Senior Base Engineer

CHC Helicopter; Nowra; On-site; AUD 140,000 - 200,000; Full time

Job summary

CHC Helicopter in Nowra, NSW, is seeking a Senior Base Engineer to lead on-site aircraft maintenance and ensure airworthiness for Leonardo AW139 operations. This leadership role blends technical excellence with team mentoring in a safety‑critical environment.

You will regulate CASA Part 145 compliance, oversee maintenance planning, and collaborate with operations and customers to sustain high availability across CHC’s Australian rotary-wing network.

Qualifications

• CASA Part 66 B1.3 license with AW139 type rating; unrestricted license preferred.
• Proven aircraft maintenance, overhaul and repair experience.
• Ability to coach, manage and lead a team in CHC values.

Responsibilities

• Lead engineering activities to ensure aircraft availability and readiness.
• Provide technical leadership and mentoring to engineering personnel.
• Ensure CASA Part 145 compliance and safety standards.
• Support safety, quality and continuous improvement initiatives.
• Liaise with operations, maintenance and customer stakeholders.
• Promote accountability and engineering excellence.

Skills

Leadership

Coaching

Interpersonal skills

Safety mindset

Communication

Decision making

Detail oriented

Tools

HUMS

FDM

CAMP

Job description

Nowra, NSW | Leadership Opportunity | Rotary-Wing Aviation

Lead. Influence. Make an Impact.

CHC Helicopter is seeking an experienced aviation engineering professional to join our team as Senior Base Engineer at our Nowra base on the beautiful NSW South Coast.

This is more than a technical role. As Senior Base Engineer, you will be a key leader within the engineering team, responsible for maintaining the highest standards of safety, airworthiness and operational readiness while supporting critical rotary-wing operations.

Working closely with operational and engineering leaders, you will have the opportunity to influence engineering performance, mentor talented engineers, and contribute to the continued success and growth of CHC's Australian operations.

Why Join CHC?

At CHC, we keep people moving in some of the world's most demanding and safety-critical environments.

When you join us, you'll benefit from:

• An opportunity to lead a highly skilled engineering team
• A challenging and rewarding role within a respected global aviation organisation
• Exposure to complex rotary-wing operations
• Career development opportunities across CHC's global network
• A strong safety culture where your expertise and leadership are valued
• Competitive remuneration and benefits package

Why Nowra?

Located on the spectacular NSW South Coast, Nowra offers an exceptional lifestyle with:

• Beautiful beaches and coastal living
• Easy access to Sydney and Canberra
• Affordable housing compared to major metropolitan centres
• Excellent schools and community facilities
• Outdoor activities including boating, fishing, surfing and national parks

Enjoy a rewarding aviation career without compromising on lifestyle.

About the Role

As Senior Base Engineer, you will:

• Lead engineering activities to ensure aircraft availability and operational readiness
• Provide technical leadership and mentoring to engineering personnel
• Ensure compliance with CASA regulations, company procedures and Part 145 requirements
• Support safety, quality and continuous improvement initiatives
• Liaise with operational, maintenance and customer stakeholders
• Promote a culture of accountability, collaboration and engineering excellence

Key Responsibilities but not limited to:

The SBE is responsible for supervising and managing the engineering operations on base as directed by the Maintenance Manager in accordance with CHC operational practice. You will hold direct accountability for aircraft availability of the CHC Leonardo AW139 aircraft in Nowra.

• Lead and coordinate engineering operations to support daily flying requirements
• Champion a proactive safety culture by encouraging reporting, learning, and continuous improvement
• Ensure compliance with CASA, Part 145 requirements, company procedures, and engineering standards
• Manage and develop engineering personnel while promoting professional conduct and accountability
• Plan and oversee maintenance activities, rostering, and resource allocation
• Represent Engineering in base meetings and collaborate closely with operational stakeholders
• Monitor operational systems and maintenance programs including HUMS, FDM, CAMP, and other compliance requirements
• Drive operational efficiency while maintaining exceptional safety and quality standards
• Support interstate and international deployments when required

Who You Are

You are a respected aviation professional who leads by example and thrives in a fast-paced operational environment. You know how to balance safety, compliance, customer requirements, and team performance while maintaining a collaborative and positive culture.

Successful applicants will need the minimum requirements:

• CASA Part 66 Category B1.3 License with AW139 Type Rating; unrestricted license and rating preferred
• Proven experience in aircraft maintenance, overhaul, and repair

Qualifications, Skills and Attributes:

• Ability to coach, manage and lead a team in line with CHC values
• Demonstrated interpersonal and organisational leadership skillset
• Strong safety and compliance mindset
• Excellent communication and people management attributes
• Strong operational decision-making and problem-solving skills
• Highly detailed and task oriented

Compliance, governance and risk management requirements

• Ability to provide evidence of successfully delivered outcomes within complex regulatory frameworks
• Demonstrated experience working in a highly regulated operational environment
• Experience within aviation, aerospace, defence or similarly regulated industries is highly desirable

Eligibility

Applicants must have the legal right to work in Australia and meet any clearance requirements relevant to the role.

Recruitment Process

We reserve the right to commence interviews or close this vacancy before the advertised closing date should suitable candidates be identified. We therefore encourage early applications.

Due to the high volume of applications received, we are unable to provide individual feedback to all applicants. If you do not receive a response from our recruitment team, please consider your application unsuccessful on this occasion.

We sincerely appreciate your interest in CHC and encourage you to monitor our careers website for future opportunities that match your skills and experience.

Recruitment Agencies

This position is managed directly by CHC and we are not engaging recruitment agencies for this vacancy.

We respectfully request that agencies do not contact us regarding this role or submit unsolicited candidate profiles. Any CV submitted without prior written agreement will be treated as a direct application and no agency fees will be payable.

Closing date: 23rd October 2026