About the Role
Guildhall is recruiting for a major international main contractor delivering large infrastructure projects in the Gulf, currently scaling its site teams in Dubai. This Site Engineer will run daily substructure operations — excavation, foundations and reinforced concrete — on a live, high-volume government infrastructure project. The hire comes as the programme ramps toward peak construction activity, with site headcount being built out now. It's a seat for a bilingual engineer who wants to work between international project management and local execution teams on a project of genuine scale.
The role
- Supervise daily substructure works: excavation, foundations, reinforced concrete
- Check construction against approved drawings, specifications and method statements
- Coordinate subcontractors and site teams on manpower, materials and equipment
- Monitor progress, flag constraints, keep the schedule on track
- Review structural drawings and resolve site queries with the technical team
- Coordinate MEP teams on underground services before concrete pours
- Run QA/QC inspections with consultants and close out corrective actions
- Communicate daily in Mandarin and English across project and site teams
What you'll bring
- Bachelor's degree in Civil Engineering or related discipline
- Hands-on substructure experience: foundations and reinforced concrete
- Experience working site-side with a main contractor
- Fluent Mandarin Chinese and English
- Confident reading and coordinating off structural drawings
- Working knowledge of AutoCAD and MS Office
- Large-scale infrastructure project experience is an advantage
What's on offer
- A site seat on a major, currently ramping infrastructure programme
- Direct exposure to main-contractor delivery at scale
- A role that bridges international management structures and local site execution.
Why apply through Guildhall
- Boutique executive search firm in Dubai, established 2010
- 8x independent industry awards since 2020
- 4.9-star Google rating from 250+ reviews
- Direct access to the retained consultant running this search
Hiring a Site Engineer in Dubai
A Civil Site Engineer on a substructure package in Dubai typically reports to a Site or Project Engineering Manager and owns the day-to-day delivery of foundations and reinforced concrete works. Demand for bilingual engineers who can work between international main contractors and local subcontractor teams has grown as large state infrastructure programmes in the UAE move into active construction. These roles sit close to the work: daily supervision, drawing coordination and QA/QC, rather than desk-based planning.
Common questions
What does a Site Engineer – Civil / Substructure do in Dubai?
They run daily substructure activities on site, including excavation, foundation works and reinforced concrete construction. This includes coordinating subcontractors, checking work against approved drawings, and following up on quality inspections to keep the programme on schedule.
What experience do I need to apply?
You'll need a civil engineering degree, hands-on substructure experience with a main contractor, and the ability to read structural drawings and coordinate site execution. Fluent Mandarin Chinese and English is required, as the role involves close coordination between head-office project teams and local site staff.
How do I apply?
Apply directly on this page. A Guildhall consultant reviews every application confidentially and will contact suitable candidates to discuss the role in more detail.
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The Agency Behind This Role
This search is managed by Guildhall — an 8× award-winning executive search and recruitment agency, rated 4.9★ across 250+ Google reviews, recruiting in Dubai and across the GCC.