Industrial Designer – Advanced Defence Hardware

Adelaide, South Australia | Permanent Full Time | NV1 clearance (or eligibility)

The company A sovereign Australian defence-tech business designing and manufacturing advanced hardware platforms for the Australian Defence Force. Engineering, composites, fabrication, assembly and test all sit under one roof, so the people shaping the product are metres away from the people building it. The business is growing, moves quickly, and is backed by a leadership team that treats design as a core capability rather than a finishing touch.

The role

This is a senior, hands-on Industrial Designer position reporting directly to the CEO. You will own the form, function and manufacturability of the platform and its subsystems, working alongside mechanical, electronics, software and test engineers to take concepts from sketch through to production-ready designs.

The remit is broad. Structural and surface form optimisation for performance and weight, signature and vibration considerations for defence use, modular subsystem architecture, ease of assembly and field maintenance, and material selection that is both cost-effective and feasible for volume production. You will also mentor junior designers and drive continuous design improvement across the product.

What you will be doing

- Form and performance: Optimise product form for performance, weight and efficiency while ensuring it can be produced at scale.
- Defence-specific optimisation: Contribute to signature reduction, vibration and acoustic mitigation.
- Modular systems: Design flexible,



quick-swap subsystem interfaces that support upgrades and different configurations.
- Design for manufacture: Work with the composites, machining and assembly teams to design for ease of build and maintenance.
- Design governance: Lead design reviews, risk assessments and failure investigations; contribute to documentation and technical approvals.
- Compliance: Ensure designs meet Defence regulations and AS9100, ISO and ITAR requirements.
- Integration: Collaborate with electronics and mechanical engineers to bring subsystems into a coherent overall design.
- Stakeholders: Liaise with customers, Defence stakeholders, delivery partners and suppliers on technical requirements.
- Mentoring: Develop junior designers and help build a high-performing design culture.

What you will bring

- Qualification: Bachelor's or Master's degree in Industrial Design, Product Design Engineering or Mechanical Engineering. CPEng or equivalent is preferred but not essential.
- Experience: Proven design leadership within Defence, aerospace or another high-reliability, regulated industry.
- Technical depth: Strong knowledge of mechanical design, materials (including composites)



and systems integration.
- Regulatory awareness: Working knowledge of Defence regulations and standards such as AS9100, ISO and ITAR.
- People: Demonstrated ability to mentor, coach and develop designers or engineers.
- Delivery: Track record of delivering innovative solutions under tight deadlines, with robust problem-solving, communication and stakeholder engagement skills.
- Clearance: Australian citizen able to obtain and maintain an AGSVA security clearance at NV1 or above. Existing clearance is a strong advantage.

Highly regarded: Experience designing vehicle platforms, aerodynamic surfaces or aerospace structures, and a portfolio that shows form and manufacturability handled together.

What to expect

- Environment: Office-based with regular time on the workshop and factory floor. PPE required in designated areas.
- Flexibility: Occasional work outside standard hours to meet project deadlines or support testing, and domestic (occasionally international) travel for field tests and customer engagement.
- Culture: A small, close-knit team that values humility, ownership, courage to speak up, and getting things done together. If you like seeing your work go from concept to reality in months rather than years, this is the environment for it.

Apply For a confidential conversation, contact Julian at Profound People, or apply with your CV and portfolio. The client is an equal opportunity employer and encourages applications from people of all backgrounds.

📌 Industrial Designer (Adelaide)
🏢 PROFOUND - PEOPLE IN TECHNOLOGY
📍 Adelaide