps, fans, and major auxiliaries
• Balance of Plant (BOP) & Thermal Systems
• Own mechanical scope for plant BOP systems, including:
  • Fuel gas systems
  • Cooling systems (air-cooled, water-cooled, hybrid)
  • Lube oil, seal oil, and auxiliary fluid systems
  • Compressed air and utility systems
  • Below ground and above ground piping
• Ensure thermal and mechanical designs support:
  • High ambient operation
  • Frequent start-stop and load-following duty
  • Long-term reliability and maintainability
• EPC, OEM & Owner’s Engineer Governance
• Lead engagement with:
  • EPC contractors
  • OEMs (GT, engine, HRSG, major equipment suppliers)
  • Owner’s Engineers (OE)
• Review, challenge, and approve key deliverables, including:
  • Mechanical & piping design criteria and specifications
  • Equipment datasheets and technical bids
  • P&IDs, layouts, and equipment arrangements
  • Stress, vibration, and fatigue-related analyses
  • Civil structures, foundations & earthwork
• Ensure EPC and OEM designs align with owner objectives for reliability, operability, and lifecycle cost.
• Project Development, Risk & Due Diligence
• Provide mechanical engineering leadership during:
  • Pre-FEED and FEED decision gates
  • Project acquisitions and technical due diligence
• Identify mechanical-system-related risks affecting:
  • Availability and forced outage rates
  • CAPEX and OPEX
  • Schedule, constructability, and commissioning
• Support mitigation strategies and owner positions in commercial and technical negotiations.
• Plant Performance, Availability & Lifecycle Optimization
• Ensure mechanical systems support high availability targets (e.g., 99.9%+ where applicable).
• Oversee evaluation of:
  • Mechanical bottlenecks and single points of failure
  • Maintenance intervals and outage strategies
  • Spare parts philosophy and long-lead items
• Drive continuous improvement of plant design based on operating experience.
• Technology Strategy & Future Readiness
• Define long-term mechanical strategy to support:
  • Future SCGT → CCGT conversion
  • Carbon capture readiness (where applicable)
• Evaluate emerging technologies and equipment from an owner’s perspective, balancing innovation with bankability.
• Leadership & Cross-Functional Alignment
• Provide technical direction and mentorship to senior and staff-level mechanical engineers.
• Coordinate closely with:
  • Electrical and Controls engineering leadership
  • Development, commercial, environmental, regulatory and operations teams
• Translate complex mechanical issues into clear, actionable recommendations for executive leadership.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Mechanical Engineering, or Industrial Engineering.
• 10+ years of experience in power plant mechanical engineering, EPC, OEM, or owner-side roles.
• Proven experience with gas turbine and/or gas engine power plants.
• Demonstrated experience acting as a discipline lead or technical authority is strongly preferred.
• Deep expertise in:
  • Rotating equipment and thermal systems
  • Gas turbines, gas engines, and HRSGs
  • Balance-of-plant mechanical systems
• Strong understanding of:
  • High-temperature, high-cycle duty operation
  • Mechanical reliability, fatigue, and vibration
  • Plant availability and lifecycle cost drivers
• Familiarity with applicable standards (ASME, API, ISO, OEM standards).
• Ability to set mechanical engineering direction and enforce standards across multiple projects.
• Strong engineering judgement balancing reliability, cost, schedule, and risk.
• Confident communicator with EPCs, OEMs, and executive stakeholders.
• Comfortable operating in fast-moving project development environments.
• Experience supporting data center power supply projects or other high-availability applications.
• Exposure to engine-based generation or hybrid plant configurations.
• Experience with heavy civil/structural & piping design and construction.
• Experience with hydrogen-ready or low-carbon power technologies.
• Professional Engineer (PE) license.

Compensation

• $180,000 - $200,000 salary