Senior Roads & Highways Designer (12D) – Flexible Growth

Smec (An Sj Group Company); Sydney; Hybrid; AUD 110,000 - 150,000; Full time

Job summary

SMEC is seeking an Experienced or Senior Designer – Roads & Highways (12d) to contribute to the design and delivery of major transport infrastructure projects. This role is based in our North Sydney office, supporting NSW and wider ANZ road networks.

You will develop high-quality design solutions, working closely with engineers and project managers while guiding junior designers. We are looking for candidates with 6–10 years of roads/highways experience, proficiency in 12d and AutoCAD, and a

Qualifications

• 6–10 years’ experience on major transport projects, roads and highways.
• Diploma/Advanced Diploma in Civil Design/Drafting.
• Advanced proficiency in 12d and AutoCAD.
• Proven ability to lead design development and deliver outputs on time and within budget.
• Strong communication and collaboration with project managers, engineers and multidisciplinary teams.
• Experience mentoring junior designers and improving CAD design practices.
• Experience producing design documentation to NSW Transport authority standards and Austroads requirements.

Responsibilities

• Develop and deliver high‑quality design solutions for major transport projects.
• Lead design development and mentor junior designers.
• Collaborate with engineers and project managers to ensure outputs on time and within budget.
• Produce design documentation from concept through to detailed design, construction and as‑built stages.

Skills

Leadership

Mentoring

Communication

Collaboration

CAD best practices

Education

Diploma, Advanced Diploma or equivalent tertiary Civil Design / Drafting qualification

Tools

12d

AutoCAD

Job description

Experienced & Senior Designers, Roads & Highways (12d)

• Work alongside industry-leading specialists in a collaborative, flexible environment
• Shape your career with genuine professional growth opportunities

About SMEC

SMEC is a global engineering consultancy renowned for delivering complex, sustainable infrastructure solutions across transport, water, energy, and urban development markets. Our teams are empowered to innovate, solve technical challenges, and contribute to projects that positively shape communities across Australia and worldwide.

We are committed to building a diverse, inclusive and gender‑equitable workforce and encourages applications from people of all backgrounds across engineering and technical disciplines. SMEC provides a supportive and flexible working environment that recognises individual contribution, supports career progression, and enables our people to balance work and life at all stages of their career.

As a family‑friendly employer, we offer flexible working arrangements and benefits including 18 weeks of universal paid parental leave. We are proud to foster an inclusive culture that supports gender equity, LGBTI+ inclusion and First Nations representation, with access to strong professional networks, role models, and mentoring and sponsorship programs.

Infrastructure

At SMEC, we understand that our continued success within the infrastructure market is the result of building long‑term client relationships. We listen and understand the specific needs of our clients and deliver a complete value chain of services to provide sustainable solutions across major infrastructure projects worldwide.

The Role

We are currently seeking an Experienced or Senior Designer – Roads & Highways, with strong 12d experience to contribute to the design and delivery of major transport infrastructure projects. This opportunity is based in our North Sydney office, supporting key road and highway projects across NSW and wider ANZ.

You will play a pivotal role in the development and production of high‑quality design solutions, working closely with engineers and project managers while also providing guidance to junior designers. This is an opportunity to further your career with a team that has a strong track record of winning and delivering major infrastructure projects.

About you

Suitable applicants will have:

• 6–10 years’ experience working on major transport, ideally roads and highways, projects in a similar role
• Diploma, Advanced Diploma or equivalent tertiary Civil Design / Drafting qualification
• Advanced proficiency in 12d (preferred) and AutoCAD
• Proven ability to lead design development and deliver outputs on time and within budget
• Strong communication skills, with the ability to collaborate effectively with Project Managers, engineers and multidisciplinary teams
• Experience mentoring or supporting junior designers and contributing to team capability
• A proactive approach to driving and improving CAD and design best practice

Experience in the production of design documentation to NSW transport authority standards, including relevant Transport for NSW and Austroads requirements, from concept through to detailed design, construction and as‑built stages will be highly regarded.

Don't meet every requirement? We still encourage you to apply. We recognise that talent comes from many different experiences and backgrounds, and we're committed to creating an inclusive culture for people from all walks of life.