Senior Project Architect - Defence & Nuclear Infrastructure

AECOM; West of England; Hybrid; GBP 100,000 - 137,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Flexible work arrangements

Additional annual leave up to 6 weeks

Flex public holidays

Professional development support

Job summary

AECOM in Adelaide, Australia is seeking an Associate Director – Project Architect to lead design and delivery of complex defence, research and nuclear facilities. You will guide multidisciplinary teams, ensure safety and regulatory alignment, and manage design integrity from concept through delivery.

The role requires extensive leadership on safety-critical projects and a strong understanding of Defence standards, with relocation packages available for qualified candidates in a hybrid work

Qualifications

• Accredited degree in Architecture with AUKUS registration and exposure to nuclear defence / NSQEP
• 10-15+ years' experience in architecture, including leadership on complex, safety-critical projects
• Proven experience as Project Architect and/or Principal Consultant on medium to large-scale projects
• Experience in regulated environments (defence, laboratories, pharmaceutical, healthcare, nuclear)
• Knowledge of Defence design standards, government delivery frameworks, and regulatory compliance requirements
• Experience with safety-in-design, human factors, and complex systems in high-hazard environments
• Australian Citizenship or eligibility for AUKUS clearance (required); NSQEP recognition and/or postgraduate qualifications are highly regarded

Responsibilities

• Lead the architectural design and delivery of complex defence, research, and nuclear infrastructure projects within highly regulated environments
• Act as Project Architect, maintaining design intent and coordinating outcomes across all stages
• Lead multidisciplinary design coordination across architectural, structural, services, and specialist systems
• Translate nuclear safety case and regulatory requirements into robust architectural design responses with subject matter experts
• Oversee design development, technical documentation, and compliance with Defence, NCC, IAEA, and nuclear frameworks
• Lead client and stakeholder engagement, building trusted relationships and aligning project objectives
• Provide technical leadership, mentoring, and guidance to project teams while driving delivery excellence

Skills

Project Architect leadership

Regulatory compliance

Safety-in-design

Stakeholder engagement

Client relationship management

Education

Accredited degree in Architecture

AUKUS registration

NSQEP recognition (desirable)

Postgraduate qualifications (desirable)

Job description

AECOM in Adelaide, Australia is seeking an Associate Director – Project Architect to lead design and delivery of complex defence, research and nuclear facilities. You will guide multidisciplinary teams, ensure safety and regulatory alignment, and manage design integrity from concept through delivery.

The role requires extensive leadership on safety-critical projects and a strong understanding of Defence standards, with relocation packages available for qualified candidates in a hybrid work