About Southern Launch

Southern Launch is Australia's leading spaceport operator, building the sovereign capability required to get to space and back.

Headquartered in South Australia, Southern Launch operates two of the nation's leading commercial spaceports, the Koonibba Test Range and the Whalers Way Orbital Launch Complex. Providing orbital and suborbital launch, hypersonic flight, re-entries from space and range services, for commercial, civil and defence customers.

Through regulator-proven, vertically integrated mission services, Southern Launch's unique infrastructure enables direct ascent trajectories to a wide range of orbital inclination. While more than 47,000 square kilometres of secure, remote operating areas support advanced testing and recovery operations.

About the role The General Manager – Mission Engineering is responsible for establishing and leading Southern Launch's Mission Engineering function, developing the integrated systems and technology environment required to support current and future launch, range and spacecraft re-entry operations.

The role will lead the architecture, acquisition, integration and lifecycle management of mission-critical systems, bringing together physical equipment, sensors, telemetry, communications, software, data and operational applications into a common, scalable mission environment. Working closely with the broader Ranges & Infrastructure leadership team, the role will ensure mission capability is technically assured, operationally ready and aligned with Southern Launch's strategic objectives.

A key focus will be progressively transforming how Southern Launch delivers missions through greater automation, remote operations and centralised capability, reducing operational complexity, personnel deployment and recurring delivery costs.

Responsibilities

- Establish and lead the Mission Engineering function, including its strategy, organisational structure, workforce and forward capability roadmap.
- Develop and maintain an integrated mission systems architecture connecting physical equipment, sensors, telemetry, tracking, communications,



software and operational applications across Southern Launch's operating environments.
- Lead the acquisition, technical evaluation, integration and introduction of complex mission systems, ensuring solutions meet operational requirements and provide whole-of-life value.
- Establish a common mission environment supporting live operations, customer integration, training, testing and mission rehearsals, including the integration of physical and simulated systems.
- Lead systems engineering activities, including requirements definition, architecture, interface management, configuration control, integration, verification and technical acceptance.
- Ensure mission-critical systems remain supported, maintained, tested and operationally ready, with appropriate sustainment and technology refresh strategies.
- Drive automation, remote operations and centralised mission capability to simplify mission delivery, reduce deployment requirements and improve operational efficiency.
- Manage technical suppliers, OEMs, service providers, engineering budgets and capital investment, ensuring appropriate performance and service levels.
- Work collaboratively with the General Manager – ICT to ensure mission systems integrate with the underlying network, computing, connectivity and cybersecurity environment.
- Partner with Spaceport Delivery, Infrastructure and Spaceport Operations to translate operational requirements into integrated and sustainable technical capability.
- Build and develop a multidisciplinary engineering workforce, establishing transparent technical accountabilities, specialist capability and succession.
- Provide strategic engineering advice to the Chief of Ranges & Infrastructure and broader executive leadership team.

Qualifications

- An engineering degree.
- Significant senior engineering leadership experience within aerospace, Defence,



aviation, space or another complex operational environment.
- Demonstrated experience leading systems engineering activities, including requirements definition, system architecture, interfaces, integration, verification and validation.
- Experience acquiring, integrating and introducing complex technical systems into operational service.
- Demonstrated experience managing the sustainment and whole-of-life requirements of critical technical systems.
- Proven ability to lead and develop multidisciplinary engineering teams.
- Strong commercial and financial management experience, including budgets, procurement, supplier relationships and technical investment.
- Demonstrated ability to translate operational requirements into practical engineering solutions and align technical investment with business objectives.
- Strong stakeholder management, communication and technical decision-making capabilities.

Preferred skills and experience

- Postgraduate qualifications in engineering, systems engineering or a related technical discipline.
- Chartered Engineering status or equivalent professional recognition.
- Experience with distributed mission systems, command and control environments, telemetry, tracking, surveillance or operational range systems.
- Experience integrating physical hardware, sensors, communications, software platforms and real-time mission information.
- Experience with simulation environments, emulators and the integration of virtual and physical systems.
- Experience implementing automation, remote operations or centralised operational capability.
- Familiarity with safety-critical engineering, technical assurance and regulated operational environments.
- Experience managing complex technology acquisitions, OEM relationships and service-level agreements.

Security clearance requirements

Applicants must be eligible to obtain and maintain an Australian Government security clearance through the Australian Government Security Vetting Agency (AGSVA). For more information about security clearance eligibility and the vetting process, visit the AGSVA website.

📌 General Manager - Mission Engineering (Adelaide)
🏢 Southern Launch
📍 Adelaide