ABOUT TRSC

TRSC Pty Ltd is a structural and forensic engineering consultancy in Petrie Terrace, Brisbane. We undertake structural investigation, defect diagnosis, root cause analysis, NDT, concrete durability assessment, remediation design and facade engineering across commercial towers, residential and mixed-use developments, resort assets, carparks, culverts, bridges and retaining structures.

We perform coring, sampling and laboratory testing in-house. TRSC operates alongside related investigation, monitoring and remediation entities within a broader group, allowing a single technical thread from diagnosis through to completed works. Clients include government, asset owners, body corporates, insurers, legal representatives and remediation contractors.

ABOUT THE ROLE The Principal Forensic Engineer holds technical authority for investigation, defect diagnosis, root cause analysis, remediation design and facade engineering commissions undertaken by TRSC, carries RPEQ sign-off responsibility for reports, designs, specifications and expert opinions, and directs methodology across concurrent projects.

The role reports to the Director, leads a team of engineers, technicians and field investigators, and holds the technical interface across the investigation, monitoring and remediation entities in the group. The incumbent sets methodology and carries certification responsibility.

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES

Investigation planning and field delivery

- Define investigation scope, hypothesis set, testing regime and access methodology prior to mobilisation, sized to support the causation conclusion at the required level of confidence
- Lead site attendance on complex, disputed and high-consequence commissions
- Direct NDT and semi-destructive testing: cover meter and Ferroscan, GPR, impact echo, UPV, half-cell potential and resistivity, carbonation depth, chloride profiling to AS 1012.20.1, pull-off testing to ASTM C1583, coring and compressive strength, delamination survey, facade water testing to AS 4284, LiDAR deformation survey
- Maintain chain of custody and field record integrity for evidence intended for dispute or litigation use

Root cause analysis

- Establish causation on evidence, distinguishing primary mechanism, contributing factors and consequential damage across design compliance, workmanship, product selection and substitution, and maintenance regime
- Analyse deterioration mechanisms including carbonation and chloride-induced corrosion, incipient anode formation, ASR, sulphate attack, shrinkage and restraint cracking, settlement, thermal and moisture movement, and waterproofing and envelope failure
- Analyse facade and cladding failure including adhesive bond failure at substrate and interface, fixing pull-out, sealant adhesion and cohesion failure, thermal bowing, differential movement across dissimilar substrates and water ingress path tracing
- Reconcile findings against design documentation, as-built records, product data sheets and installation records
- Undertake back-analysis and capacity verification of existing elements, including reduced-section assessment and residual life estimation

Remediation design and specification





- Develop remediation strategies against design life, exposure classification, access constraint, staging and occupancy constraint
- Design concrete repair including breakout extent, substrate preparation to ICRI CSP profile, reinforcement supplementation and repair mortar selection
- Design structural strengthening and cathodic protection, including FRP, section enlargement, post-installed anchorage, supplementary framing and galvanic anode systems
- Specify protective coatings, anti-carbonation coatings, membranes and sealant systems to substrate, exposure and trafficking condition
- Design facade remediation including refixing, mechanical restraint retrofit, and replacement system selection with substrate compatibility and dead load verification
- Prepare specifications, repair schedules, quantity registers and hold point regimes

Facade engineering

- Assess curtain wall, unitised and structural glazing, adhered and mechanically fixed stone, precast panels, ACM and composite cladding, EIFS and rendered substrates against AS 1288, AS 2047 and AS 4284
- Deliver facade condition audit programs and risk classification aligned to client audit templates and cycles
- Assess combustible cladding under the Queensland Non-Conforming Building Products framework

Technical governance and RPEQ sign-off
- Provide RPEQ certification for investigation reports, remediation designs, specifications, retrospective certification of unapproved works, and Form 15 and Form 16 documentation as applicable
- Set and hold technical hold points on engineering judgement items, including risk ratings, factor of safety, severity classification and causation narrative
- Undertake structured technical review of deliverables prior to issue

Expert evidence and dispute support
- Prepare expert reports compliant with UCPR 1999 (Qld) Part 5, QCAT practice directions and the Federal Court Expert Evidence Practice Note
- Give evidence at QCAT, QBCC dispute resolution, arbitration, mediation, conclave and court
- Assess liability exposure against the QBCC statutory warranty framework, contract documentation and the Building Act 1975 (Qld)

Group interface

- Coordinate handover between investigation, monitoring and remediation delivery, maintaining a single technical thread through to completed works
- Convert investigation findings into monitoring briefs, including parameter selection, trigger levels and review periods, and convert monitoring data into remediation scope
- Issue buildable repair scopes, hold point regimes and inspection and test plans to the remediation entity, and manage declared conflicts and independent verification where the group holds both design and construct responsibility
- Verify remediation works against design intent and issue non-conformance notices where required

Project and team leadership





- Hold project management accountability for concurrent commissions, including scope, program, resourcing, budget, variations, fee proposals and client reporting
- Lead and mentor a team of engineers, technicians and field investigators, including work allocation, utilisation, performance review and recruitment input
- Contribute to WHS systems for field operations, including work at height, confined space, and dust and silica controls

REQUIRED

- Bachelor of Engineering (Civil or Structural) or higher, from a Washington Accord accredited program
- RPEQ registration in the Structural area of engineering, current and unrestricted
- Chartered status with Engineers Australia (CPEng) or equivalent
- Minimum 10 years post-graduate structural engineering experience, including forensic investigation, existing structure assessment and remediation design
- History as signing engineer on investigation reports and remediation designs
- Expert witness experience, including report preparation to court or tribunal requirements and evidence given at hearing, conclave or mediation
- Accountability for delivery of concurrent commissions against scope, program and fee
- Leadership of an engineering and field team
- Capability to coordinate technical delivery across separate investigation, monitoring and remediation entities or contract packages
- Direct experience specifying, supervising and interpreting NDT and materials testing programs
- Working command of AS 3600, AS 4100, AS 3700, AS 5100, the AS/NZS 1170 series, the AS 1012 series, the AS 4654 series and the NCC
- Driver licence, construction white card, and working at heights and EWP licences or capacity to obtain

PREFERRED

- Interstate registration, or eligibility to obtain: NSW under the Design and Building Practitioners Act 2020, Victoria with the VBA, Northern Territory with the Building Practitioners Board, and other jurisdictions
- Postgraduate qualification in structural engineering, materials, durability or forensic engineering
- Facade engineering specialisation, including curtain wall and adhered stone systems
- Rope access qualification (IRATA or equivalent)
- Experience with civil and infrastructure assets under AS 5100 and AS 1597.2

WHAT WE OFFER

- Base salary of AUD 180,000 to 200,000 plus superannuation, dependent on experience and registration held
- Registration, interstate registration, membership and CPD funded by TRSC
- Skilled indemnity cover maintained by TRSC for work within scope of employment
- In-house coring, sampling and laboratory capability rather than subcontracted testing
- Technical authority over investigation methodology, design and certification

CONDITIONS

Field work involves work at height, confined space entry, and exposure to weather, dust and construction environments. Site attendance is required Queensland-wide, with interstate travel as required. Out of hours and weekend attendance is required where asset operation constrains access.

HOW TO APPLY

Applications and enquiries to [email protected]. Submit a curriculum vitae, a statement addressing the required criteria, and where available a redacted sample investigation or expert report.

📌 Principal Forensic Engineer (Brisbane)
🏢 TRSC
📍 Brisbane