Senior Systems Engineer – Mission-Critical Defence

Cubic Defence; Canberra; On-site; AUD 180,000 - 240,000; Full time

Job summary

Cubic in Canberra is seeking a Lead Engineer to provide technical leadership for mission-critical enterprise systems within Defence and secure government environments. You will own system architecture, design assurance, integration oversight, and governance across the lifecycle, guiding teams and working with stakeholders to meet customer requirements and Defence standards.

The role emphasizes autonomous decision-making, risk management, and knowledge transfer to Australian engineering

Qualifications

• Minimum 8 years' experience in systems engineering, enterprise ICT systems, or complex Defence environments.
• Minimum of 4 years' experience in a supervisor/leadership role.
• Experience in design, integration, verification, validation, and sustainment of complex systems.
• Ability to obtain and maintain an Australian Government NV2 Security Clearance.

Responsibilities

• Act as the technical authority for a mission-critical enterprise system, providing leadership across architecture, design assurance, integration, and technical governance activities
• Build, lead, and scale high-performing systems engineering teams, including driving performance through KPIs
• Develop, review, and approve system architectures, ensuring alignment with operational requirements, security objectives, usability needs, scalability considerations, and Defence standards
• Lead system integration activities, ensuring effective interoperability between hardware, software, networks, and supporting infrastructure
• Identify, assess, and manage technical risks throughout the system lifecycle, implementing appropriate mitigation strategies and escalation pathways
• Oversee verification and validation activities to ensure system performance, compliance, and operational readiness
• Provide technical guidance and mentoring to engineering teams, supporting capability development and knowledge transfer to Australian engineering personnel
• Collaborate with customers, suppliers, and internal stakeholders to resolve complex technical issues and support program delivery objectives
• Support bid activities, customer engagement, and strategic partnerships at a senior level
• Contribute to engineering processes, standards, and continuous improvement initiatives to enhance system quality, reliability, and maintainability

Skills

Systems engineering

Leadership

Defence environments

Risk management

Technical governance

Stakeholder collaboration

Architecture design

Job description

Cubic in Canberra is seeking a Lead Engineer to provide technical leadership for mission-critical enterprise systems within Defence and secure government environments. You will own system architecture, design assurance, integration oversight, and governance across the lifecycle, guiding teams and working with stakeholders to meet customer requirements and Defence standards.

The role emphasizes autonomous decision-making, risk management, and knowledge transfer to Australian engineering