Principal Engineer, Outfitting

The Principal Engineer, Outfitting oversees designing, reviewing, and carrying out engineering and technical tasks. The role offers guidance and expertise to the engineering team and supports engineers in developing technical and operationally sound solutions. This position is responsible for ensuring the overall technical compliance of the design, ensuring it is safe, functional, and meets customer and class standards.

Note: Due to business needs, this position must be fully on-site at 2 Pemberton Avenue, North Vancouver.

What You'll Do

• Provides engineering and design expertise in Marine Outfitting Systems, including fire protection, insulation, structural openings, stairs, handrails, paint, gratings, lifesaving gear, cranes, winches, davits, and interior joiner design. Prepare design and calculation packages for contract compliance.
• Analyzes information, identifies methods, processes, steps, and needed plant, machinery, and equipment to design and improve manufacturing or material systems, ensuring the final product meets cost and quality standards.
• Designs engineering solutions and validates the process to achieve a design brief that meets organizational and regulatory standards. Provides technical authority, delegates to engineers, and approves changes to requirements.
• Analyzes information, drafts engineering standards and specifications, and assesses the effectiveness of these standards within one's engineering discipline to ensure work meets quality requirements. Provides guidance on engineering tasks for the organization and its suppliers, contractors, and consultants.
• Performs inspections to assess the quality of complex, large-scale engineering projects or the integrity of existing extensive installations or structures and determines the necessary remedial actions to ensure compliance with specifications and regulations.
• Establishes maturity targets and reviews completion at gate reviews.
• Uncovered emerging issues or needs, identifying potential causes, barriers, and key stakeholders, as well as related topics.
• Performs additional duties as assigned.

What You'll Bring

• Bachelor’s Degree in a relevant engineering subject area, Master’s degree preferred.
• Professional Engineering designation in the Province of British Columbia is optional.
• Minimum 15 years of post-secondary experience in ship operations, in-service support, and/or ship design and construction environments; 20+ years preferred.
• Understanding of CADMATIC, ShipConstructor, AutoCAD, document control systems, and databases.
• Knowledge of MRP, purchasing, and management systems is preferred.
• Experience in complex vessel integration.
• Experience in supervising and developing personnel, with the ability to guide and mentor team members.
• Strong organizational and interpersonal skills with experience in diverse, multidisciplinary teams.
• Analytical skills to gather, analyze, or synthesize data, confirming its accuracy and adequacy as part of the collective analysis or synthesis process.
• Technical writing skills, including the ability to produce and present clear, detailed technical specifications, procedures, and reports.
• Critical thinker capable of analyzing change requests, projects, and designs to identify potential schedule or budget risks.
• Ability to work independently and offer technical guidance on testing, evaluating, and enhancing engineering results.
• Committed to maintaining high safety standards and following all safety laws and policies.
• Proficient in computer skills and familiar with Microsoft Office, including Excel, Outlook, Word, and PowerPoint.

Why you'll love working here

• This is a full-time, permanent position. With multiple operations and long-term projects, Seaspan employees enjoy job stability as we look ahead to build ships for decades to come.
• In addition to an annual bonus and pension plan matching, this role provides you with a very competitive salary in line with the successful candidate’s experience.
• We also provide the best-in-class health and wellness benefits package for this position, including things such as extended health care (i.e. paramedical services for massage therapy, speech therapy, mental health coverage, physiotherapy, and more), dental care, vision care, life insurance, medical leave coverage, parental leave coverage, $500 personal spending account, and an Employee Family Assistance Program (EFAP).
• Free on-site gym.
• Parking is included, and to assist those who are using transit, we operate a complimentary shuttle bus Monday through Friday with various pick-up and drop-off points around North Vancouver.
• We offer a competitive relocation package for qualified candidates, including moving cost reimbursement and temporary housing to support your move to Vancouver.

The estimated salary for this position is $143,100 - $174,900. In determining final salary, Seaspan considers many factors, including the successful Candidate's skills, experience, the position's location, and internal equity. The final base salary offer will be at the Company's sole discretion and presented as part of a competitive total compensation package.

Must hold or be eligible to attain Reliability Security Clearance or a higher level of Security Clearance as required.

Seaspan Shipyards is one of North America’s most modern shipyards and unique in its ability to provide a complete range of services including new construction, conversion, refit, repair and life-cycle maintenance work for Canada’s Coast Guard and Navy as well as commercial vessels including cruise-ships and deep-sea vessels. Seaspan Shipyards operations include Vancouver Shipyards, Vancouver Drydock and Victoria Shipyards.

To learn more, visit our website:

This position may involve defense articles and/or technical data regulated by the U.S. International Traffic in Arms Regulations (“ITAR”) and the U.S. Arms Export Control Act. In compliance with ITAR, the successful candidate will be subject to a security clearance through the Canadian Controlled Goods Program as regulated by the Controlled Goods Regulations and Defense Production Act. The successful candidate will be required to maintain their security clearance throughout their employment in this position.

Seaspan is committed to Employment Equity, supports diversity in the workplace, and encourages applications from all qualified individuals including, women, members of visible minorities, Indigenous persons, and persons with disabilities. If you require any accommodations at any stage of the recruitment process, please reach out to our Talent Acquisition team at View email address on ca.snapjobsearch.com for confidential support. We are committed to providing an inclusive and accessible environment.