Lead/Senior Piping Stress Engineer

What Vista Does

Vista Projects is an integrated industrial engineering firm that helps clients navigate the digital transformation of their projects and operations. Our proven project execution process is based on a “single source of truth” model that eliminates the potential for inefficient engineering designs, cost overruns and project completion delays.

Why We Do It

We believe the world needs industrial projects and that intelligent engineering data can increase the likelihood of innovative solutions getting to market. Over the years, our multi-discipline teams have conceptualized and designed some of the most challenging and successful industrial processing projects in the North American energy sector. Vista has established itself as a trusted industrial engineering partner for all types of projects, from conceptual studies and pilots to large-scale commercial expansions.

Where We Work

The benefits of our approach apply to new asset developments and brownfield optimization projects across several industrial markets. This includes biofuels and produced water treatment to natural gas and petrochemical processing. While we are headquartered in Calgary and maintain a satellite office in Houston, most staff elect to telecommute.

What You Would Do in This Role

We are seeking a Senior / Lead Pipe Stress Engineer to provide technical leadership on major oil and gas projects and grow SAGD pipeline business. This role is intended for a highly experienced professional who brings deep technical expertise in piping and SAGD pipeline stress and local stress evaluation, combined with the ability to lead the discipline, influence design decisions, and mentor engineering teams. You will act as the technical authority for facility piping and SAGD pipelines stress engineering, supporting projects from early design through construction and commissioning.

• Serve as the Lead Pipe Stress Engineer on assigned projects, establishing technical direction, execution strategy, and design philosophy
• Perform and oversee complex pipe stress analyses for static and dynamic conditions using AutoPIPE and CAESAR II and related tools
• Lead local stress and fatigue assessments using FEA tools such as NozzlePro to evaluate:
  • Local nozzle stresses
  • Pipe wall stresses at welded attachments (e.g., trunnions, shoes, dummy legs, and supports)
  • Compliance with applicable code allowables and fatigue requirements
• Establish project-specific stress analysis criteria, methodologies, and acceptance limits
• Review and approve stress models, calculations, FEA results, and technical reports prepared by the team
• Evaluate piping flexibility, restraint strategies, support loads, nozzle loads, and equipment interactions
• Perform flexibility analyses for critical piping systems to ensure system integrity and compliance with ASME B31.3 and CSA Z662 Codes as applicable
• Be fully familiar with the stress analysis of SAGD pipelines per CSA Z662
• Coordinate SAGD pipeline routing and support design working closely with pipeline and CSA designers
• Perform visual inspections and approve non-critical lines
• Provide expert input to piping layout, routing, welded attachment design, and support detailing to ensure structural integrity and constructability
• Interface closely with Piping Design, Mechanical, CSA, Process, and Project Management teams
• Review vendor drawings and data for stress-critical equipment and packaged units
• Participate in design reviews, HAZOPs, constructability reviews, and client technical meetings
• Assisting in the negotiation of critical engineering issues
• Provide engineering support during fabrication, construction, and commissioning, including resolution of field stress and nozzle-related issues
• Maintaining current knowledge of industry and regulatory standards
• Mentor and technically develop junior and intermediate pipe stress engineers, including FEA best practices
• Prepare and review specialty item datasheets for spring supports, expansion joints, snubbers, etc. Issue MRQs/MRPs
• Review technical bid evaluations for piping stress engineering items
• Planning, allocating and reviewing work programs.
• Preparing weekly progress reports for each project including work completed, work planned for the following week and discipline needs
• Updating project schedule on a weekly basis including marking tasks which are completed, in progress, and any potential delays.
• Ensure tasks are listed correctly in schedule. Project schedule along with tracking engineering tasks and deliverables are to be reviewed and maintained in conjunction with Project Management.
• Establishing scopes of work, man-hour estimates, schedules and priorities for projects or proposals
• Ensure stress work is on budget and schedule and meets all QAQC requirements
• Work on the change management

Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree in Mechanical Engineering (or equivalent)
• Professional Engineer (P.Eng.) registered in Alberta, or eligible for registration
• 10+ years of progressive pipe stress engineering experience in the oil and gas industry including facility
• Experience with oil sands facility piping, well pads, SAGD pipelines, underground pipelines, LNG, refining/petrochemical facilities, gas processing plants
• Demonstrated experience leading piping stress scope on EPC projects
• Expert knowledge of applicable codes and standards (ASME B31 series, CSA Z662, ASME VIII, API)
• Advanced proficiency with AutoPIPE and CAESAR II
• Proven proficiency with FEA tools, specifically NozzlePro, for evaluating:
  • Local nozzle stresses
  • Pipe wall stresses at welded attachments and reinforcements
  • Fatigue and code compliance for stress-critical connections
• Strong understanding of dynamic analysis including wind, seismic, vibration, and slug flow
• Ability to exercise sound engineering judgment and defend technical decisions with clients and stakeholders
• Strong communication skills and experience in client-facing technical leadership roles
• Strong organizational skills, technical competence and attention to detail
• Self-motivated and efficient with time management
• Ability to meet safety requirements to attend site visits

Preferred

• Brownfield, MOC, and revamp projects in operating facilities
• 3 year of experience with SAGD pipelines
• Discipline Lead, Principal Engineer, or Technical Authority roles within an EPC organization
• Experience developing engineering standards, procedures, or best practices related to piping stress and local stress evaluation

Why People Like Working with Us

Working with Vista is a chance to contribute to the type of challenging municipal and industrial projects that the world requires. If that doesn’t excite you, this role likely won’t be a fit.

Challenging projects require focus and we enable our people to do their best work with modernized project systems that are based on our leading use of intelligent data-centric execution architecture. Our staff and clients like that it gives them real-time access to validated data shared across all project departments. This fosters project design and business decisions based on a single, authoritative source of truth and provides increased transparency and collaboration with team members and clients, leading to improved engineering quality and a product we can all take pride in.

What We Offer

An opportunity with Vista is not just a job; it is a chance to tackle challenging projects with colleagues who are among the most recognized and accomplished in their disciplines.

Vista offers all employees

• A stimulating, fast-paced and challenging work environment where you will contribute to the interesting municipal and industrial engineering projects
• A robust and consistent recruitment process that ensures your colleagues are likeminded and comparably capable
• An opportunity to be a part of an entrepreneurial, technically skilled team which has established leadership in innovative engineering solutions
• A strong value-based philosophy that provides an informal, close-knit team environment, where you and your family feel like a part of our organization, and not just an employee number
• Competitive compensation and benefits, including a performance-linked variable pay program
• Company-sponsored social events and team sports
• Flexible work schedules, half-day Fridays and free parking
• An organization that values and encourages diversity

How to Apply

Please complete the application form below and include a cover letter concisely demonstrating how your skills and experience align with our job posting. By submitting this application, you consent to our  Privacy Policy , and you consent to receive transactional electronic messages from Vista and third parties acting on our behalf.

Note:  As part of the interview process there will be a technical testing component that will take up to two hours and can be completed at home on your own timeline. Candidates may be required to complete a security clearance procedure prior to receiving an offer.