Principal Structural Engineer

Anjuna People; City of Brisbane; Hybrid; AUD 160,000 - 200,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Quarterly bonus

Equity after 12 months

Wellbeing leave

Purchased annual leave

12 weeks paid primary carer leave

Leadership program

Job summary

Anjuna People in Brisbane seeks a Principal Structural Engineer with a solid residential and medium-density background to lead the Queensland housing team. You’ll act as the technical authority, guiding design standards and working directly with builders, GMs and estimators.

With a base salary of AUD 160,000–200,000 plus super, a quarterly bonus and equity after 12 months, this role rewards leadership, pace and tangible project impact in a fast-moving market.

Qualifications

• Solid residential and medium-density background.
• Ability to communicate with builders, GMs, estimators and salespeople.
• RPEQ preferred; if not, CPEng can be pursued via fast-track.
• Willingness to work primarily on-site with flexible hybrid options.

Responsibilities

• Serve as technical authority for Queensland housing designs and standards.
• Lead design reviews and shape methodology for the broader business.
• Mentor junior engineers and support leadership development.
• Coordinate with builders and internal stakeholders to resolve field issues.

Skills

Residential housing

Medium-density housing

Stakeholder communication

Team mentoring

Education

RPEQ preferred

CPEng ideal

Job description

Principal Structural Engineer - Residential & Medium Density
Brisbane | $160,000 to $200,000 base plus super, bonus & equity

Adding value to a business you'll never own a piece of?

Most senior engineers reach a point where the value they add is obvious. The say they get, and the share they get, isn't.

This role works the other way round.

There's a bonus of 5% of base that's genuinely achievable and paid quarterly, with a further 5% tied to company performance on top.

And after twelve months you become eligible for equity. Share allocations at a discount to the current value, converting to ordinary shares that pay dividends out of company profit. It builds year on year, and you only ever buy what vests.

That's not the only difference.

This is a long-established residential and medium-density engineering business, with an interstate operation behind it and the backing to grow properly here in Queensland. What's holding that growth back is a technical leader who knows Queensland housing inside out.

That could be you.

Where your judgement lands

You'd be the technical authority for the Queensland housing team, reporting to the state GM.

Single and double storey homes, townhouses, small warehouses and three-storey custom designs, plus a growing run of staged residential village work that moves more slowly over a couple of years.

When a builder rings from site with a concrete truck idling, you're the one who works out what matters most, gets them moving and explains the fix in plain English.

Your voice carries beyond Queensland too. As the state's subject matter expert, you'd help shape the design standards and methodology the wider business works to.

A team that needs someone to look up to

Most of the engineers are in their first or second job. Quiet, with a bit of banter, a radio on in the background, and a beer fridge that opens half one on a Friday.

You set the team up your way. Your GM doesn't micromanage. Their one ask is strong, upfront communication.

If you've ever wanted to say "I helped build that person", this is where it happens.

Don't want to manage people? That's fine. There's a separate people-leadership position covering the day to day team side, so you can stay technical.

The honest bit

It's fast. A single-storey design gets three days, and it ramps up hard at the end of every month as builders chase targets. If you're used to a month per project, this will feel very different. Plenty of people say they can handle that pace. The reality is unlike anything else.

The team is junior, so expect a real mentoring load.

And it's 80% in the office, because juniors learn best sitting next to someone senior. The flexibility here is real but it isn't two fixed days at home. It's leaving at 2:40 for your kid's sport, working from home through the school holidays, or starting at ten and finishing at four when life demands it.

What the builders will need from you

A solid residential and medium density background, and the ability to talk the talk with builders, GMs, estimators and salespeople alike. You plan your week, close things out and look ahead without being chased.

RPEQ is preferred. If you haven't got it, or CPEng, you'll be put through a fast-track program to get there.

Most of all, you'll want to be in housing. If it's a stepping stone to bridges or high-rise, this isn't the one for you.

Real rewards (not just competitive)

A share in what you build: base, quarterly bonus and equity after twelve months

Time that's actually yours: wellbeing leave, purchased annual leave and 12 weeks paid primary carer leave

Room to grow: CPEng and RPEQ support, plus an established leadership program