Technical Director - Structural Engineering

Mott MacDonald; Adelaide; On-site; AUD 250,000 - 360,000; Full time

Job summary

Mott MacDonald in Adelaide, South Australia, is seeking a Senior Technical Leader, Structural Engineering, to lead complex building projects and drive technical excellence. The role focuses on delivering high-value, multi-disciplinary work, mentorship, and shaping the Buildings market in South Australia.

The successful candidate will manage delivery on major projects, engage with clients at a senior level, and contribute to winning new work while upholding rigorous safety and constructability

Qualifications

• Extensive experience delivering high-value building projects across sectors.
• Proven leadership of engineering teams and mentoring.
• Experience in Defence, aviation, water, education, transport or life sciences sectors.
• Professional recognition or near chartership/demonstrated readiness for chartership.

Responsibilities

• Lead delivery of landmark projects across sectors, managing programme, budget and technical performance.
• Provide high-level structural engineering expertise and technical judgment.
• Ensure rigorous quality checks and safety in design across deliverables.
• Engage directly with clients and lead major proposals and bids, contributing technical insights.
• Drive knowledge sharing and best-practice structural engineering across the network.

Skills

Structural engineering

Team leadership

Business development

Client engagement

Communication

Education

Civil/Structural Eng degree

Chartered Engineer (CPEng)

Job description

Mott MacDonald is one of the world's largest employee-owned engineering, management and development consultancies, delivering complex and landmark programmes across more than 150 countries. In Australia, Mott MacDonald's Buildings team delivers some of the country's most technically demanding and culturally significant projects, spanning major civic and cultural institutions, aviation infrastructure, education campuses, and life sciences facilities.

Mott MacDonald's structural engineering capability is a cornerstone of the Buildings market. With access to a globally connected network of technical specialists and a culture that genuinely values innovation, sustainability and technical excellence, this is an environment where the best structural engineers do their best work.

THE OPPORTUNITY

This is a senior technical leadership role for a structural engineer who wants to work on landmark projects, lead and develop a high-performing team, and help shape the direction of Mott MacDonald's Buildings market in South Australia.

As Technical Director, Structural Engineering, you will lead the delivery of complex, high-profile building projects, defence, aviation, water, education, transport, civic and life sciences sectors. You will bring deep structural engineering expertise to projects that require it, influence how the team approaches technical challenges, and play an active role in winning new work and building the long-term client relationships that sustain a market-leading presence.

This is primarily a delivery and technical leadership role with the majority of your time will be spent leading projects and teams on the ground, you will also engage directly with clients, lead major proposals and bids, and contribute to the consultancy's reputation for technical excellence in the Australian market.

WHAT YOU'LL BE DOING

Project Leadership & Technical Delivery

• Lead and deliver landmark projects across sectors markets including defence, aviation, water, education, transport, civic and life sciences, taking responsibility for programme, budget, and technical performance from concept through to completion
• Provide high-level structural engineering expertise and technical judgment across complex, multi-disciplinary project environments
• Ensure rigorous quality checking and verification across all project deliverables, with a strong focus on constructability, safety in design and professional standards
• Manage risk proactively, both technical and commercial and provide clear, confident advice to clients and project teams when it matters most

Client Engagement & Business Development

• Engage directly with clients at a senior level, shaping project strategies and building the long-term partnerships that generate repeat business and referrals
• Lead major proposals and bids, contributing technical insight and commercial intelligence to develop compelling, winning submissions
• Develop tactical business development strategies aligned with sector and practice objectives and be adaptable to changing market conditions and client priorities

Team Leadership & Technical Excellence

• Mentor and inspire junior and mid-level engineers, creating a culture of technical curiosity, continuous learning and professional growth
• Lead through uncertainty and complexity, casting a compelling vision for the team and motivating people to push the boundaries of what's technically possible
• Actively drive the adoption of global network systems, knowledge sharing and best-practice structural engineering solutions across the market
• Champion innovation and sustainable design thinking across all project work, collaborating with architects, consultants and specialist engineers to deliver genuinely exceptional outcomes

Collaboration & Knowledge

• Work effectively across disciplines, offices and geographies, leveraging Mott MacDonald's global network to bring the right expertise to every project
• Contribute to the ongoing development of the Buildings discipline through professional development, thought leadership and active participation in the broader engineering community

ABOUT YOU

You are a highly experienced structural engineer with a track record of leading complex building projects and the technical credibility, commercial acumen and people leadership skills to operate at a Technical Director level. You bring genuine passion for the built environment, for the craft of structural engineering and for the landmark buildings that shape our community and support the economic development of South Australia.

You’ll bring:

• Substantial experience in structural engineering, with a clear track record of leading the technical delivery of complex, high-value building projects across one or more of the following sectors:defence, water, aviation, education, transport, civic or life sciences.
• Deep technical expertise in structural analysis, design and documentation, with the professional judgement to navigate complex engineering challenges with confidence
• Demonstrated experience leading and mentoring engineering teams, with the ability to inspire technical excellence and support the professional growth of others
• Proven business development capability with experience leading proposals, engaging clients at a senior level and contributing to the commercial success of a practice
• Strong communication skills and the able to translate complex technical concepts clearly for clients, collaborators and non-technical stakeholders
• A collaborative and curious mindset, with the drive to continuously improve and the confidence to challenge conventional thinking
• Relevant tertiary qualifications in Civil or Structural Engineering; Chartered Engineer status (CPEng or equivalent) required or near completion

WHY MOTT MACDONALD

Mott MacDonald is 100% employee-owned which means every person in the business has a genuine stake in its success. The culture reflects that: collaborative, values-driven and committed to doing brilliant technical work on projects that matter.

As Technical Director, you will have access to Mott MacDonald's global structural engineering network, cutting-edge tools and methodologies, and a portfolio of landmark projects that will define your career. You will work alongside architects, engineers and consultants of the highest calibre, in a practice that

takes technical excellence seriously and gives its people the autonomy and support to pursue it.