Job Title – Shift Supervisor – Oil & Gas Processing Plant

Location: Dubai, UAE

About the Role

We are seeking an experienced Shift Supervisor to oversee day-to-day operations at an oil and gas processing plant, ensuring safe, reliable, and efficient plant performance across assigned shifts. The role involves supervising operations personnel, monitoring process parameters, maintaining production targets, coordinating with maintenance and technical teams, and ensuring strict compliance with operational procedures, health and safety standards, and environmental regulations.

The ideal candidate will have hands-on experience in oil and gas processing, refinery, petrochemical, or hydrocarbon production facilities, along with strong leadership, troubleshooting, and emergency response capabilities.

Key Responsibilities

Shift Operations & Production Management

• Supervise plant operations during assigned shifts to ensure safe, continuous, and efficient production.
• Monitor process parameters, equipment performance, production volumes, and operating conditions to meet established targets.
• Coordinate the activities of control room operators, field operators, and other shift personnel.
• Conduct routine plant inspections to identify abnormalities, operational risks, and equipment performance issues.
• Manage plant start-ups, shutdowns, commissioning activities, and operational changes in accordance with approved procedures.
• Respond promptly to process upsets, equipment failures, and production interruptions to minimize downtime and maintain operational stability.
• Ensure proper shift handovers, including communication of plant status, ongoing activities, operational risks, and outstanding maintenance requirements.

Process Control & Equipment Management

• Monitor the performance of process units, pumps, compressors, heat exchangers, vessels, storage tanks, pipelines, and associated equipment.
• Review operating data, control room readings, alarms, and trends to identify deviations and initiate corrective actions.
• Troubleshoot process-related issues and coordinate with technical specialists to restore normal operating conditions.
• Ensure equipment is operated within approved process limits and manufacturer specifications.
• Coordinate equipment isolation, depressurization, purging, and preparation for inspection, repair, and maintenance.
• Verify that equipment and systems are safely handed over to maintenance teams in accordance with established isolation and permit-to-work procedures.
• Coordinate planned and corrective maintenance activities with mechanical, electrical, instrumentation, and maintenance teams.

Health, Safety & Environmental Compliance

• Enforce compliance with health, safety, environmental, and operational policies, procedures, and applicable regulations.
• Ensure adherence to permit-to-work systems, risk assessments, job safety analyses, lockout/tagout procedures, and safe operating practices.
• Monitor the correct use of personal protective equipment and ensure personnel follow site safety requirements.
• Identify potential hazards, unsafe conditions, and process safety risks, implementing preventive and corrective measures.
• Lead or coordinate initial responses to emergencies, including process upsets, equipment failures, gas leaks, fires, and other hazardous situations.
• Participate in emergency drills, incident investigations, safety meetings, and root-cause analysis activities.
• Promote a strong safety culture and ensure incidents, near misses, and operational deviations are reported and documented.

Team Leadership & Coordination

• Allocate duties and supervise the performance of operators and other personnel assigned to the shift.
• Provide technical guidance, on-the-job coaching, and operational training to strengthen team competency.
• Ensure effective communication between control room and field personnel throughout the shift.
• Coordinate with production, maintenance, laboratory, engineering, HSE, and other support departments to resolve operational issues.
• Maintain adequate staffing and operational coverage to support uninterrupted plant activities.
• Monitor team compliance with standard operating procedures and established performance expectations.

Reporting & Continuous Improvement

• Maintain accurate shift logbooks, production reports, equipment records, inspection logs, and incident documentation.
• Review production and process data to identify operational inefficiencies, recurring issues, and opportunities for improvement.
• Ensure product quality requirements are maintained through appropriate sampling, testing, and coordination with laboratory personnel.
• Monitor the use of chemicals, consumables, and other operational resources to support efficient plant performance.
• Recommend improvements to operating procedures, equipment reliability, productivity, and resource utilization.
• Ensure all operational documentation is completed accurately and communicated to relevant management personnel.

Qualifications & Experience

• Diploma or Bachelor's degree in Chemical Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Process Engineering, or a related technical discipline.
• Typically 6–10 years of experience in oil and gas processing, refinery, petrochemical, or similar industrial plant operations.
• Previous experience in a shift supervisory or senior operations role within a process plant environment.
• Strong understanding of process control systems, plant equipment, operating procedures, and production monitoring.
• Practical knowledge of permit-to-work systems, equipment isolation, emergency response, and process safety requirements.
• Experience with Distributed Control Systems (DCS), Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition (SCADA), or similar plant monitoring systems is an advantage.
• Good command of English, with strong reporting, communication, and team coordination skills.
• Ability to work rotating shifts and respond effectively to operational emergencies.

Key Skills & Competencies

• Shift and plant operations management
• Oil and gas processing operations
• Process monitoring and troubleshooting
• Production planning and performance control
• Equipment isolation and maintenance coordination
• Health, safety, and environmental compliance
• Emergency response and incident management
• Team leadership and operator development
• Operational reporting and documentation
• Problem-solving and decision-making

What We Offer

• Opportunity to contribute to critical oil and gas processing operations.
• A challenging role within a technically demanding industrial environment.
• Professional development and exposure to plant operations, safety, and process improvement initiatives.

Apply now!