Location: South Melbourne, Melbourne

Job Type: Full-Time, Permanent Position

ABOUT THE ROLE:

We are looking for a practical, self-driven Systems Engineer with strong Verification & Validation (V&V;) experience to join our dynamic team. The successful candidate will play a key role in the ongoing development and improvement of our hardware systems, applying a strong systems engineering approach to define system behaviour, assess risk, identify performance gaps and drive targeted design improvements based on real-world application and market feedback.

A key secondary responsibility will be Verification & Validation, with ownership of the testing process from defining risk-based test protocols through to field trials and real-world deployment. The role will ensure that system requirements and performance are effectively verified, validated and demonstrated. This role is well suited to someone who enjoys combining systems-level thinking with hands-on product development and Verification & Validation (V&V;).

If you are comfortable moving between system architecture, requirements, troubleshooting, physical testing and field deployment, and want genuine ownership over how a product is developed, proven and brought to market, this role offers the opportunity to make a direct and tangible impact.

This role is best suited to engineers with a strong background in mechanical or mechatronics engineering, with experience developing products for process, industrial automation and control applications.

ABOUT US:

Water Source Australia is a South Melbourne-based startup dedicated to developing innovative water treatment solutions to help address the global drinking water crisis. As we prepare to bring our first commercial product to market, our focus is on delivering high-reliability technology built to meet evolving market needs and rigorous technical requirements.

We have developed the Brolga, a smart, multi-barrier micro water treatment plant engineered to produce safe, potable water from a wide range of non-potable sources. Capable of delivering an average of 30,000 litres of treated water per day, the Brolga is ideally suited for small communities, remote facilities, and decentralised applications where conventional infrastructure is unavailable, unreliable, or economically unviable.





At the heart of the Brolga is ELEIoT, an intelligent control system that enables fully autonomous operation. Built to reliably eliminate pathogen contamination, the Brolga uses proprietary logic hosted on the ELEIoT infrastructure to continuously monitor performance, anticipate in-field issues, and execute self-healing actions without requiring manual intervention on site.

Water Source Australia is proudly a part of the Adidem Group, who's business philosophy is focused on balancing three circles of responsibility: economic success, stakeholder fulfilment and positive social and environmental change.

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES:

- Review and interpret the system design across mechanical, electrical, and control logic domains to build a comprehensive understanding of product specifications, autonomous behaviour, and potential failure modes.
- Translate insights gained from customers, field trials and testing into targeted product improvements, collaborating with the broader engineering team to drive design iterations aligned with commercialisation goals.
- Develop and execute verification and validation plans, protocols and reports aligned with the V&V; strategy, based on product requirements, risk assessments and intended use cases.
- Manage the practical deployment of units during field trials, including physical troubleshooting, routine on-site support and preventative maintenance, to ensure operational reliability.
- Travel as required to manage unit installations, conduct performance monitoring and carry out essential in office maintenance.
- Lead technical investigations into product, subsystem, control logic, and component failures, executing structured root cause analysis (RCA) and proposing corrective/preventative actions.
- Provide regular, customer-focused performance updates on field trial units to key stakeholders, translating complex field data,



including Operational Intelligence and Business Intelligence metrics, into clear and accessible formats tailored to the audience.
- Assist in preparing formal engineering and quality documentation (risk assessments, technical procedures) as well as customer-facing user documentation (manuals, service procedures, and how-to guides).
- Interpret and ensure compliance with relevant industry standards and regulations.

QUALIFICATIONS, SKILLS AND EXPERIENCE:

- Minimum of 5 years’ experience in Systems Engineering or Verification & Validation
- Bachelor’s degree in Mechanical, Mechatronics, Systems Engineering, or a related discipline.
- Demonstrated experience in product-based engineering roles involving the development and validation of complex equipment for autonomous, remote or regulated applications.
- Practical understanding and application of risk-based testing methodologies.
- Demonstrated hands-on skills across industrial equipment, instrumentation, and control systems.
- Demonstrated experience with structured root cause analysis and corrective action processes.
- Self-driven with the ability to manage priorities and deliver outcomes independently with minimal supervision.
- Strong communication and stakeholder management skills, with the ability to build positive rapport with customers and external stakeholders.
- Must have appropriate working rights in Australia.
- Must have an Australian driver’s licence.

DESIRABLE:

- Strong capability in interpreting technical documentation across mechanical, electrical and software domains.
- Experience working within a Quality Management System (QMS), including requirement traceability, controlled technical documentation, and compliance with industry standards.
- Hands-on experience across the product development lifecycle and commercialisation.
- Proficiency with test data analysis, logging systems and technical reporting tools.
- Experience supporting 3rd party manufacturing, procurement, and logistics activities.
- Experience supporting field trials, commissioning or service activities for deployed equipment.
- Background in water treatment systems or the broader water industry.
- Experience with PLCs, industrial control systems and instrumentation.

📌 Systems Engineer / Verification & Validation (Melbourne)
🏢 Water Source Australia
📍 Melbourne