Principal Structural Designer

About us

Worley is a global company of energy, chemicals and resources experts headquartered in Australia. We partner with our customers to deliver projects and create value across the life of their assets. We specialize in consulting, engineering, procurement and construction across the project lifecycle, with services extending through to operations and decommissioning. Leveraging extensive experience and AI-enabled delivery, we support customers in navigating complexity as they meet today's needs and transition to more sustainable solutions.

Purpose
We are currently recruiting for a Principal Structural Designer. Our team includes world class experts and dynamic go-getters. This is a full-time position based in Calgary, Alberta.

As a Principal Structural Designer, you will serve as a senior technical authority and design leader for structural design activities across complex, large-scale, and high-value projects. You will be accountable for the overall technical quality, constructability, and consistency of structural design deliverables, while providing expert-level guidance to designers, engineers, and project teams.

The Principal Structural Designer role requires a high level of structural design subject matter expertise. The Principal Structural Designer is a trusted technical advisor to project leadership and clients, and a key contributor to the development of best practices, standards, and continuous improvement within the structural design discipline. The position plays a critical role in delivering safe, constructible, and cost-effective structural solutions across multidisciplinary engineering projects in the energy, chemicals, mining, and infrastructure sectors.

Responsibilities:

Technical Authority & Design Leadership

• Act as the principal technical authority for structural design on large and complex projects, providing expert guidance on layout, constructability, and integration with civil, mechanical, piping, and electrical disciplines.

• Lead the development and oversight of complex structural design deliverables, including:

  • Structural general arrangements and layouts.

  • Steel and concrete detailed design drawings.

  • 3D model development and model governance.

  • Foundations, equipment supports, and pipe rack structures.

  • Access platforms, stairs, handrails, and secondary steel.

• Establish and uphold structural design philosophies, standards, and best practices across projects and portfolios.

• Provide advanced technical input into design challenges related to constructability, access, maintainability, modularization, transportation, lifting, and erection methodologies.

• Serve as the escalation point for complex structural design issues and high-risk technical decisions.

Quality Assurance & Governance

• Ensure structural design deliverables meet required quality standards, project specifications, and applicable codes and standards (e.g., CSA, AISC, ACI, building codes, and client standards).

• Perform senior-level technical reviews and assurance checks on critical structural design deliverables and 3D models.

• Support the development and continuous improvement of structural design procedures, workflows, templates, and technical guidelines.

• Champion digital design excellence, model governance, and consistency in the application of design tools, data standards, and drawing practices.

Project & Stakeholder Leadership

• Provide technical leadership and strategic input to project management teams during project planning, execution, and delivery.

• Act as a senior structural design interface with clients, supporting technical alignment, design reviews, and resolution of high-level design issues.

• Collaborate closely with Structural Engineers, Civil Engineers, and other discipline leads to ensure integrated, coordinated, and constructible design solutions.

• Support constructability reviews and interface with construction, fabrication, procurement, and commissioning teams as required.

Mentorship, Capability Building & Continuous Improvement

• Mentor and coach Lead and Senior Structural Designers, providing technical guidance and supporting professional development.

• Contribute to discipline capability development, succession planning, and technical competency frameworks within the structural design team.

• Support the implementation of lessons learned and continuous improvement initiatives across projects and portfolios.

• Promote a strong safety culture in design, including consideration of safe access, working at height, constructability, lifting operations, and construction sequencing.

Technical and Industry Experience

• Extensive, progressive experience in structural design within engineering, EPC/EPCM, or industrial project environments.

• Demonstrated experience providing technical leadership on large-scale, multidisciplinary industrial projects.

• Recognized subject matter expertise in steel and concrete structural design and detailing for industrial facilities in sectors such as oil & gas, chemicals, mining, power, or infrastructure.

Technical Skills

• Advanced proficiency in industry-standard structural design and detailing platforms (e.g., AutoCAD, Tekla Structures, AVEVA E3D, Revit, SmartPlant, or equivalent).

• Expert-level understanding of structural detailing, constructability, modularization, and 3D model coordination.

• Strong knowledge of applicable structural codes and standards (e.g., CSA, AISC, ACI, building codes, client standards).

• High-level ability to interpret and apply engineering drawings, structural design criteria, equipment loads, vendor data, and construction methodologies.

Leadership & Professional Attributes

• Recognized technical leader with the ability to influence, mentor, and guide design teams and project stakeholders.

• Strong communication and stakeholder engagement skills, with the ability to provide clear technical direction to multidisciplinary teams and clients.

• Highly organized, proactive, and capable of managing multiple priorities across complex project environments.

• Trusted advisor mindset, with a commitment to technical excellence, safety, and continuous improvement.

Education – Qualifications, Accreditation, Training

Required:

• Diploma or degree in Engineering Design Technology, Civil/Structural Technology, or a related discipline.

Moving forward together

We want our people to be energized and empowered to drive sustainable impact. So, our focus is on a values-inspired culture that unlocks brilliance through belonging, connection and innovation. We're building a diverse, inclusive and respectful workplace. Creating a space where everyone feels they belong, can be themselves, and are heard.

And we're not just talking about it; we're doing it. We're reskilling our people, leveraging transferable skills, and supporting the transition of our workforce to become experts in today's low carbon energy infrastructure and technology. Whatever your ambition, there's a path for you here.

And there's no barrier to your potential career success. Join us to broaden your horizons, explore diverse opportunities, and be part of delivering sustainable change.