Electrical Engineer EIC

Southern Cross Fertilisers; Townsville City; On-site; AUD 150,000 - 210,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Camp accommodation provided

Job summary

Southern Cross Fertilisers is seeking an experienced Electrical Reliability Engineer for our Northern Australia Operations at Phosphate Hill. You will drive electrical reliability, asset integrity and risk management across operations, with hands-on involvement in maintenance strategy, RCA investigations and capital planning.

The role offers Fly-In Fly-Out from Townsville, QLD, a 12-hour shift pattern, an eight days on / six days off roster and camp accommodation during swings.

Qualifications

• Minimum 5 years in chemical processing or heavy industry.
• At least 3 years in E&I reliability.
• Experience with SAP PM to develop maintenance strategies.

Responsibilities

• Develop, review and optimise electrical maintenance strategies using RCM and RBM.
• Lead root cause analysis and reliability improvement initiatives.
• Drive EEHA compliance and functional safety programs.
• Identify and manage electrical risks via bow tie reviews.
• Support turnaround planning and capital investment input.
• Contribute to 5- to 10-year capital plan.

Skills

Electrical reliability

Asset integrity

Root cause analysis

Stakeholder engagement

Engineering judgement

Education

Bachelors in Electrical Engineering

Tools

SAP PM

Job description

Southern Cross Fertilisers is seeking an experienced Electrical Reliability Engineer to join Northern Australia Operations team, based at Phosphate Hill. Our Northern Australia Operations have recently changed ownership. We’re now a smaller, nimble business with a clean slate, real earning potential, supportive new Australian owners, and the freedom to do things properly. Decisions happen quickly, good ideas get implemented, and your work has a visible impact on site performance and long-term success.

About Us

Southern Cross Fertilisers operates Phosphate Hill and the Mount Isa Acid Plant — two interconnected operations in Northwest Queensland that rely on each other and play an important role in supporting our local communities and the wider region. The fertiliser we produce supports Australian farmers and contributes to food production here and around the world.

We are proudly Australian, resilient, diverse and deeply invested in our people, our operations and the region.

The way we work matters. Safety is fundamental to everything we do and guides every shift, with production never taking precedence over the wellbeing of our people. We operate with a strong focus on planning, consistency and accountability, setting clear standards, delivering on our commitments and learning from challenges. When things go wrong, we look beyond individual actions to understand the systems and processes involved, creating opportunities for continuous improvement. We encourage open reporting and honest conversations, fostering a culture focused on learning, improvement and shared responsibility rather than blame.

Southern Cross Fertilisers has built a strong reputation through the commitment and capability of our people. We provide meaningful work, encourage ownership and accountability, and empower our people to contribute to the performance of our operations and the ongoing success of our business.

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About the Role

Reporting to the E&R Lead EIC, you will drive electrical reliability and asset integrity across our Northern Australia Operations, providing technical expertise and support to Maintenance and Operations teams.

Phosphate Hill is more than a mining operation. As an integrated mining and chemical processing complex, it offers exposure to diverse electrical infrastructure, hazardous area installations, functional safety systems and sophisticated process control equipment.

You will lead reliability improvements, develop maintenance strategies and manage electrical risks, while contributing to turnaround planning and long-term capital investment decisions.

As our business enters a new chapter under Australian ownership, this role offers the opportunity to influence operational improvements, strengthen asset performance and make a meaningful impact on the future of our operations.

• Work arrangement: Fly-In Fly-Out (FIFO) from Townsville, QLD
• Roster: Eight days on, six days off | Wednesday – Wednesday swing
• Shift pattern: 12-hour shifts
• Accommodation: Camp accommodation provided during your swing

Key Responsibilities

Your key responsibilities will include:

• Develop, review and optimise electrical maintenance strategies using Reliability Centred Maintenance (RCM) and Risk Based Maintenance (RBM) principles, ensuring strategies are effectively captured and maintained in SAP PM.
• Lead root cause analysis, equipment failure investigations and reliability improvement initiatives to address recurring issues and improve asset performance.
• Drive compliance and continuous improvement across electrical equipment in hazardous areas (EEHA), functional safety systems and associated inspection, testing and assurance programs.
• Identify, assess and manage electrical risks through bow tie reviews, risk registers, critical control audits and other risk management processes.
• Provide technical input into turnaround planning, including maintenance scope development, equipment integrity assessments and reliability improvement opportunities.
• Contribute to the development of the five-to-ten-year capital investment plan, identifying priorities for obsolete, ageing and end-of-life electrical equipment.
• Support electrical safety and compliance with applicable Queensland legislation, Australian Standards and company requirements.
• Work collaboratively with Maintenance, Operations and Engineering teams to strengthen asset management practices, improve equipment reliability and support safe, sustainable operations.

About You

We are looking for an experienced and technically capable Electrical Engineer who brings a strong understanding of asset reliability, electrical integrity and risk management within complex industrial environments. You will be confident working across multiple operational areas, applying sound engineering judgement and building effective working relationships to influence outcomes.

To be successful in this role, you will bring:

• A tertiary qualification in Electrical Engineering.
• A minimum of five years' experience in chemical processing, heavy industry or mining, including at least three years in electrical and instrumentation (E&I) reliability.
• Demonstrated experience in electrical reliability engineering, maintenance strategy development and asset integrity management.
• Strong capability in root cause analysis, failure data analysis and incident investigation.
• Experience using SAP Plant Maintenance (SAP PM) to develop, maintain and improve equipment maintenance strategies.
• Sound understanding of electrical safety, risk management and relevant legislative and regulatory requirements.
• Strong communication and stakeholder engagement skills, with the ability to influence Maintenance and Operations teams without direct reporting authority.

Highly regarded:

• RPEQ registration, CPEng or NER accreditation, or progress towards professional registration or chartered status.
• Experience with electrical equipment in hazardous areas (EEHA), including classification, dossier management and inspection programs.
• Exposure to functional safety management, including SIL/LOPA reviews, safety instrumented function (SIF) testing and assurance activities.
• Experience with Weibull analysis and other reliability engineering techniques.
• Familiarity with RCM Turbo or similar reliability management tools.
• Experience working across complex chemical processing facilities, including diverse DCS, PLC and safety systems.

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Everyone Gets a Fair Go

At Southern Cross Fertilisers, we value diversity and recognise that people with different backgrounds, experiences and perspectives strengthen our operations and workplace culture. We are committed to creating a safe, inclusive and fair working environment where everyone has the opportunity to contribute and succeed.

About Our Process

Our recruitment process is designed to help us understand your experience, capabilities and suitability for the role. It typically includes an interview, conducted via Microsoft Teams or face to face, reference checks and a pre-employment medical assessment. Depending on the role, the process may also include a site visit.