Lead Mechanical Engineer

Aurecon Group; Auckland; On-site; NZD 120,000 - 160,000; Full time

Job summary

Aurecon is seeking a Lead Mechanical Engineer to join our Energy & Industrial team in New Zealand. You will lead mechanical engineering across brownfield and sustaining projects, develop options, and guide delivery from studies to site support while collaborating with clients and multidisciplinary teams.

The role emphasizes understanding industrial facilities, direct client engagement, and delivering practical engineering outcomes with sound judgement.

Qualifications

• Degree-qualified Mechanical Engineer with experience in industrial, manufacturing, dairy, food & beverage, energy, or processing environments.
• Ability to lead projects or workstreams and communicate recommendations clearly.
• Strong communication and relationship-building skills; consulting/site-based experience in process industries preferred.

Responsibilities

• Lead mechanical engineering work across brownfield and sustaining capital projects.
• Develop and assess engineering options, providing clear recommendations to clients.
• Guide projects from early-stage studies through to delivery and site support.
• Build strong relationships with clients and key project stakeholders.
• Work alongside multidisciplinary teams to deliver successful project outcomes.
• Mentor engineers and contribute to the growth of our mechanical capability.
• Travel to client sites across New Zealand to support projects and maintain an understanding of client operations.

Skills

Project leadership

Communication

Client engagement

Brownfield experience

Process industries

Education

Bachelor's degree in Mechanical Engineering

Job description

Lead Mechanical Engineer – Energy & Industrial

Aurecon, we are optimistic about the future. We are thinkers, solvers, and collaborators who work with our clients to deliver the infrastructure and assets that strengthen communities and create a sustainable future.

What you'll do

As a Lead Mechanical Engineer in our Energy & Industrial team, you'll work with some of New Zealand's leading industrial organisations to deliver projects that improve, upgrade and expand critical assets. This role combines office-based engineering, client engagement and regular site involvement. You'll work closely with clients and project teams to assess options, solve engineering challenges and help deliver successful outcomes.

• Lead mechanical engineering work across brownfield and sustaining capital projects.
• Develop and assess engineering options, providing clear recommendations to clients.
• Guide projects from early‑stage studies through to delivery and site support.
• Build strong relationships with clients and key project stakeholders.
• Work alongside multidisciplinary teams to deliver successful project outcomes.
• Mentor engineers and contribute to the growth of our mechanical capability.
• Travel to client sites across New Zealand to support projects and maintain a strong understanding of client operations.

Is this role right for you?

This isn't a role for someone who wants to spend their day producing drawings or detailed design documentation. We're looking for an engineer who enjoys understanding how industrial facilities operate, working directly with clients, and helping turn project requirements into practical engineering outcomes. You'll be equally comfortable collaborating with project teams in the office, engaging with stakeholders on site, and applying sound engineering judgement to help clients make informed decisions.

What you'll bring

You're a degree‑qualified Mechanical Engineer with experience in industrial, manufacturing, dairy, food & beverage, energy, or processing environments. You'll also bring:

• Strong mechanical engineering fundamentals and sound engineering judgement.
• Experience leading projects or workstreams.
• The ability to assess technical options and communicate recommendations clearly.
• Strong communication and relationship‑building skills.
• Experience working within brownfield or operating industrial environments.
• Consulting and/or site‑based experience within process industries will be highly regarded.

How we support your growth

We believe your career should be a rewarding adventure. You'll tackle some of the world's most complex infrastructure challenges in an environment that supports your ambitions and gives you the opportunity to make a real impact. Recognised by the AFR as a Best Place to Work in 2026, we embrace diverse perspectives and encourage our people to bring their whole selves to work.

Who we are

We are an engineering consultancy with more than 6,000 people across Australia, Aotearoa New Zealand and Asia. We believe the world needs people who can engineer possibilities; people who can create infrastructure that makes life better for people and the planet. That is why we are here, to bring ideas to life, the Aurecon way.

Te whakata i ngā whakaaro | Breathing life into our ideas, thoughts, views Kia māia, kia kaha, mahi tahi | Be bold, be strong, work as one

We’ve re‑imagined engineering. Aurecon is an engineering and infrastructure advisory company, but not as you know it! Think engineering. Think again.

We value diverse experiences and welcome applications from people with different backgrounds and career paths. We also support flexible working arrangements and are committed to creating an inclusive recruitment process. Our hiring decisions are made by people, not AI. We're most interested in your individual thinking and experiences, so please ensure your application reflects your authentic perspective.