About this role
About Liberal Construction
Liberal Construction, LLC is a United States construction company headquartered in McLean, Virginia. Since 2010 it has delivered design-build projects for US clients across Africa, the GCC and Europe. We are hiring engineers for our project sites in Djibouti, East Africa.
The role
We are looking for a mechanical engineer to work on site in Djibouti, hold the quality control of the works and carry the mechanical content of concurrent projects: HVAC, plumbing, drainage and fire protection for containerised living units, and the cooling and ventilation that keep substation, switchgear and UPS rooms running at Djibouti's ambient temperatures. You will turn the design into something that can be built, submitted and commissioned, run the three-phase control process for every mechanical feature of work, and be present when the systems are commissioned.
What you will do
- Work inside the approved quality control plan and run the three-phase control process (preparatory, initial and follow-up inspections) for every mechanical feature of work, alongside the QC Manager, and write the daily QC report.
- Control materials and equipment on arrival against the approved submittals, and reject what does not match.
- Witness and record testing and commissioning (pressure and leak tests, duct leakage, flushing and chlorination, testing, adjusting and balancing, and performance checks against the equipment schedule) with calibrated instruments.
- Coordinate mechanical services against structure and electrical (routes, penetrations, plant space and maintenance access), and supervise the installation of ducting, pipework and equipment.
- Plan shutdowns and tie-ins to live systems, and confirm that what was approved is what was installed and what actually performs.
- Hold the design conversation with our Professional Engineer in the United States (heat loads, equipment selection and redundancy, duct and pipe sizing), answer client design comments, and track RFIs and submittals.
- Write and evaluate the technical part of enquiries for air conditioning, ventilation plant, pumps, water heaters, pipework and fire protection equipment, and review supplier submittals against the specification.
- Raise and close non-conformance reports, carry the mechanical punch list to zero, hand over the closeout package, and work safely under hot work, confined space, working at height and pressure-testing permits.
What we are looking for
- Bachelor's degree in Mechanical Engineering.
- At least 5 years of experience after graduation, including at least 3 years on HVAC and mechanical services for buildings or equipment rooms.
- Hands-on experience with split, packaged and chilled-water air conditioning and ventilation, including the cooling of electrical, UPS or IT equipment rooms.
- Heat load calculation, equipment selection, duct and pipe sizing, and an understanding of redundancy for mission-critical spaces.
- Plumbing and drainage, water heating and fire protection; testing, adjusting and balancing, and commissioning records.
- Working knowledge of ASHRAE, SMACNA and NFPA, or the international equivalents. Experience with submittal registers, RFIs, daily QC reports and three-phase control.
- Strong written English, able to obtain the access clearance the project site requires, and willing to live and work in Djibouti.
Desirable: Construction Quality Management for Contractors (CQM-C) certificate; Professional Engineer licence (or EIT); work in ambient temperatures above 40°C; NFPA 13, 2001 and 72; building management and controls; mechanical systems in modular or containerised buildings; French or Arabic.
What we offer
- Monthly salary of US$2,000–4,000.
- Accommodation: company accommodation, or an accommodation allowance.
- Transportation provided by the company.
- A return air ticket every year.
- Work visa and permits arranged and paid for by the company.
We value smartness and hard work over years of experience. We never charge candidates any recruitment fee.
Location
On site in Djibouti, East Africa. Full-time.
How to apply
Apply on this page: complete the short form and attach your CV. Every application is reviewed by our team. Shortlisted candidates take an online assessment, followed by technical and final interviews.