Project Design Authority

Position: Project Design Authority

Location:Henderson

Why Austal

Austal isAustralia's global shipbuilder, Defence prime contractor and maritime technology partner of choice, designing, constructing, and supporting defence and commercial vessels for the world's leading operators. The company operates in Australia, the USA, Philippines, and Vietnam.

Austal Australia is delivering multiple naval shipbuilding and sustainment programs for the Royal Australian Navy, Australian Border Force, and the Department of Defence, employing approximately 1,000 people in facilities  located in Western Australia, Queensland, and the Northern Territory.

About the Opportunity

Austal and the Commonwealth of Australia are currently negotiating a landmark Strategic Shipbuilding Agreement (SSA) that will support the Continuous Naval Shipbuilding and Sustainment Enterprise and the delivery of multiple new defence force shipbuilding projects, such as Landing Craft-Medium and Landing Craft-Heavy for the Australian Army.

Once signed, the SSA will drive significant growth across our industry and workforce, as we deliver both existing and new programs under a long-term partnership. It will also enable the design and construction of vessels at our Henderson shipyard and marks a major step forward in establishing enduring shipbuilding capability within the Henderson Defence Precinct and across Western Australia.

To achieve this, we are building a highly skilled team, to engage with local industry and supply chains, and work on complex, large-scale projects that reflect Austal's proven capabilities and trusted performance.

The Role

The Project Design Authority is responsible for the coordination of the Design team, ensuring compliance to the specified Design requirements including statutory obligations.

What's Involved

• Act as the principal technical authority for the project, ensuring all design solutions are sound, compliant, and aligned with contractual and regulatory obligations.
• Lead the coordination of multidisciplinary design teams, ensuring cohesive and integrated outputs.
• Define and maintain the technical baseline, ensuring all requirements are traceable through to final delivery.
• Review and approve key design documentation, drawings, and analyses in accordance with relevant Classification Society and statutory regulations
• Provide strategic input into the integrated project schedule, identifying key design milestones and dependencies.
• Serve as the primary technical liaison with clients, classification societies, and regulatory authorities.
• Resolve complex technical issues and mediate between conflicting requirements or stakeholder interests.
• Identify and mitigate technical risks early in the design process.
• Promote continuous improvement and innovation within the design function.

You'll Need

• Bachelor of Engineering (Naval Architecture) or equivalent
• 10+ years in Design and Construction of Defence or Commercial vessels
• 5+ years management experience operating within a quality framework
• Tertiary qualifications and Professional Development to attain recognition as Chartered Professional Engineer
• Solid knowledge of regulatory body Rules and Regulations
• Strong communication skills with the ability to effectively engage with both internal and external stakeholders
• Previous experience in defence (desirable)
• Experience working in a similar position with experience in steel vessels (desirable)

Why Austal

• Competitive compensation and benefits package.
• Professional development and training opportunities.
• A supportive and dynamic work environment.
• Opportunities for career advancement within our growing organisation.

Our global team is guided by a universal set of values that describe the focus of our efforts. Our goal is for all our decisions and actions to reflect these core values. We believe that putting our values into practice creates the greatest benefits for our shareholders, customers, employees, suppliers, and communities in which we serve.

Excellence - Customer Focus - Integrity - Team Work

At Austal we are committed to providing a safe and inclusive work environment for all. We believe that achieving greater diversity will enhance our operations and as such we actively encourage Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islanders, people of all backgrounds, ages, sexual orientation, and those with Disability to apply.