Engineering Director – Submarine Sustainment

ASC; Adelaide; Hybrid; AUD 250,000 - 350,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Extra leave

Flexible work arrangements

Generous parental leave

Subsidised childcare

Health & wellbeing initiatives

Professional development

Diverse and supportive environment

Job summary

ASC is seeking an Engineering Director – Submarine Sustainment to lead delivery of engineering outcomes across sustainment, life extension, and maintenance engineering for the Collins Class. You will balance schedule, cost and risk while guiding a network of technical specialists and stakeholders to solve complex challenges in a highly regulated defence environment.

This role focuses on delivery excellence rather than BD, and requires strategic insight to sustain ageing platforms while aligning

Qualifications

• Extensive experience leading large-scale maritime or complex engineering programs within Defence environments.
• Proven ability to deliver outcomes on ageing/legacy platforms where availability, safety and capability matter.
• Strong commercial and program leadership capability with tough prioritisation decisions.

Responsibilities

• Lead the Multi Class Sustainment Engineering function across sustainment, LO TE, Technical Services and Maintenance Engineering.
• Provide strategic leadership to achieve capability, schedule and cost objectives.
• Make risk-based decisions in complex environments balancing technical and program outcomes.
• Drive resolution of engineering, workforce and capability challenges for ageing submarine platforms.
• Align stakeholders across engineering, operations, supply chain and customer organisations to meet program objectives.
• Establish clear priorities, monitor progress and intervene when risks threaten delivery.
• Build credibility and influence within a highly technical environment while ensuring accountability.

Skills

Leadership

Program management

Stakeholder engagement

Risk management

Decision making

Delivery excellence

Education

Engineering degree

Job description

ASC is Australia’s submarine company. We built the Royal Australian Navy’s Collins Class submarines, sustain them, and are now delivering their Life of Type Extension to increase the boats’ service lives. We have also been selected by the Australian Government to sustain and jointly build the nation’s nuclear-powered submarines – the largest and most complex industrial undertaking in Australia’s history.

Our work is interesting and meaningful, contributing directly to Australia’s national security. We offer rewarding roles that provide the opportunity to grow your career, and the flexibility to balance life and work. A career at ASC is like no other, delivering a deeper purpose we can all be proud of.

About the Opportunity

This is a rare opportunity to lead one of Australia's most significant and complex submarine capability programs.

Reporting to the Chief Operating Officer, the Engineering Director – Submarine Sustainment is accountable for the leadership, integration and delivery of engineering outcomes across submarine sustainment, life extension activities, technical services and maintenance engineering, supporting current and future submarine capability requirements.

Operating at the intersection of engineering delivery and strategic decision-making, you will lead a highly experienced network of technical specialists, program leaders and stakeholders to solve complex challenges associated with sustaining an ageing platform in a highly regulated defence environment. You will be responsible for balancing schedule, cost, capability and risk considerations, making critical decisions where information is incomplete and ensuring the program remains focused on successful delivery outcomes.

This is a genuine career-defining opportunity to leave a lasting legacy on Australia's sovereign submarine capability and play a pivotal role in shaping the future of Collins Class sustainment. The focus is delivery excellence, not business development, providing a rare opportunity to concentrate on solving complex engineering and capability challenges at scale.

Responsibilities

• Lead the Multi Class Sustainment Engineering function, integrating sustainment, Life of Type Extension (LOTE), Technical Services and Maintenance Engineering activities to deliver current and future submarine capability outcomes.
• Provide strategic leadership across complex engineering, maintenance and sustainment activities to achieve capability, schedule and cost objectives.
• Make informed, risk-based decisions in complex and uncertain environments, balancing technical, commercial and program delivery outcomes.
• Drive the resolution of significant engineering, workforce and capability challenges associated with sustaining an ageing submarine platform.
• Align and integrate stakeholders across engineering, operations, supply chain, maintenance and customer organisations to deliver program objectives.
• Establish clear program priorities, monitor progress and intervene decisively when risks threaten delivery outcomes.
• Build credibility and influence within a highly experienced technical environment, fostering collaboration while maintaining accountability for results.

About you

• Extensive experience leading large-scale maritime, sustainment or complex engineering programs within Defence environments.
• Demonstrated success delivering outcomes on ageing or legacy platforms where operational availability, safety and capability are critical.
• Strong commercial and program leadership capability, with the ability to make difficult decisions involving competing schedule, cost and technical priorities.
• Proven ability to lead through ambiguity, exercising sound judgement when information is incomplete or evolving.
• Exceptional stakeholder engagement and influencing skills, with the credibility to lead experienced technical and operational teams.
• Experience managing significant program risks, workforce challenges and strategic delivery issues within complex organisations.
• Tertiary qualifications in Engineering or a related discipline

This role requires a current National Police Clearance and an Australian Defence Security Clearance. Your eligibility for this role is dependent on you obtaining and maintaining such clearance.

To check your eligibility please visit the Australian Government Security Vetting Agency website.

• Unique and challenging work with a deeper purpose.
• Flexibility over how, when and where you work for the best work/life balance.
• Up to 10 days additional leave every year so you can rest and recharge.
• Generous parental leave so you can give your family the focus it deserves.
• Subsidised childcare to ease the financial pressure on your family.
• Health and wellbeing initiatives so you can perform at your best at work.
• Professional development opportunities to advance your career.
• A diverse and supportive environment where you can thrive.
• Discounts and exclusive offers from leading Australian brands to help you save.

About ASC

Established in 1985, ASC’s 2500-plus staff offer a depth of submarine design, project management, supply chain, construction and engineering experience and expertise that is unparalleled in Australia’s defence industry. The company’s work on Australia’s nuclear-powered submarine build and the Collins Class Life of Type Extension takes place in Osborne, South Australia, with sustainment shared across Osborne and Henderson, Western Australia. ASC also plays a leading role in training Royal Australian Navy submariners.