Senior Project Engineer - Mechanical

Snowy Hydro Limited; Cooma; Hybrid; AUD 150,000 - 210,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Relocation support

Job summary

Snowy Hydro Limited in Cooma is seeking a Senior Project Engineer - Mechanical for a 12‑month fixed-term role. The position is based in Cooma with hybrid work and a minimum of 3 days in-office or on-site.

You will lead major mechanical work packages, oversee design reviews and Safety in Design, and mentor junior engineers while ensuring compliance with standards and regulatory requirements across refurbishment projects.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's Degree in Mechanical Engineering required or equivalent
• CPEng or NER registration preferred
• 10+ years of mechanical engineering experience in large-scale refurbishment projects

Responsibilities

• Author and own major mechanical work packages (turbines, pumps, valves, piping, rotating equipment) across refurbishment projects.
• Lead design reviews and technical audits ensuring safety, reliability, and maintainability.
• Oversee FAT/SAT activities and provide field engineering guidance during commissioning.
• Mentor graduate and project engineers and manage mechanical risk within the project master plan.

Skills

Leadership

Project governance

Rotating equipment

Design reviews

Safety in Design

Risk management

Mentoring

Stakeholder communication

Education

Bachelor's Degree in Mechanical Engineering

CPEng status or NER registration preferred

Job description

Job description:

A 12 month fixed-term position exists for a Senior Project Engineer - Mechanical to join the Project Engineering Group. This role is based in Cooma, working a standard Monday to Friday roster with hybrid working arrangements that include a minimum of 3 days in an office or on-site.

We are pleased to offer relocation support to those looking to make the move to Cooma, NSW. This role does not offer a DIDO or FIFO accommodation arrangement.

About the position:

Serving as a senior technical resource and the first escalation point within the Project Team, the Senior Project Engineer - Mechanical is responsible for the technical governance and delivery of complex mechanical engineering works supporting the delivery of major refurbishment projects across Snowy Hydro’s existing assets. The role ensures that projects comply with technical specifications, design standards, performance criteria, and regulatory requirements. You will own major mechanical work packages, lead Safety in Design and design management for high-risk packages, and resolve complex technical conflicts before escalation. Additionally, you will integrate complex mechanical scopes into the project master plan while mentoring less experienced mechanical engineers, ensuring safety and risk management remain embedded as primary accountabilities.

About the location:

Cooma is a vibrant regional hub located just 80 minutes from Canberra in the heart of the Snowy Monaro region of New South Wales. As the gateway to the Snowy Mountains, Cooma offers an exceptional lifestyle with access to national parks, snowfields, and year-round outdoor recreation. Known for its scenic beauty, rich multicultural heritage, and welcoming community, Cooma provides a unique opportunity to balance career growth with the benefits of regional living.

Key Responsibilities:

• Author mechanical Scope of Service and Scope of Work to drive procurement across maintenance and refurbishment activities on existing assets.
• Act as technical owner of major mechanical design packages (turbines, pumps, valves, piping, hydraulic and pneumatic controls, rotating equipment), leading design reviews and technical audits to ensure consultants prioritise safety, reliability, and maintainability.
• Provide strategic oversight of the technical risk register for mechanical packages, focusing on mechanical risks.
• Oversee and participate in Factory and Site Acceptance Tests (FAT/SAT) for mechanical elements; provide field engineering and commissioning guidance.
• Lead mechanical discipline training and knowledge sharing through the SHL Knowledge Community; represent SHL in external technical forums; serve as primary technical mentor to Graduate and Project Engineers.

About you:

• Bachelor's Degree in Mechanical Engineering (or equivalent with relevant experience) eligible for Engineers Australia membership; CPEng status or NER registration is highly preferred.
• 10+ years of mechanical engineering experience leading complex, large-scale plant replacement or refurbishment projects, ideally within power generation, heavy industrial, or utility sectors.
• Strong knowledge of rotating plant (pumps, turbines, generators), auxiliary systems (piping, valves, filters), lifting gear, and hydromechanical infrastructure (spillway/tunnel gates, penstocks).
• Sound knowledge of Quality, WHS, and Environmental policies, procedures, and standards; familiarity with WHS Act 2011 (NSW), Construction Design Management (CDM) principles.
• Strong analytical skills with a proven ability to solve complex technical problems and communicate effectively across multidisciplinary teams, site teams, contractors, and stakeholders.