Regional Principal Engineer

Job Description Summary

As Regional Principal Engineer for Safety by Design (SbD), you act as the regional focal point and thought leader for all design safety-related topics across the Central Europe (CE) engineering organization. You drive the deployment of advanced Safety by Design methodologies across the full lifecycle of HVDC converter stations - from conceptual design to commissioning and handover - ensuring that engineering solutions meet or exceed GE Vernova standards, legal obligations, and customer expectations.

This role provides deep technical guidance, assurance, and cross-functional leadership, connecting design, systems engineering, and RAMS disciplines. You ensure that safety is engineered into every system and decision - not added later - and that SbD practices are applied consistently across the regional project portfolio.

• Serve as the principal regional expert for Safety by Design, supporting multiple 2GW and regional HVDC projects.
• Provide governance and direction for the integration of SbD principles into engineering deliverables, ensuring alignment with global GE Vernova frameworks.
• Act as a technical escalation point for safety-critical decisions and design risk assessments.

• Develop, deploy, and continuously improve the Safety by Design programme for Central Europe, fully integrated into the RAMS and Systems Engineering strategies.
• Drive harmonization of tools, templates, and methodologies across projects to achieve consistency and efficiency.
• Support the development of digital design safety registers, risk matrices, and decision log frameworks.

• Review and approve key safety-related engineering documentation (EERA, FERA, HAZID, HAZOP, BowTie, FMECA, Fire Protection Design, etc.).
• Ensure all project deliverables adhere to applicable standards, codes, and legal requirements.
• Facilitate independent technical reviews and audits to assure design integrity and legal compliance.

• Partner with customers, developers, certifying authorities, and consortium members to align on Safety by Design deliverables and expectations.
• Represent the CE Engineering function in safety governance boards and external audits.
• Lead technical dialogues and design reviews to promote transparent and proactive safety culture.

• Mentor project engineers, package leads, and safety specialists in SbD practices and systems engineering integration.
• Deliver training sessions and technical forums to embed a culture of safety ownership across disciplines.
• Capture and disseminate lessons learned to strengthen the 2GW Engineering knowledge base.

• Oversee the application of SbD principles through all project phases: design, fabrication, installation, and commissioning.
• Provide expert support in vendor qualification, fire protection systems, material handling systems, and other safety-critical packages.
• Ensure all modifications and design changes follow robust safety review and approval processes (MoC).

• Degree in Engineering (Mechanical, Electrical, Process, or Safety); postgraduate qualification preferred.
• 10+ years of experience in design and execution of large-scale energy infrastructure projects, with at least 5 years in offshore or HVDC environments.
• Proven expertise in Safety by Design, RAMS, and Systems Engineering principles.
• NEBOSH Diploma or equivalent qualification (e.g., German SiFa) required.
• Strong analytical and facilitation skills, with experience leading HAZOPs, FMECAs, and BowTie analyses.
• Demonstrated ability to lead cross-functional teams and influence without direct authority.
• Fluent in English; proficiency in German (B2 or higher) is a plus.

• Safety by Design leadership
• Systems engineering integration
• RAMS & design assurance
• Consortium and stakeholder management
• Legal and standards compliance
• Technical risk assessment and mitigation
• Coaching and capability building
• Continuous improvement and standardization