Project Supervisor (Mechanical/Marine)

Sofraco Engineering; Sydney; On-site; AUD 130,000 - 170,000; Full time

Job summary

Sofraco Engineering is seeking a skilled engineering leader to drive marine and mechanical projects from our Garden Island base, with Sydney-region activity and at our Alexandria head office. You will guide the operations team, coordinate technicians, and manage safety, quality, and project delivery across live environments, with occasional offshore testing trips.

The role requires a proactive, technically capable individual with a background in heavy industry, strong leadership, and the ability

Qualifications

• Minimum 2 years of project management or engineering supervisory experience within heavy industry.
• Ex-Tradesperson or Engineering background (both mechanical trades and engineering degrees are highly valued).
• Marine or Offshore industry experience (highly desirable).
• Strong leadership, communication, and people management skills to effectively guide site teams.
• Strong initiative and motivation characteristics
• Intermediate IT skills, particularly with MS Office programs (Word, Excel) and Adobe Acrobat.
• Strong safety mindset with hands-on experience managing JSEAs, Permits to Work, and Isolations.
• Experience developing scopes of work, project schedules, budgets, and engineering quotes.
• Proficient in interpreting engineering design drawings, technical specifications, and schematics.
• Must be Australian Citizens or Permanent Residents for security requirements
• Willingness to obtain a National Police Certificate for security access.
• Willingness to complete drug, alcohol, and medical testing for basic health, mobility, and fitness.

Responsibilities

• Lead and execute marine/mechanical engineering & maintenance projects from our site office.
• Manage scheduling and resource allocation of technicians for routine and breakdown maintenance.
• Coordinate logistics, ensuring spares, tooling, and materials are organized well in advance.
• Ensure project compliance, delivering tasks on time, within budget, and to customer satisfaction.
• Manage safety, quality, and environment by completing JSEA's, Permits to Work, Isolations, and Risk Analysis.
• Provide systems approach troubleshooting for repair/replacement of shipboard components.
• Offer technical advice and mentorship to support the operations team and trades on-site.
• Produce high-quality documentation, including written, detailed reports of completed tasks.
• Liaise with clients, including scoping out requirements and quoting on new work packages.
• Identify opportunities for continuous improvement and operational efficiency.

Skills

Leadership

Communication

People management

Problem-solving

Project management

Team mentorship

Education

Engineering degree or trades background

Tools

MS Project

MS Office

Adobe Acrobat

Job description

This dynamic position is primarily based at the iconic Garden Island Naval Base, with additional work carried out across the Sydney region and our Alexandria head office. You will lead and execute marine and mechanical engineering projects, providing technical guidance to our operations team and skilled trades. You'll also have opportunities for occasional travel to offshore or remote locations for short-duration testing and service tasks, with travel allowances remunerated on top of your competitive salary. This is a long-term, full-time position providing varied and meaningful work in a supportive, safety-focused environment where autonomy and technical capability are highly valued.

Why is this job better?

• Iconic worksite (Garden Island Naval Base)
• Challenging, high-variety technical project leadership
• Defence industry stability & long-term growth
• Work/life balance with mostly Sydney-based work
• Excellent pay + additional earnings for optional remote/offshore trips
• Work autonomously with strong team support

The Company

Sofraco is a premium engineering partner to Defence, Marine and Commercial industries, offering a genuine work-life balance with great office and worksite locations. As an energetic and highly skilled team, we draw on over 35 years of experience to deliver trusted technical support across multiple engineering disciplines.

Working with us also means contributing to Australia's rapidly expanding defence industry, which is currently undergoing historic growth, with over $200 billion invested nationally in modernising defence capability and an industry value increase of 12.4% in 2023-24 alone. This sector offers long-term career security, cutting-edge technology exposure, and strong national significance-making Sofraco an ideal place to build a rewarding and balanced career.

Key Responsibilities:

• Lead and execute marine/mechanical engineering & maintenance projects from our site office.
• Manage scheduling and resource allocation of technicians for routine and breakdown maintenance.
• Coordinate logistics, ensuring spares, tooling, and materials are organized well in advance.
• Ensure project compliance, delivering tasks on time, within budget, and to customer satisfaction.
• Manage safety, quality, and environment by completing JSEA's, Permits to Work, Isolations, and Risk Analysis.
• Provide systems approach troubleshooting for repair/replacement of shipboard components.
• Offer technical advice and mentorship to support the operations team and trades on-site.
• Produce high-quality documentation, including written, detailed reports of completed tasks.
• Liaise with clients, including scoping out requirements and quoting on new work packages.
• Identify opportunities for continuous improvement and operational efficiency.

Main Requirements & Qualifications:

• Minimum 2 years of project management or engineering supervisory experience within heavy industry.
• Ex-Tradesperson or Engineering background (both mechanical trades and engineering degrees are highly valued).
• Marine or Offshore industry experience (highly desirable).
• Strong leadership, communication, and people management skills to effectively guide site teams.
• Strong initiative and motivation characteristics
• Intermediate IT skills, particularly with MS Office programs (Word, Excel) and Adobe Acrobat.
• Strong safety mindset with hands-on experience managing JSEAs, Permits to Work, and Isolations.
• Experience developing scopes of work, project schedules, budgets, and engineering quotes.
• Proficient in interpreting engineering design drawings, technical specifications, and schematics.
• Must be Australian Citizens or Permanent Residents for security requirements
• Willingness to obtain a National Police Certificate for security access.
• Willingness to complete drug, alcohol, and medical testing for basic health, mobility, and fitness.

Veterans or active reservists encouraged to apply.