Job Description
We continually strive to help our workforce achieve their qualified and personal goals, engaging them in challenging and inspiring projects.
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The Mechanical Engineering Lead provides technical leadership, engineering governance, and people leadership across the mechanical engineering function. He/she is responsible for leading a team of engineers while serving as the principal technical authority for the design, development, verification, and delivery of complex opto-mechanical and electro-optical systems and products.
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With 12+ years of industry experience, the Mechanical Engineering Lead drives engineering excellence, oversees the delivery of high-quality technical solutions, and ensures projects are executed in accordance with technical, commercial, quality, and schedule requirements.
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Key Responsibilities
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Technical Leadership
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Act as the senior technical authority for mechanical design and engineering activities.
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Lead the development of complex opto-mechanical and electro-optical systems, assemblies, and products from concept through production and lifecycle support.
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Establish and maintain engineering standards, design practices, and technical governance processes.
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Review, approve, and provide oversight of engineering designs, calculations, analyses, and technical documentation.
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Lead technical decision-making, risk assessments, and trade studies to ensure optimal engineering outcomes.
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Ensure compliance with applicable industry standards, customer requirements, and regulatory obligations.
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Drive engineering innovation and adoption of best-practice design methodologies.
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Mechanical Design Expertise
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Provide expert guidance on mechanical design, product development, materials selection, manufacturing processes, and system integration.
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Lead design reviews and ensure design solutions are robust, reliable, manufacturable, and cost-effective.
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Oversee engineering analyses including structural, thermal, fatigue, vibration, and finite element assessments.
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Support resolution of complex technical problems through detailed root cause investigations and corrective actions.
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Champion Design for Manufacture (DFM), Design for Assembly (DFA), Design for Cost (DFC), and Design for Reliability principles.
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Ensure effective management of engineering change and configuration control processes.
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Team Leadership and Management
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Lead, mentor,



and develop a team of mechanical engineers across varying levels of experience.
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Set individual and team performance objectives aligned to business and project goals.
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Conduct performance reviews, development planning, and coaching activities.
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Foster a collaborative, accountable, and high-performance engineering culture.
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Support recruitment, onboarding, workforce planning, and capability development initiatives.
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Allocate engineering resources to ensure effective project execution and workload management.
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Promote knowledge sharing and continuous professional development across the engineering function.
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Project and Stakeholder Management
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Provide engineering leadership across multiple concurrent projects.
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Support project planning, estimation, scheduling, and resource forecasting activities.
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Collaborate closely with project managers, systems engineers, manufacturing teams, customers, suppliers, and external stakeholders.
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Present technical solutions, project status, and engineering recommendations to senior management and customers.
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Manage technical risks, issues, and dependencies throughout project lifecycles.
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Ensure engineering activities are delivered within approved scope, budget, and schedule constraints.
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Continuous Improvement
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Drive continuous improvement initiatives across engineering processes, tools, and methodologies.
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Develop and implement engineering metrics and performance indicators.
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Identify opportunities to improve product performance, delivery efficiency, and engineering effectiveness.
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Contribute to strategic planning and long-term engineering capability development.
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Knowledge, Skills And Experience
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Essential Technical Expertise
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Extensive experience in mechanical design, product development, and engineering delivery.
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Advanced proficiency with 3D CAD platforms such as SolidWorks, Creo, CATIA, NX, or Inventor.
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Expert knowledge of engineering drawing standards, GD&T;, tolerance analysis, and configuration management.
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Strong understanding of structural analysis, FEA, materials engineering,



vibration, thermal and integrated opto-mechanical analyses.
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Deep knowledge of manufacturing processes including machining, fabrication, casting, additive manufacturing, and assembly techniques.
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Experience developing complex electromechanical or mechanical systems in a regulated engineering environment.
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Strong understanding of engineering lifecycle management and systems engineering principles.
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Leadership Experience
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Demonstrated success leading and developing engineering teams.
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Proven ability to manage technical performance, resource allocation, and project delivery.
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Experience establishing engineering standards, governance frameworks, and technical review processes.
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Strong mentoring and coaching capability with a track record of developing engineering talent.
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Ability to influence technical and business decisions at senior organisational levels.
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Professional Experience
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Minimum 12 years of mechanical engineering experience within product development, manufacturing, defence, aerospace, mining, automotive, industrial equipment, or related industries.
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Significant experience leading multidisciplinary engineering projects and technical teams.
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Proven experience delivering complex engineering programs from concept through production and sustainment.
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Qualifications
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Essential
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Bachelor of Mechanical Engineering or equivalent accredited engineering qualification.
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Eligibility for Chartered Professional Engineer (CPEng) status or equivalent professional registration.
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Desirable
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Chartered Professional Engineer (CPEng) or equivalent.
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Postgraduate qualification in Mechanical Engineering, Engineering Management, Systems Engineering, or a related discipline.
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Formal leadership or project management qualifications.
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Key Success Measures
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Successful delivery of engineering projects meeting technical, cost, quality, and schedule objectives.
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High-performing engineering team with strong employee engagement and capability growth.
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Consistent application of engineering best practices and governance standards.
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Delivery of innovative, robust, and manufacturable design solutions.
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Effective management of technical risk and engineering performance.
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Continuous improvement in engineering quality, productivity, and customer satisfaction.
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📌 Mechanical Engineering Lead - Space Systems (Canberra)
🏢 Electro Optic Systems
📍 Canberra