Mechanic & Senior Mechanic

Maintain and operate a range of mechanical plant, equipment and Station power generation facilities, while supporting station and field operations.

Mechanical trades

- The annual base salary when in Australia starts from:

- Mechanic $86,147 per annum

- Senior Mechanic $92,705 per annum

- Base salary + additional allowances when in Antarctica starts from:

- Mechanic $156,684 per annum

- Senior Mechanic $163,242 per annum

- A generous employer superannuation contribution of up to 15.4% will be paid in addition to salary and allowances.

- You will accrue recreation leave at the equivalent of 20 days per annum pro rata. Please note that recreation leave is not available in Antarctica but will be paid out on return to Australia.

As a Mechanic with the Australian Antarctic Division (AAD) you will maintain and operate a range of mechanical plant and equipment. You will also maintain and operate the station power generation facilities (mechanical side). You will support station and field operations as required.

Mechanics work in either summer or winter jobs. Shorter winter opportunities may also arise. Mechanics are only employed at Casey, Davis and Mawson stations. If staying on station as part of the wintering crew you are required to participate in an on-call roster, to respond to out of hours issues – mainly related to the station powerhouse.

A Senior Mechanic (Macquarie Island) and a Wilkins Aerodrome Diesel Mechanic will be selected from suitable Mechanic and/or Station Mechanical Supervisor applicants. Overland Traverse Mechanics will be selected from suitable Mechanic applicants.

What we are looking for

To apply for this role, you must have the skills and licences listed below:

Qualifications/licences

Provide copy with application:

- Suitable Mechanical Trade - Certificate III MEM or AUR qualification or recognised equivalent such as motor mechanic, diesel mechanic, plant mechanic, fitter and turner, or auto electrician.

- Forklift (High Risk) Licence

- Citizenship – In accordance with the PS Act 1999, APS employees are required to be Australian citizens. Persons who are not Australian citizens will generally only be considered where there are no suitable Australian applicants, with next considerations being Australian residents with work rights and New Zealand citizens.

Obtain prior to commencement:

- Valid Passport – The expiry date of the passport (and any relevant visa) must be at least 6 months beyond the planned end date of your intended stay in the Antarctic or sub‑Antarctic

- Provide First Aid (HLTAID0011) must be valid for at least 18 months beyond the date of commencement

- Provide Basic Emergency Life Support (HLTAID010) must be valid for at least 18 months beyond the date of commencement

- Provide CPR (HLTAID009) must be valid for at least 6 months beyond the date of commencement

Knowledge and experience

Recent hands‑on experience (within the last 5 years)

- Diesel engine maintenance, diagnostics, repair, and overhaul (such as Caterpillar, Cummins, electronic and non‑electronic)

- Maintenance and repair of heavy plant, including tracked, wheeled and stationary equipment (such as Cat loaders, tractors and excavators, Grove cranes, Komatsu crushers).

These are not essential to the role. To be suitable you do not need any of these, but they may make you more competitive against other applicants.

Knowledge and experience:

Provide copy with application:

Recent hands‑on experience (within the last 5 years):

- Petrol engine maintenance, repair and overhaul

- Maintenance and repair of medium vehicles and plant, including over‑snow vehicles, trucks and forklifts.

- Maintenance and repair of light vehicles, including Toyota 4x4 vehicles and Honda all‑terrain vehicles

- Maintenance and repair of small plant, including pumps, generator sets, heaters, ice drills and outboard motors

- Servicing and maintenance of single and three phase power generation equipment

- Hydraulic systems

- Workshop practices, including an understanding of current work health and safety policies

- Maintenance of stock inventories including stocktaking, reordering spares and consumables

- Fitting and machining

- Welding and metal fabrication

- Preparation of monthly and annual reports

Desirable

These are not essential to the role. To be suitable you do not need any of these, but they may make you more competitive against other applicants.

Knowledge and experience:

Provide copy with application:

- Dogging (DG) licence

Recent hands‑on experience (within the last 5 years)

- Petrol engine maintenance, repair and overhaul

- Maintenance and repair of medium vehicles and plant, including over‑snow vehicles, trucks and forklifts.

- Maintenance and repair of light vehicles, including Toyota 4x4 vehicles and Honda all‑terrain vehicles

- Maintenance and repair of small plant, including pumps, generator sets, heaters, ice drills and outboard motors

- Servicing and maintenance of single and three phase power generation equipment

- Hydraulic systems

- Automotive electrics

- Workshop practices, including an understanding of current work health and safety policies

- Maintenance of stock inventories including stocktaking, reordering spares and consumables

- Fitting and machining

- Welding and metal fabrication

- Preparation of monthly and annual reports

Should your application be successful, it is useful to have some understanding of any additional licences you have:

- Current Heavy Rigid (HR) driver’s licence valid in Australia

For job specific (technical or trade related) enquiries, or to discuss the role in more detail, please contact Mechanical Team at MechanicalAntarctica@aad.gov.au .

Applications will not be accepted via email.

- Review the job description. This describes the job and specifies essential qualifications and experience. It also tells you what documents you need to attach to your application.

- Have your documents ready to attach (e.g., licences, qualifications and current CV/résumé). You must include these to be considered for the job.

- When you have completed steps 1 to 3 above, click ‘Apply Now’✱ to start your application. Applications will not be accepted via email.

This content was last updated 2 months ago on 22 August 2025.

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