Job description
Electrical Lead — Drilling Technical Support About the job The Electrical Lead is a senior member of the HQ Maintenance Technical Support team at Dixstone, providing centralised electrical and instrumentation engineering expertise to the operational fleet. This role partners with rig-based electrical teams, drilling supervisors, OEMs, and third-party suppliers to ensure reliable power generation, distribution, and drilling control across the fleet.
Dixstone operates a fleet of jackups, platform and land drilling rigs across West and Central Africa. The Electrical Lead drives electrical system reliability, standardises maintenance practices, and supports continuous improvement — from HV power-plant upgrades and SCR/VFD overhauls to PLC code troubleshooting and CMMS optimisation.
This position offers the opportunity to shape the electrical engineering backbone of the fleet.
Responsibilities
- Develop and implement electrical preventive maintenance programs across power generation, distribution, drilling drives, and control systems
- Lead failure investigations on electrical equipment; conduct root-cause analyses and drive corrective actions to improve reliability
- Provide remote and on-site technical support to rig electrical teams; deploy to site for critical issues and major commissioning activities
- Monitor power generation, HV/LV distribution, and SCR/VFD drive performance remotely; identify trends and recommend optimisations
- Maintain electrical drawings, schematics, single-line diagrams, and OEM technical manuals; update Dixstone procedures based on lessons learned
- Ensure electrical systems meet applicable regulatory requirements; support inspections, certification audits, and Comp. Ex-relevant scopes
- Review and approve work scopes for electrical service contractors; manage vendor relationships and quality of deliverables
- Support PLC, SCADA, and drilling control system troubleshooting; coordinate firmware updates and configuration changes fleet-wide
- Generate electrical system KPIs and reliability reports; benchmark performance across the fleet and recommend fleet-wide improvements Qualifications
- Electrical Engineering degree or equivalent technical qualification
- 10+ years of experience in drilling operations, electrical maintenance, including time in rig-based supervisory roles (Chief Electrician/Electrical Supervisor and Maintenance Supervisor)
- Comprehensive understanding of drilling rig electrical systems — generators, transformers, switchgear, MCC, SCR/VFD drives, UPS
- Hands-on experience across major OEMs (ABB, Siemens, Schneider, NOV, Varco, Canrig, Aker MH, or equivalent)
- Familiarity with PLC platforms (Siemens STEP 7, Allen-Bradley), drilling cyber-base systems, and BOP control electronics
- Proficiency in CMMS platforms (Maximo, MM Fusion, AMOS, SAP, or equivalent)
- Offshore medical, survival, Comp. Ex, and HV authorisation certifications as required
- Fluent English communication skills; French is a strong advantage given fleet operating regions