Project Planning Engineer

National Marine Dredging Company (NMDC) is seeking a highly motivated and detail-oriented Project Planning Engineer to join its engineering and project controls team in Abu Dhabi. This is an outstanding opportunity for engineering professionals who are passionate about large-scale marine construction, dredging, offshore infrastructure and project management. As one of the Middle East's leading engineering and marine construction companies, NMDC has successfully delivered landmark dredging, land reclamation, offshore, EPC and marine infrastructure projects across the UAE and internationally. The company operates under the NMDC Group, providing integrated engineering, procurement, construction and marine services for government and private sector clients. (nmdc-group.com)

As a Project Planning Engineer, you will play a critical role in supporting the successful planning, scheduling and execution of major engineering and marine construction projects. You will work closely with project managers, site engineers, commercial teams and construction supervisors to develop realistic project schedules, monitor progress and ensure projects are completed on time and within budget.

Your primary responsibility will be preparing detailed project execution schedules using Primavera P6 or Microsoft Project. You will define project milestones, allocate resources, monitor construction progress and identify potential delays before they affect project delivery. The successful candidate will continuously update project schedules based on actual site performance while preparing regular progress reports for senior management and clients.

Daily responsibilities include analysing engineering drawings, reviewing project scopes, coordinating with procurement teams, monitoring material deliveries and tracking construction activities against approved schedules. You will compare planned progress with actual performance, identify schedule variances and recommend corrective actions to maintain project timelines.

The role requires close collaboration with engineering, procurement, construction, quality assurance and HSE departments to ensure project activities remain properly coordinated. You will attend project planning meetings, prepare look-ahead schedules and support management by providing accurate planning data for strategic decision-making.

As NMDC delivers complex marine engineering and dredging projects, you will also participate in planning offshore construction activities, marine logistics, equipment mobilisation and resource allocation. Understanding marine construction methodologies, dredging operations and EPC project lifecycles will provide a significant advantage in this role.

Candidates should possess a Bachelor's degree in Civil Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Marine Engineering, Construction Management or a related engineering discipline. Previous experience in project planning, construction scheduling or project controls within marine construction, oil and gas, EPC or infrastructure projects will be highly desirable.

Strong technical knowledge of Primavera P6 is essential. Experience using Microsoft Project, Power BI, Microsoft Excel, AutoCAD and project reporting software will strengthen your application. Familiarity with Earned Value Management (EVM), Critical Path Method (CPM), resource planning and project risk analysis is also highly beneficial.

Excellent analytical and communication skills are required because you will regularly prepare progress reports, project dashboards and executive presentations while communicating with clients, consultants and internal project teams. The ability to interpret engineering documentation and present complex planning information clearly is essential.

The ideal candidate should demonstrate excellent problem-solving skills, attention to detail and the ability to manage multiple large-scale engineering projects simultaneously. Experience working in multicultural engineering environments and meeting demanding project deadlines will contribute significantly to success in this position.

National Marine Dredging Company offers employees the opportunity to work on some of the region's largest marine and infrastructure developments while providing continuous professional development, technical training and career advancement opportunities. Employees gain exposure to internationally recognised engineering standards, advanced construction technologies and major government infrastructure projects across the Middle East and beyond. (nmdc-group.com)

Successful Project Planning Engineers may progress into positions such as Senior Planning Engineer, Project Controls Engineer, Project Manager, Planning Manager, Construction Manager, Project Controls Manager or Engineering Manager. NMDC encourages internal career progression and supports employees through leadership development programmes, technical certifications and international project exposure.

If you are passionate about engineering excellence, project planning and contributing to world-class marine infrastructure developments, this is an exceptional opportunity to build your career with one of the UAE's leading engineering and construction organisations.