Senior Primary Engineer

Aurecon Group; Adelaide; On-site; AUD 120,000 - 160,000; Full time

Job summary

Aurecon Group in Australia seeks a senior Electrical Engineer to lead Primary engineering packages for transmission substations and major grid projects. You will drive concept through detailed design, resolving complex issues and coordinating global resources with project teams.

With extensive HV experience and Chartered status, you will mentor engineers, manage budgets and schedules, and strengthen client relationships across a range of renewable and infrastructure projects.

Qualifications

• Bachelor or equivalent in electrical engineering and recognised professional registration.
• Extensive experience leading primary engineering for HV substations and transmission projects.
• Ability to mentor engineers and lead multi-disciplinary teams.
• Experience engaging clients and coordinating with project stakeholders.

Responsibilities

• Lead Primary engineering packages across transmission substations and grid projects from concept to detailed design.
• Resolve complex design issues and lead technical discussions with clients and teams.
• Mentor junior engineers and drive team performance across regions.
• Manage scope, programme, budgets and forecasts in collaboration with PMs.

Skills

Electrical engineering

Primary engineering

HV substations

Stakeholder management

Mentoring

Project leadership

Education

Bachelor's degree in Electrical Engineering

Chartered status / professional registration

Job description

At Aurecon, we are optimistic about the future. We are thinkers, solvers, and collaborators who work with our clients to deliver the infrastructure and assets that strengthen communities and create a sustainable future.

What you’ll do

You will join Aurecon’s Energy team, where you will play an integral part in ‘bringing ideas to life’ for our network service provider, renewable energy developer and major infrastructure clients.

• Lead Primary engineering packages across transmission substations, renewable energy connections, BESS and other major grid infrastructure, from concept and tender through detailed design.
• Act as a senior technical adviser, resolving complex design issues and leading technical discussions, workshops, reviews and verification with clients and project teams.
• Undertake or lead technical review and verification of Primary design packages in accordance with project, client and competency requirements.
• Lead Primary engineering teams comprising local, interstate and global resources, while coordinating interfaces with secondary, civil, structural, lines and other disciplines.
• Provide technical direction and develop junior and intermediate Primary engineers towards greater responsibility.
• Take ownership of Primary engineering scope, programme, budgets, resourcing and forecasts, working closely with Project Managers and Design Managers to achieve successful project outcomes.
• Support proposals and pursuits through scope, methodology, estimates, resourcing and programmes, and participate in tender interviews, presentations and early project discussions.
• Build trusted relationships with network service providers, renewable/large load developers, contractors and other key clients.
• Stay engaged in key design decisions and complex engineering matters while enabling others to deliver the detailed design.

What you’ll bring

• A bachelor’s degree in electrical engineering or an equivalent recognised qualification.
• Significant Primary engineering experience across high-voltage substations and transmission infrastructure, ideally including projects at 220–500 kV.
• Strong knowledge of Primary plant, layouts, clearances, conductor systems, equipment specifications and multidisciplinary interfaces, with the judgement to challenge assumptions and resolve complex design issues.
• Experience leading complex engineering packages through concept, tender and detailed design.
• Strong communication and stakeholder-management skills, with confidence leading client discussions and workshops across multidisciplinary, geographically dispersed teams.
• Experience managing scope, programme, budgets, resourcing and forecasts, and developing estimates, methodologies and technical inputs for proposals and tenders.
• Demonstrated ability to lead, mentor and develop engineers at different career stages.
• Experience with Australian network service providers, renewable energy developers or major infrastructure contractors is highly regarded.
• Chartered status and relevant professional registration or demonstrated ability to obtain these within a reasonable timeframe.

What success looks like

Success means leading Primary engineering work packages on major projects, strengthening client relationships, maintaining technical quality and helping engineers across regions perform at their best.

How we support your growth

You’ll work on major projects with connected teams across Australia. Recognised by the AFR as a Best Place to Work in 2026, we offer the opportunity to shape delivery, develop others and make a real impact.

Who we are

We are an engineering consultancy with more than 6,000 people across Australia, New Zealand and Asia. We believe the world needs people who can engineer possibilities; people who can create infrastructure that makes life better for people and the planet. That is why we are here - to bring ideas to life, the Aurecon way.

Ready for your next adventure?

Our hiring decisions are made by people, not AI. We’re most interested in your individual thinking and experiences, so please ensure your application reflects your authentic perspective.