Offshore Operation Engineer

A specialist engineering and installation company focused exclusively on shallow water and nearshore subsea cable installation. The company operates across the full lifecycle of nearshore cable works: installation engineering, operational planning, vessel coordination, beach approach design, cable pull-in, and field execution support. With offices in Paris and the UK, it works across European offshore wind, interconnector, and subsea power cable markets. The team is growing rapidly and is looking for a driven, hands-on Operations Engineer to support project execution.

Role overview

The Operations Engineer plays a central role in preparing and executing shallow water cable installation projects. Working closely with the Lead and Senior Installation Engineers and the project management team, the Operations Engineer bridges the gap between engineering deliverables and field operations: coordinating vessel activities, managing logistics, interfacing with port agents, marine contractors, and survey teams, and ensuring that operations run safely, on schedule, and within scope.

This is an ideal position for a driven engineer with 3-5 years of experience in offshore or nearshore operations who wants to develop fast in a specialist, high-growth environment. Seniority is not a prerequisite - what matters is drive, curiosity, and the ability to operate effectively in a fast-paced project environment.

Key responsibilities

Pre-operational planning

• Contribute to the development of operational plans for shallow water cable installation campaigns: cable lay sequences, pull-in procedures, vessel mobilisation schedules, port call planning
• Coordinate with vessel owners, port agents, and marine contractors to prepare operational logistics (berth allocation, equipment load-out, quayside operations)
• Assist in the preparation of regulatory submissions and marine coordination documents: port authority notifications, coastal zone coordination, maritime authority interfaces
• Support the preparation of risk assessments and HSE documentation for nearshore operations
• Act as the operational interface between the engineering team (installation engineers) and field execution teams during cable installation campaigns
• Monitor campaign progress against the operational schedule; flag deviations and coordinate corrective actions with the project team
• Manage day-to-day operational logistics during campaigns: vessel positioning, crew coordination, equipment supply, weather monitoring and stand-by management
• Liaise with survey teams, marine warranty surveyors (MWS), and client representatives during offshore operations
• Compile and maintain operational reporting: daily progress logs, stand-by records, as-installed data tracking

Document control and project coordination

• Maintain and update the project's operational document register: procedures, method statements, permits, vessel certificates
• Track actions from project meetings; follow up with internal and external stakeholders to ensure timely closure
• Support the development of lessons learned and close-out documentation following campaign completion

Experience & Profile

Mandatory

• 3-5 years of experience in an offshore, nearshore, or marine project operations role
• Demonstrable exposure to marine installation or subsea cable operations: vessel coordination, marine logistics, operational planning, or field engineering support
• Ability to work across disciplines (engineering, logistics, HSE, client interface) in a project environment - comfort with ambiguity and fast-changing operational situations
• Strong organisational skills: managing multiple workstreams, tracking actions, maintaining accurate operational records

Nice-to-have:

• Prior experience in shallow water or nearshore cable installation operations: beach approaches, cable pull-in, transition zone management
• Knowledge of offshore wind, HVDC interconnector, or oil & gas pipeline installation projects
• Familiarity with marine warranty survey (MWS) processes and vessel certification requirements
• Experience with regulatory coordination in French or European coastal waters (DIRM, Préfecture Maritime, port authorities)
• French language capability - valuable for local port and authority interfaces in France

Profile

• Dynamic, proactive, and solution-oriented: takes initiative and follows through - does not wait to be told what to do
• Comfortable operating in a lean, high-growth specialist environment where roles evolve quickly
• Strong communicator: able to coordinate effectively across engineering, operations, and client teams both in writing and verbally
• Interest in developing deep expertise in the nearshore and shallow water cable installation niche

Languages

• English: fluent - mandatory (project and company working language)
• French: strongly appreciated - relevant for Paris office environment, port authority interfaces, and French project client contacts