Specialist Planning Engineer

Worley, a global group of energy, chemicals and resources experts, is looking for a Specialist Planning Engineer to join its Project Controls team in Abu Dhabi. This full-time, on-site role sits under a structured project controls function and reports to a Senior Project Control Specialist. The position carries the Abu Dhabi city location and is tied to the ABU02EZ requisition code.

The role is built around steering project planning and cost control activities in alignment with the Project Execution Plan. You’ll work closely with the Project Control Manager to ensure the project meets safety, quality, schedule and cost targets, while helping the team navigate complex interfaces and multi-contractor calendars. Worley emphasises a values-led culture focused on belonging, connection and innovation, and this role fits someone who enjoys turning data into practical schedule and cost guidance for large-scale projects.

In practice, you’ll be part of a project controls endeavour that covers baseline schedule follow-up, performance reporting and change control assessment, with a strong focus on earned value management guidance. You’ll be asked to advise on planning techniques, assist in program integration and governance, and help shape standard formats and practices for project controls across the programme. Regular engagement with internal and external reviews, delivering weekly and monthly reports, and keeping deliverables aligned with contract obligations will be part of the rhythm. The posting notes the responsibility to manage progress certification and invoice payment processes under the contract, and to maintain appropriate milestone certificates as activities advance.

Steering the project controls engine

You’ll be responsible for developing and maintaining an integrated project schedule that merges milestones, feedstock needs, offsite and utilities availability, and the durations of activities across multiple contractor schedules. You’ll monitor compliance with contractual obligations, ensure procurement and scheduling activities follow company requirements, and support governance to sustain robust cost and schedule performance across the program. Collaboration with the Senior Project Manager and other discipline managers will be important to maximise the project’s potential, while you guide reviews and analyses to flag slippage and forecast issues before they become problems.

Efforts to standardise project controls procedures and tools will be part of your remit, along with promoting best practices and maintaining adherence to company procedures. You’ll also play a role in the ongoing development of policies and standards for Project Controls and Earned Value Management, ensuring deliverables are produced on time and that any variances are clearly explained in reports aligned with the project and company calendars.

Must-have and nice-to-haves

Here's what Worley is seeking for the right candidate. The must-haves are essential, while the nice-to-haves add a helpful edge to your candidacy.

• A bachelor’s degree in an engineering discipline or an equivalent combination of education and around 15 years’ relevant experience in the oil and gas or petrochemical industry
• At least five years in a similar project controls role on mega oil & gas or petrochemical projects
• Experience with ADNOC and offshore projects is required
• Experience working in a PMC environment is required
• Hands-on exposure to FEED and EPC project phases is required
• Strong project control competencies covering planning, scheduling, monitoring and control, with a solid grasp of schedule, cost and risk analysis tools
• Technical understanding of the oil and gas business and the ability to translate that into practical project controls actions
• Knowledge of the internal project control processes and procedures governing transactions

• Nice-to-haves include professional certifications such as PMP or CCP, which are preferred but not mandatory

On-site in Abu Dhabi: pay, benefits and schedule

The role is full-time and classified as an employee position, located in Abu Dhabi City. It is an on-site role, with Worley’s project controls team coordinating closely with cross-functional leads to deliver against the programme. No salary or specific benefits are listed in the posting, so details about pay and family-related perks aren’t disclosed here.

Tips for applicants

Lead with your oil and gas mega-project credentials. On your resume, place a strong summary at the top that highlights your ADNOC/offshore project experience, PMC exposure, and FEED/EPC involvement, and make sure your most relevant projects are easy to spot within the opening lines.

Show you can prove the must-have skills with concrete examples. Describe a baseline schedule you built or guided, the kind of performance reporting you produced, how you handled change control, and a clear instance of earned value management guiding decision-making across interface points with multiple contractors.

Prepare for interviews by sharing scenarios where you aligned project controls with commercial objectives. Be ready to discuss how you ensured compliance with contract schedules, how you supported progress certification and payments, and how you coordinated with the PCM and other discipline managers to keep the project on track.

Ask a focused question that taps into Worley’s process. For instance: how does the team integrate the schedules of different contractors into a single integrated master schedule for ADNOC offshore projects, and what project controls framework is typically used to drive governance and reporting across multiple parties?