Galway Refractories Pty Ltd – Unanderra NSW

Position snapshot

Employer

Galway Refractories Pty Ltd (ABN 21 163 758 834)

Head office

Job title

Refractory Supervisor

Location

Client’s site when not at Head Office

Employment type

Full-time, permanent

Hours

38 hours per week (Monday to Friday), plus reasonable additional hours during shutdown campaigns

AUD $95,000 – $100,000 per annum, plus 12% superannuation, plus site allowances and shutdown bonuses where applicable

Reports to

Operations Manager, Galway Refractories Pty Ltd

As soon as reasonably practicable

About Galway Refractories Pty Ltd

Galway Refractories Pty Ltd is one of Australia's most trusted refractory installation, maintenance and engineering specialists. Based in Unanderra (Wollongong, NSW), we deliver refractory shutdown, repair and recent-build services to clients across the steel, cement, power generation, mineral processing, smelting and heavy industry sectors nationally. Our team works on planned shutdowns and emergency maintenance at Australia's most demanding industrial sites, including the BlueScope Steel facility at Port Kembla.

The role

We are seeking an experienced Refractory Supervisor to join our delivery team on a full-time, permanent basis. The successful candidate will supervise refractory installation and repair crews working on furnaces, kilns, boilers and high-temperature processing units at major industrial sites across Australia.

This is a hands‑on site‑supervision role that combines technical refractory expertise with organisational leadership: you will coordinate the material and human resources required to deliver each campaign safely, on time and to specification.

Key duties and responsibilities

- Supervise on‑site refractory installation, demolition, anchoring, castable, guniting/shotcreting and lining works on furnaces, kilns, boilers, HPAL units, rotary kilns,



precast structures and incinerators at client industrial facilities.
- Organise and coordinate the material and human resources required for each refractory project, including manpower allocation, materials sequencing, tools and consumables preparation.
- Lead, direct and provide technical guidance to installation crews (including local and visiting expatriate teams) during planned shutdowns and emergency maintenance campaigns.
- Interpret technical drawings, refractory specifications, engineering documentation and site plans prior to and during works.
- Inspect works and materials for compliance with client technical specifications, engineering drawings, manufacturer requirements, Australian Standards and site quality plans.
- Enforce safety compliance for confined‑space entry, hot work, working at heights and other high‑risk activities, in line with LOTO standards, site SWMS and NSW WHS legislation.
- Identify operational, technical and safety risks on site and implement appropriate mitigation measures.
- Coordinate with client site teams, project engineers, safety representatives and other contractors to deliver refractory works on schedule and to specification.
- Report daily progress, manpower deployment, materials consumption and quality status to Galway project management and client representatives.
- Mentor and develop junior refractory tradespeople, apprentices and site labourers.
- Monitor labour and material budgets against project plan and flag variances promptly.




- Contribute to continuous improvement of Galway's refractory installation methodologies, shutdown work practices and site safety systems.

Essential experience and qualifications

- Minimum ten (5) years' demonstrated experience in refractory installation, repair and shutdown maintenance in heavy industry (steel, nickel, alumina, cement, power, smelting or comparable sectors), OR equivalent AQF Diploma / Advanced Diploma / Associate Degree in construction, building or industrial trades with at least three (3) years' relevant experience.
- Minimum three (3) years' demonstrated experience coordinating and supervising refractory installation crews on planned shutdowns of furnaces, kilns, boilers or comparable high-temperature units.
- Working knowledge of refractory materials refractory bricks, castables, gunite/shotcrete, plastic refractories and anchoring systems.
- Ability to read and interpret technical drawings, refractory specifications and engineering documentation.
- Strong understanding of confined‑space, hot-work, LOTO and high‑temperature‑work safety procedures under Australian WHS legislation.
- Demonstrated leadership of on‑site installation crews, including multicultural and shutdown‑campaign teams.
- Experience and knowledge of refractory installation on Sulphur Kilns, HPAL’s, Lime Kilns would be a plus (acid plant environment, lixiviation process plant).
- French speaking capabilities would be a plus as the position requires a hand over with our New Caledonian entity

What we offer

- Salary $95,000 – $100,000 per annum, plus 12% superannuation.
- Career progression within one of Australia's most established refractory contractors.
- Salary continuance, personal accident and workers' compensation coverage in line with NSW law.

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📌 Refractory Supervisor (Unanderra)
🏢 Galway Refractories
📍 Unanderra