Principal Structural Engineer (Defence)

Adelaide, South Australia, Australia

• Category: Structural Engineering

Description

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Come and grow with us.

Our global portfolio of work comprises the design of iconic and award-winning buildings and landscapes. From strategic planning through to project realization, the connections we make among people and place provide sustainable outcomes for our clients and the communities we serve. We place a premium on investing in digital capabilities and innovations which bring a unique consistency and efficiency to our scalable work. Together with our clients, we are working to evolve and elevate the built environment across sectors including social infrastructure, transit, technology and logistics, and commercial and corporate real estate, while focusing on solutions that promote long term health and wellbeing for all.

Everyone belongs at AECOM

We’re committed to diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging - because great ideas come from diverse perspectives. AECOM is proud to be a Fortune 500 Most Admired Company, a WGEA Employer of Choice for Gender Equality, #Work180 Equitable Workplace Awards 2025 Winner and an AWEI Bronze Tier LGBTQ+ Inclusive Employer.

Job Description

Due to ongoing growth, we are looking for a Principal Structural Engineer to join our Building Engineering team, focusing on Defense Projects. Whilst our preference is Adelaide, this role can also be based in Sydney, Melbourne or Brisbane.

How you’ll make a difference:

• Act as a Senior technical resource – providing technical advice to the wider team. Use your knowledge of key building components including stability design, basements, structural steel framing and connections. Adept in leading the design of economic post-tensioned concrete floors.

• Use your delivery experience with different construction materials to advise and liaise with clients, architects and builders throughout both the design and construction phases of major projects.

• Manage and develop design and delivery procedures to facilitate high-quality, cost-effective work by other members of the team.

• Use your technical expertise to perform quality control review of design calculations or drawings and prepare technical specification sections.

• Participate as part of a multi-disciplinary engineering team to undertake inter-disciplinary review of project deliverables alongside providing input to the development of engineering budgets and schedules to meet project requirements.

Qualifications

The following qualifications and experience are highly desired, but if you don’t tick all the boxes, you could still be a perfect fit for this role. Please apply, all applications will be considered.

The qualities that will help you thrive:

• Bachelor of Engineering with (ideally) 13 + years of experience of delivering complex and varied structural engineering projects across a range of market sectors across and building typologies Australia / New Zealand.

• Prior experience (or interest) in delivering mass timber designs is preferred.

• A track record of autonomously providing specialized structural technical input to both conceptual and detailed design.

• Ability to utilize and embrace advanced digital workflows to achieve optimized design outcomes alongside extensive exposure to industry standard software such as: ETABS, RAM Concept, RAPT and Space GASS.

• Exceptional written and verbal communication skills with the ability to communicate effectively with internal and external stakeholders at all levels.

Previous Defense experience is strongly preferred, with nuclear industry experience highly regarded.

Please note, due to the nature of the projects Australian Citizenship is required, with previous or current defense clearance highly regarded.

Additional Information

Why you’ll love working with us:

• Flexible work arrangements, including alternative start/finish times, part-time, job-sharing and hybrid work options

• Purchase up to 6 weeks additional annual leave per year

• Flex public holidays – swap Easter or other holidays for ones that suit you better

• Continuous learning and growth - lunch and learns, professional development courses, financial study assistance, 5 days paid study leave, global career opportunities

Ready to push the limits of what’s possible?

We welcome applications from individuals of all backgrounds, including those with disabilities, additional health or mental health needs, and/or neurodiverse conditions. If you require any adjustments during the hiring process, please let us know.

Applications are reviewed as they come in, and the role may close earlier than expected, so if this opportunity sounds like you, we encourage you to apply as soon as possible.

Learn more about life at AECOM: LinkedIn, Facebook, Instagram, X, YouTube - explore our AECOM voices, employee stories, latest projects, and much more!

AECOM acknowledges the Traditional Owners and Custodians of the lands on which we, our clients and our communities live and work around Australia. We pay our respects to their cultures and to their Elders — past, present, and emerging. We are committed to connecting to Country in our work through meaningful engagement with First Nations peoples and businesses. Find out more about our Australian Reconciliation Action Plan here: https://aecom.com/au/our-vision-for-reconciliation/.

About AECOM

AECOM is the world’s trusted infrastructure consulting firm, delivering professional services throughout the project lifecycle – from advisory, planning, design and engineering to program and construction management. On projects spanning transportation, buildings, water, new energy and the environment, our public- and private-sector clients trust us to solve their most complex challenges. Our teams are driven by a common purpose to deliver a better world through our unrivaled technical and digital expertise, a culture of equity, diversity and inclusion, and a commitment to environmental, social and governance priorities. AECOM is a Fortune 500 firm, and its Professional Services business had revenue of $16.1 billion in fiscal year 2025. See how we are delivering sustainable legacies for generations to come at aecom.com and @AECOM.

Freedom to Grow in a World of Opportunity

You will have the flexibility you need to do your best work with hybrid work options. Whether you’re working from an AECOM office, remote location or at a client site, you will be working in a dynamic environment where your integrity, entrepreneurial spirit and pioneering mindset are championed.

You will help us foster a culture of equity, diversity and inclusion – a safe and respectful workplace, where we invite everyone to bring their whole selves to work using their unique talents, backgrounds and expertise to create transformational outcomes for our clients.

AECOM provides a wide array of compensation and benefits programs to meet the diverse needs of our employees and their families. We also provide a robust global well-being program. We’re the world’s trusted global infrastructure firm, and we’re in this together – your growth and success are ours too.

Join us, and you’ll get all the benefits of being a part of a global, publicly traded firm – access to industry-leading technology and thinking and transformational work with big impact and work flexibility. As an Equal Opportunity Employer, we believe in each person’s potential, and we’ll help you reach yours.

Company

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Aecom

AECOM’s purpose is to create, enhance and sustain the world’s built, natural and social environments.

We work with clients in more than 150 countries to design (including planning, architecture and engineering), build, finance, operate and maintain diverse types of infrastructure.

Our work embraces a range of markets, including:

• Buildings
• Energy
• Environment
• Facilities
• Government support
• Natural resources development
• Transportation
• Urban development
• Water

AECOM connects specialists across a global network to address complex challenges with broad vision, deep technical expertise and interdisciplinary insight, and deliver solutions that increase performance, quality and resilience for our clients.

During 2014, AECOM acquired URS Corporation and Hunt Construction Group.

In the 12 months ending September 31, 2014, our combined revenue totaled $19.5 billion.