Principal Mechanical Engineer

KBR, Inc.; Newcastle-Maitland; On-site; AUD 180,000 - 240,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Industry leading salaries

Flexible work arrangements

Paid parental leave

Career development plans

Job summary

KBR, Inc. is seeking an experienced Principal Mechanical Engineer to lead mechanical building services design for Defence infrastructure projects in Australia.

You will oversee concept through to construction, mentor junior staff, and collaborate with electrical, civil and structural teams to deliver integrated solutions. The role emphasises technical excellence, stakeholder engagement, and alignment with Defence project requirements, Australian Standards, and safety, quality and schedule

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Mechanical Engineering (or equivalent) is required.
• Baseline clearance or ability to obtain one is preferred.
• Experience delivering Defence or government projects is advantageous.

Responsibilities

• Lead design and delivery of mechanical building services across Defence projects.
• Provide technical leadership for HVAC, ventilation, chilled/heating water, and building automation.
• Act as lead mechanical discipline engineer on major multidisciplinary projects.
• Manage mechanical deliverables, resources, budgets and programme requirements.
• Develop relationships with Defence clients, stakeholders, contractors and consultants.
• Prepare and review technical reports, specs, calculations and drawings.
• Mentor engineers, designers and graduates in engineering best practice.
• Collaborate with other disciplines to deliver integrated solutions.

Skills

Mechanical design

HVAC design

Ventilation systems

Project management

Stakeholder engagement

Mentoring/leadership

Defence sector experience

Baseline security clearance

Chartered Engineer (CPEng)

Education

Bachelor’s degree in Mechanical Engineering

Chartered Engineer (CPEng)

Job description

Title:

Principal Mechanical Engineer

Who we are?

KBR’s Infrastructure Solutions business employs over 1,400 people across Australia. Our strong project delivery record, industry reputation and trusted partnerships have driven significant growth, creating outstanding career development and project opportunities for our people.

We’re known for our collaborative “One Team” culture and our commitment to working closely with clients and construction partners to achieve exceptional results. Our open, inclusive environment ensures people are valued, supported and able to thrive. By joining KBR, you become part of a team that works together, shares common values and is united in delivering great outcomes.

We are seeking an experienced Principal Mechanical Engineer to provide technical leadership and deliver innovative mechanical building services solutions across a diverse portfolio of AUKUS-related infrastructure projects. As a senior member of our Building Services team, you will lead the design and delivery of mechanical systems for complex Defence facilities, working collaboratively with multidisciplinary teams from concept development through to construction and commissioning.

This role combines technical excellence, project leadership, and client engagement, requiring a strong understanding of mechanical building services systems, Defence project requirements, and the delivery of complex infrastructure projects. You will play a key role in mentoring engineers, ensuring high-quality project outcomes, and building trusted relationships with both internal and external clients and key stakeholders.

Key Responsibilities

• Lead the design and delivery of mechanical building services solutions across Defence and secure infrastructure projects, from concept through to detailed design and construction support.
• Provide technical leadership for mechanical systems including HVAC, ventilation, chilled and heating water systems, building automation interfaces, specialist Defence facility services, and energy-efficient design solutions.
• Act as the lead mechanical discipline engineer on major multidisciplinary projects, ensuring technical excellence, quality, and compliance with Defence requirements, Australian Standards, and relevant project specifications.
• Manage mechanical project deliverables, resources, budgets, and programme requirements to achieve successful project outcomes.
• Develop and maintain strong relationships with Defence clients, project stakeholders, contractors, and external consultants.
• Prepare and review technical reports, specifications, calculations, design documentation, and engineering assessments.
• Mentor and support engineers, designers, and graduates, fostering technical development and engineering best practice.
• Collaborate with electrical, civil, structural, hydraulic, and other specialist disciplines to deliver integrated and practical engineering solutions.

Ideal Experience

The ideal candidate will bring deep expertise in mechanical building services design, a passion for solving complex engineering challenges, and experience delivering projects within Defence, government, or other mission-critical environments.

• Extensive experience delivering mechanical building services projects within ideally the Defence market, however we would also consider experience across government, infrastructure, transport, health, or other complex built environment sectors.
• Proven experience working within multidisciplinary project teams and managing technical delivery on large-scale projects.
• Strong knowledge of mechanical building services systems, HVAC design principles, and Defence infrastructure requirements.
• Experience delivering projects involving complex mechanical systems, sustainability outcomes, and technically challenging operational environments.
• Excellent stakeholder engagement, communication, and project management skills.
• Ideally holds a Baseline Security Clearance, or has the ability to obtain and maintain one.
• Bachelor’s degree in Mechanical Engineering (or equivalent).
• Chartered Engineer (CPEng) or the ability to obtain chartership.

Why KBR?

https://kbr.foleon.com/is-australia/who-we-are/who-we-are

This position gives you the opportunity to continue KBR’s success in delivering major Defence, Transport and Infrastructure projects.

At KBR, we value you – here’s how.

While our people are busy delivering leading science, technology, and engineering solutions, we’re committed to providing them with a supportive, trusting environment and benefits that enable them to thrive and continue doing what they do best.

Benefits include:

• Industry leading salaries reviewed annually.
• 20 Days of annual leave per year + the ability to accrue an additional 8 hours every 4 weeks (33 days in total)
• Flexible work arrangements (start/finish times, WFH, Flex time)
• Salary packaging and novated leases
• Paid professional membership fees
• Life/Health insurance discounts
• Employee stock purchase plans
• Paid parental leave
• Personal career development plans
• Growth and promotion opportunities

Our people are the heart of everything we do. We are dedicated to creating work environments in which every member of our team of teams feels safe, supported, respected, trusted and valued, and where each person is given opportunities to belong, connect and grow.

#LI-DNP #LI-DNI #S-DNI