Project Engineer - Mechanical

Job Description

Snowy Hydro is a dynamic, integrated energy business that has been providing on-demand, reliable energy to Australia for generations. Snowy Hydro owns and operates a powerful combination of generation assets, including the mighty Snowy Mountains Scheme, gas and diesel plants, and contracted wind and solar energy. We also provide electricity and gas to about 1.5 million retail customers through our retail brands Red Energy and Lumo Energy.

A full-time position exists for an experienced Project Engineer (Mechanical) to join the Project Engineering stream.

About the position

As a skilled Project Engineer (Mechanical) you will take ownership and lead the mechanical technical workstream for projects. Serving as the Owner's Engineer within the Project Team, you will be responsible for providing professional judgment to oversee external design processes, ensuring that all technical deliverables are fit-for-purpose, compliant with SHL's long-term lifecycle models, and integrated into the project master plan. You will ensure the project complies with technical and design specifications, performance criteria, and regulatory requirements. This role involves covering the design management function for simple projects or a support role for complex projects led by a Senior Project Engineer.

Key Responsibilities

• Act as the technical owner of mechanical design packages and oversee the design lifecycle, ensuring consultants prioritise safety, reliability, and maintainability.
• Perform and check complex calculations and designs, and verify the technical integrity of contractor submissions without the need for detailed supervision.
• Act as the first point of resolution for technical conflicts, identify non-conformances, and escalate to the Senior or Principal Engineer for strategic governance.
• Own the mechanical technical baseline for simple projects and lead the authoring of "Scopes of Work" and technical specifications that drive procurement and vendor selection.
• Drive field engineering support and provide technical guidance during commissioning to ensure the built asset aligns with the design intent.
• Supervise technical staff and coordinate site-based contractors for assigned work packages.
• Provide coaching and professional development guidance to Junior Engineers.

About the location

While this role is ideally based in Cooma, we know great talent can be found right across the peaks. For the right candidate, we're happy to explore a base at our Melbourne, Khancoban or Talbingo offices. You will be part of a dedicated local engineering team delivering key engineering advice to support Snowy Hydro's existing assets. This is a hybrid role with a minimum requirement of 3 days per week in an office, and may require travel across sites.

We're not just looking for a new team member; we're looking to help you make the Snowy Mountains your home. To ensure a smooth transition for the successful candidate and their family, relocation support is available for those interested in a move to Cooma (or agreed location).

About you

• You must hold a Bachelor's Degree in Mechanical Engineering with a minimum of 5 years post-graduate experience, ideally within the power generation (hydro, gas, diesel), heavy industrial plant, or utility/power distribution sectors. Experience in design consultancies transitioning to an owner's side is also highly valued.
• You possess advanced knowledge of power generation or the heavy industry field, including key mechanical components such as turbines, pumps, valves, piping systems and hydraulic or pneumatic controls.
• You are experienced in design management and procurement of mechanical balance of plant or rotating equipment for greenfield and brownfield sites.
• You have the expert ability to develop, audit, and own work scopes, technical specifications, and complex drawings.
• You have a proven ability to supervise and manage external contractors and consultants, ensuring technical compliance and lifecycle value.
• You have the ability to adapt quickly to changing circumstances and provide professional judgment on unusual project features.
• You possess highly developed interpersonal and negotiating skills, with the ability to drive technical consensus among stakeholders.
• You demonstrate strong management skills and the ability to drive engineering packages to completion independently.
• You can monitor the design schedule and assist the Project Manager in evaluating Change Orders from a technical necessity standpoint.
• You are committed to professional growth, seeking guidance, technical review, and coaching from Senior Engineers, while also providing coaching and guidance to Junior Engineers.

About our workforce

Diversity and inclusion is important to us. Snowy Hydro has a culture of decency and inclusion, with a commitment to the health and wellbeing of our people and a supportive environment to ensure that everyone - regardless of background - feels included and can succeed. At Snowy Hydro, we recognise that we are made stronger by the unique capabilities and qualities that each individual brings, and we believe in providing an environment that allows that uniqueness to thrive.

Snowy Hydro is proud to be an Equal Opportunity employer. We are committed to the values of Equal Employment Opportunity and provide accessibility accommodations to applicants with physical and/or mental disabilities. If you are interested in applying for a role with Snowy Hydro and are in need of accommodation or special assistance to navigate our website or to complete your application, please send an email with your request to the Snowy Hydro recruitment team at [email protected]