Systems Engineering Lead

About Austal

Austal is Australia’s global shipbuilder, Defence prime contractor and maritime technology partner of choice, designing, constructing, and supporting defence and commercial vessels for the world’s leading operators. The company operates in Australia, the USA, Philippines, and Vietnam.

Austal is delivering multiple naval shipbuilding and sustainment programs for the Royal Australian Navy, Australian Border Force, and the Department of Defence, employing approximately 1,000 people in facilities in located Western Australia, Queensland, and the Northern Territory.

Austal has entered into a landmark Strategic Shipbuilding Agreement (SSA) with the Commonwealth of Australia, launching a new era of continuous naval shipbuilding within the Henderson Defence Precinct and across Western Australia. As Australia’s Strategic Shipbuilder, Austal will start by delivering eighteen Landing Craft Medium and eight Landing Craft Heavy vessels for the Australian Army.

The SSA will drive significant growth across our industry and workforce, as we deliver existing and future programs under a long-term partnership. Through effective collaboration with our supply chain partners, Austal is driving innovation, developing sovereign capability, and creating lasting opportunities for Australian industry and workers.

To support this growth, we are building a highly skilled team to engage with local industry and supply chains, and contribute to complex, large-scale projects that reflect Austal’s proven capabilities and trusted performance.

About the Opportunity

Lead the implementation and application of a Systems Engineering framework, producing artefacts that uphold Austal’s standards and reputation throughout the project lifecycle.

What’s Involved

• Deliver Systems Engineering artefacts on time and to required standards.
•  Achieve system acceptance by delivering the digital product.
• Lead mandatory Systems Reviews as per SSA Program System Review Plan.
• Lead and mentor the Systems Engineering team.
• Maintain strong client relationships and act as a key technical contact.
• Report engineering risks and propose mitigation strategies.
• Manage engineering changes to maintain design integrity.
• Support continuous improvement initiatives.
• Contribute to the delivery of the broader engineering program objectives.

Desirable Skills / Experience / Attributes:

Essential:

• Engineering degree or related discipline.
• 5+ years in Systems Engineering or similar field.
• Proven experience in complex projects, change management, and continuous improvement.
• Chartered Professional Engineer (CPEng) or ability to obtain.

Desirable:

• Experience in complex project environments and design teams.
• Knowledge of quality assurance, requirements management, and configuration management.
• Familiarity with PLM toolsets and documentation for capability delivery.
• Membership with SESA or INCOSE.

Why Austal

• Competitive compensation and benefits package.
• Professional development and training opportunities.
• A supportive and dynamic work environment.
• Opportunities for career advancement within our growing organisation.

Our global team is guided by a universal set of values that describe the focus of our efforts. Our goal is for all our decisions and actions to reflect these core values. We believe that putting our values into practice creates the greatest benefits for our shareholders, customers, employees, suppliers, and communities in which we serve.

Excellence - Customer Focus - Integrity - Team Work

At Austal we are committed to providing a safe and inclusive work environment for all. We believe that achieving greater diversity will enhance our operations and as such we actively encourage Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islanders, people of all backgrounds, ages, sexual orientation, and those with Disability to apply.