Design Engineer - CNG & Biogas

Gas Networks Ireland operates and maintains Ireland’s €2.7bn, 14,664km national gas network, which is considered one of the safest and most modern renewables-ready gas networks in the world.

Over 720,000 Irish homes and businesses trust Ireland’s gas network to provide efficient and reliable energy to meet their heating, cooking, manufacturing and transport needs.

The gas network is the cornerstone of Ireland’s energy system, securely supplying more than 30% of Ireland’s total energy, including 40% of all heating and almost 50% of the country’s electricity generation.

By working to replace natural gas with renewable gases, such as biomethane and green hydrogen, and complementing intermittent renewable electricity, Gas Networks Ireland is supporting Ireland’s journey to a cleaner energy future.

Gas Networks Ireland is now seeking to appoint a Design Engineer to work primarily on the design of renewable natural gas (RNG) injection facilities. However, flexibility and the willingness to work on other projects, e.g., CNG/RNG automotive refuelling facilities, as business needs dictate will be necessary.

The Role:

The Asset Delivery function within Gas Networks Ireland is responsible for the end-to-end planning, designing and delivery of GNI’s portfolio of asset development programmes. Encompassing the three pillars of Project Delivery Management, Design Delivery and Project Services; the Asset Delivery function brings together all the technical and project support capabilities needed to take high-level projects and programmes from the Portfolio Office and translate these through from detailed design and project planning, to construction delivery and handover to Asset Operations.

Reporting to the Senior Design Engineer (CNG & Biogas), the Design Engineer will have responsibility for the preliminary and detailed design of biogas and renewable gas connections, including oversight of outsourced engineering service providers. The Design Engineer will manage all aspects of the design and review design risks associated with outsourced engineering service providers, ensuring a high-quality design service is delivered to the Networks Business. The successful candidate will have the ability to effectively diagnose technical issues and have knowledge of gas related process design. The Design Engineer will work closely with other discipline Design Engineers, outsourced partners and the Technical Assurance function ensuring alignment of the Design Delivery process from end to end to meet overall project or programme timelines. Sustainability is a key feature to incorporate into the design process to deliver low carbon designs.

Duties and Responsibilities:

• Design projects from first principles, ability to complete design calculations in relation to gas standards, proximity assessments, hazardous area calculations, utilise engineering service providers (ESP’s) and technical specialists to deliver design aspects of capital connections.
• Design new biogas and / or renewable gas connections to the network where the design is performed internally within GNI. Where the design is outsourced, provide comment on the design review process and review residual design risks for sign off.
• Support the design process to drive an outsourced hybrid design model to flex design capacity to meet renewable gas connections and programme timelines.
• Support the continuous improvement of the design process tailoring material enquiry process to implement hybrid design process.
• Attend Factory Acceptance Testing and document learnings on projects and present to the wider design teams.
• Develop process and procedures for materials guidance document for ESP’s, contribute towards driving efficiencies within the design process.
• Ensure all design documentation is fully and accurately completed, develop appropriate procedures to ensure compliance with regulatory controls, where required.
• Contributing to the continuous improvement of internal operational processes and procedures including ISO 9000 in the Design environment.
• Drive sustainability within the design process e.g., materials etc.
• Co-ordination of specialist technical services and third-party resources as part of the design process to meet renewable gas connection timelines.
• Support Senior Design Engineers as required within the Design Delivery process.
• Comply with appropriate controls and conditions for environmental, planning or other statutory conditions, mitigations as part of any consenting process.
• Contributing to the ongoing competency initiative within Design Delivery.
• Ensure a robust process is in place in terms of design documentation for each programme or project from a design delivery perspective.
• Performing other duties as assigned from time to time.

Knowledge, Skills and Experience:

• Engineering degree (Mech, Civil, Process, Mechatronics, Elec, C&I, & other related disciplines)
• 3 years’ post-graduation experience in an Engineering role is essential.
• Relevant experience in natural gas, process industry or utilities is preferred, however candidates who can demonstrate proven technical competence will be considered.
• Experience of working within teams and across virtual teams to deliver on shared goals and objectives.
• Knowledge of the engineering design process and an understanding of process safety in the application of designs.
• A basic understanding of Functional Safety will be an advantage, however training will be available and a willingness to learn will be a pre-requisite.
• Excellent interpersonal and leadership skills and the ability to influence, advocate and persuade.
• An understanding and the awareness of the need to manage relationships between clients, vendors and regulators.
• Capable of applying judgment and decision-making capabilities to achieve common goals.
• Ability to set up ongoing procedures to collect and review information as needed.
• Proactive in identifying new areas of learning and using newly gained knowledge and skill on the job.
• Experience with identifying improvement opportunities, generating ideas and implementing solutions.
• Have a working knowledge of H&S standards and risk management systems e.g. Design Risk Assessment, ability to identify hazards and eliminate same in the design process.
• Knowledge of relevant Gas Standards, Codes of Practice and Statutory Requirements is desirable.

Applications, including current Curriculum Vitae, should be emailed to the following address stating the job title and reference number in the subject line of your email:

The closing date for receipt of applications for this vacancy is the

19th of June 2024.

Please note that applications submitted after this closing date will not be accepted.

Gas Networks Ireland is an equal opportunities employer
We are committed to providing a diverse and inclusive place of work and have a robust strategy and framework called ibelong to enable this. We are an equal opportunity employer and through our recruitment process we welcome and encourage applications from interested and suitably qualified individuals regardless of gender, age, racial or ethnic origin, membership of the traveller community, religion or beliefs, family or civil status, sexual orientation/gender identity or disability.