Workshop Manager

DAWSONS ENGINEERING (N.Q.) PTY LTD; Townsville City; On-site; AUD 95,000 - 140,000; Full time

Job summary

Dawsons Engineering (N.Q.) Pty Ltd in Townsville is seeking a Workshop Manager to serve as the technical heartbeat on the shop floor, actively involved in daily workflow and QA.

You will lead from the front, check jobs, and work with the team to remove bottlenecks, implement ITPs, fabrication traceability, MDRs, and uphold ISO standards. This is a hands-on leadership role requiring a trade certificate and 5–8 years' experience.

Qualifications

• Trade Certificate with 5–8 years of workshop experience.
• Leading Hand experience balancing hands-on work with supervision.
• Strong drawing interpretation, steel fabrication and piping skills.
• Knowledge of ISO 9001, AS 5131, AS 1554.1–6 & AS3992.

Responsibilities

• Actively contribute to QA by creating ITPs and Fabrication Traceability Sheets; compile MDRs with the Quality Coordinator.
• Physically check jobs and verify workmanship meets standards before leaving the floor.
• Identify bottlenecks with the team and implement real-time process improvements.
• Manage project spend while fostering a can-do culture and leading by example.

Skills

Drawing Interpretation

Steel fabrication

Piping

Leading Hand experience

Education

Trade Certificate

Job description

Job Type: Permanent position | Full time position

Job Description

As our Workshop Manager, you won’t just be delegating from an office; you are the technical heartbeat of the floor. You will be actively involved in the daily workflow and QA processes to ensure we deliver excellence. Your role includes:

Active QA Contribution: Creating and implementing ITPs and Fabrication Traceability Sheets, and personally compiling MDRs alongside the Quality Coordinator. Leading from the Front: Physically checking jobs and verifying that work meets our high standards before it leaves the floor. Workflow Optimization: Working side-by-side with the team to identify bottlenecks and implement real-time process improvements.

Budget & Culture: Managing project spend and fostering a positive, "can-do" culture by demonstrating the work ethic you expect from others. We need a "doer" who leads by example. If you prefer to delegate every task and stay behind a computer, this isn't the role for you.

We want: Hands-on Experts: A Trade Certificate with 5-8 years of workshop experience, specifically with Leading Hand experience where you’ve balanced doing the work with managing it. Technical Literacy: Exceptional skills in Drawing Interpretation, Steel fabrication, and piping—you need to know the work to supervise it.

Standards Obsessed: In-depth knowledge of ISO 9001, AS 5131, AS 1554.1-6 & AS3992, and the willingness to personally ensure these are met on every weld. Proactive Problem Solvers: Someone who identifies a quality issue on the floor and works with the team to fix it immediately, rather than just writing a report about it later.