Senior Systems Engineer - Defence

Papps Project Management Pty Ltd (Pappspm); Canberra; On-site; AUD 120,000 - 160,000; Full time

Job summary

PappsPM is seeking a Senior Systems Engineer to support Defence Agencies across the ACT and SA. The role is full-time, on-site, leading systems engineering activities to ensure delivery, governance, and stakeholder engagement in dynamic Defence environments.

Applicants should have strong systems engineering capabilities, experience with secure ICT infrastructure, and a current NV2 AGSVA security clearance or higher. Australian citizenship is mandatory.

Qualifications

• Proven systems engineering for complex defence/government environments.
• Experience troubleshooting mission-critical systems.
• Hands-on admin of secure, high-availability ICT infra.
• Experience in Defence/government contexts; current or eligible clearance preferred.
• Tertiary qualification in Engineering/CS/IT or related field.

Responsibilities

• Lead systems engineering activities to ensure assured delivery.
• Ensure governance compliance and stakeholder engagement across Defence environments.
• Collaborate with multidisciplinary teams to deliver secure ICT solutions.

Skills

Systems engineering

Troubleshooting

System administration

Defence/government context

Security clearance

Documentation & stakeholder engagement

Defence standards & governance

Education

Engineering / Computer Science / IT degree

Tools

Security clearance experience

Job description

Senior Systems Engineer-Defence | PappsPM Candidate Pool

Canberra and Adelaide | Min NV2/ TSPV Preferred AGSVA Security Clearance Required

PappsPM is seeking experienced and highly capable Senior Systems Engineers to join our growing team in support of Department of Defence Agencies across the ACT and SA. There are exciting opportunities exclusive to PappsPM to contribute to nationally significant Defence programs that directly support the capability development of the ADF.

About the role

Candidates will be based full-time on-site at Department of Defence facilities across the ACT and SA, you will be responsible for leading systems engineering activities that ensure assured delivery, governance compliance and stakeholder engagement across the dynamic Defence environment.

Qualifications

• Strong systems engineering capabilities, including Systems Engineering and Systems Design for complex Defence or government environments.
• Proficiency in operational support functions, including Troubleshooting and Technical Support for mission-critical systems.
• Hands-on experience with System Administration of secure, high-availability ICT infrastructure.
• Experience working within Defence or government contexts, ideally with current or eligible security clearance.
• Relevant tertiary qualifications in Engineering, Computer Science, Information Technology, or a related discipline.
• Knowledge of Defence standards, frameworks, and compliance requirements (e.g., Defence security policies, ICT governance).
• Strong documentation, communication, and stakeholder engagement skills, with the ability to work effectively in multidisciplinary teams.
• Industry certifications (e.g., CISSP, CISM, ITIL, or vendor-specific systems certifications) are highly regarded.

Mandatory Requirement's

To be considered for roles at PappsPM, applicants must possess:

• Australian Citizenship
• Current NV2 AGSVA Security Clearance (minimum)
• Ability to work full-time on-site at Defence facilities
• Proven Defence System Engineering experience
• Must not have been directly employed by the Australian Defence Force (ADF) or Australian Public Service (APS) within the previous 12 months

Why Join PappsPM?

At PappsPM, we are committed to delivering exceptional project outcomes across Australia's Defence and Government sectors. By joining our team, you'll benefit from:

• Competitive remuneration and permanent full-time employment
• Access to diverse and challenging Defence projects
• Career progression opportunities across the PappsPM enterprise
• Ongoing professional development and training support
• A collaborative, high-performing professional environment
• The opportunity to contribute directly to Australia's future Defence capabilities

Point of Contact:

Lachlan Walsh

Operations Manager

[e-mail]

Visit papps.com.au

PappsPM is proud to support Australia's national security and welcomes applications from suitably qualified professionals who meet the security and eligibility requirements of this role.