We are a national staffing agency providing recruitment services in Houston for a client that serves the oil and gas industry. We are actively looking to recruit a Piping Designer that is local to the Houston area for this client.
Our client is a leading Engineering, Procurement & Construction (EPC) services provider delivering fully integrated project solutions across the energy, power, and industrial markets. Their multidisciplinary engineering teams support a wide range of projects including oil & gas facilities, LNG terminals, refinery expansions, petrochemical plants, pipeline systems, renewable energy infrastructure, and advanced industrial manufacturing.
The company specializes in designing and executing complex process facilities by combining mechanical engineering, piping design, electrical engineering, structural design, automation, and project controls. With a strong focus on safety, operability, reliability, and cost-optimized plant performance, they support both greenfield and brownfield projects from concept through commissioning.
Their portfolio spans multiple high-growth markets:
- Oil & Gas: Refineries, upstream/midstream facilities, tanks, terminals, petrochemical units, compressor stations, pipelines, offshore topsides.
- Power & Utilities: Grid modernization, combined-cycle plants, energy storage integration, substation upgrades.
- Industrial & Manufacturing: Heavy industry, process manufacturing, chemical plants, material handling, and automation projects.
- Clean Energy: Hydrogen production systems, carbon capture projects, solar infrastructure, and low-carbon process facilities.
Typical Duties and Responsibilities
- Develop complete 3D piping models, isometric drawings, P&ID-based piping layouts, and general arrangement (GA) drawings using industry-standard CAD/CAE design platforms.
- Create equipment layout drawings, pipe support details, skid layouts, rack piping, and tie-in drawings for process and utility systems.
- Interpret and apply P&IDs, process flow diagrams (PFDs), mechanical datasheets, vendor drawings, and equipment specifications to ensure accurate piping system design.
- Design piping systems in accordance with relevant ASME, API, ANSI, ASTM, NFPA, and project-specific codes and standards.
- Coordinate with process engineers, mechanical engineers, structural teams, electrical/instrumentation groups, and construction management to ensure interdisciplinary compatibility.
- Perform field walks, conduct laser scanning coordination, verify tie-in points, and gather as-built information for plant modifications.
- Generate BOMs (Bills of Materials), line lists, and ensure accurate material specifications using client standards and national codes.
- Collaborate with stress engineers and perform basic piping flexibility assessments aligned with ASME B31.3/B31.1 requirements.
- Work with piping stress, process safety, mechanical engineering, and project management to verify design compliance.
- Participate in model reviews (60%, 90%, IFC) and ensure constructability, maintainability, and accessibility.
- Support construction teams during installation, responding to RFIs, redlines, and field changes.
- Ensure that piping layouts reflect safety design principles, including ergonomics, egress, operational access, valve clearances, and maintenance zones.
Education
- Associate Degree or Technical Diploma in Drafting, Mechanical Engineering Technology, Industrial Design Technology, or related field.
- Bachelor’s degree in Mechanical Engineering or a related discipline is a plus but not required.
- Formal training in piping design, CAD modeling, or EPC design workflows is highly preferred.
Required Skills and Experience
- 10+ years of piping design experience in oil & gas, refining, petrochemical, chemical manufacturing, power generation, or similar heavy-industrial environments.
- Advanced proficiency with 3D design software, such as:
- Aveva E3D / PDMS
- Hexagon Smart 3D (S3D)
- Intergraph PDS
- AutoCAD Plant 3D
- Cadworx
- SolidWorks or Inventor (for skid or equipment modeling)
- Strong working knowledge of piping codes and standards, including:
- ASME B31.3 (Process Piping)
- ASME B31.1 (Power Piping)
- API 610, API 650, API 617
- ANSI/ASME pressure integrity standards
- Experience designing piping around:
- Fired heaters, boilers, heat exchangers
- Pumps, compressors, turbines
- Pressure vessels, columns, tanks
- Pipe racks, manifolds, utility stations
- Ability to read and develop: P&IDs, PFDs, line lists, MTOs, equipment arrangement drawings, and isometric packages.
- Familiarity with stress analysis coordination, supports design, and materials engineering.
- Strong understanding of constructability, maintenance access, hazard mitigation, and plant safety principles (OSHA, process safety).
- Excellent communication and collaboration skills in multidisciplinary EPC project environments.
Preferred Qualifications
- Experience working on large-scale EPC projects, turnarounds, or major refinery/petrochemical upgrades.
- Knowledge of laser scanning workflows, point cloud integration, and digital twin modeling.
- Prior experience with FEED, detailed engineering, and brownfield retrofit piping.
- Exposure to hydrogen systems, carbon capture, biofuels, or other clean energy process facilities.
- Familiarity with piping material specifications (PMS), welding procedures, corrosion allowances, insulation systems, and heat tracing.
- Certifications in CAD platforms (AutoCAD, Smart 3D, E3D) or ASME-related training.
- Experience working with construction teams, procurement, and field engineering.
