Design Authority / Engineering Manager - Defence Shipbuilding

• Great opportunity to with a well renowned, growing and established firm
• Fantastic company culture with excellent career progression
• Landmark projects, variety of work and flexible working environment

Candidates can come from a civil or structural background and flexible on previous project experience for the right candidate. Our client is a leader in providing services to the maritime, military and resource sectors. Due to continued growth, they are now seeking an experienced Design Authority Specialist to join their professional team in their Perth office.
  
As a Design Authority professional you will be the technical leader that plays a pivotal role in ensuring the integrity, compliance, and effectiveness of the design solutions within our clients Defence Shipbuilding design project. Responsible for overseeing all aspects of design, the Design Authority collaborates closely with multidisciplinary teams, stakeholders, and regulatory bodies to deliver solutions that meet operational requirements, adhere to industry standards, and align with project objectives.

The Whole of Ship Design Authority is responsible for the integrity of the design to the contracted requirements, ensuring the design decision impacts are understood, decisions are per the technical delegations within the Contract and decisions are documented.

The successful candidate will not need to be a specialist in all areas of ship design but must some understanding of all parts of design that make up a defence ship build.

Years of experience:
10+ years

Duties include but not limited to:

• Examine customer requirements and lead the development, review, and approval of designs, ensuring compliance with contractual, regulatory, and technical requirements.
• Provide Whole of Ship Design Authority for the Project, in line with the Clear accountability in Design Principles.
• Provide Technical Authorisation and delegation to suitably qualified and experienced personnel within the Project scope.
• Provide, collate and document expert guidance on naval architecture, marine engineering, systems integration, and related disciplines to support design decisions and resolve complex technical challenges.
• Identify, assess, and mitigate design risks to safeguard project timelines, budget, and quality objectives.
• Primary technical contact with external stakeholders, including naval authorities, classification societies, subcontractors, and vendors, to address design-related inquiries, resolve issues, and foster collaborative relationships.
• Establish and maintain design assurance processes, procedures, and standards to uphold the quality and reliability of deliverables throughout the design lifecycle.
• Evaluate proposed design changes, assess their impact on project scope, schedule, and cost, and facilitate their implementation in accordance with change control procedures.
• Ensure accurate and comprehensive documentation of design decisions, rationale, and specifications to facilitate traceability, transparency, and knowledge transfer.
• Provide design and progress reports as required by project governance.
• Provide leadership and coordination in the areas of design. 
• Mentoring Junior members of the team and developing engineers.
• Manage defence client interfaces and client relationships.

Skills & Experience:

• Relevant Tertiary qualifications
• 10 years+ proven experience in a senior design role and considered expert within the defence or maritime industry, ideally on shipbuilding projects
• Superior knowledge of regulations, standards, and best practices governing naval vessel design and construction. Experience in Defence contracting, understanding of military and government project documentation standards.
• Strong analytical, problem-solving, and decision-making skills, with the ability to balance technical, operational, and commercial considerations.
• Excellent communication, interpersonal, and leadership abilities, with a track record of effectively engaging stakeholders and leading multidisciplinary teams.
• Familiarity with design software, simulation tools, and project management methodologies commonly used in shipbuilding environments.
• Proficient in Microsoft Office software
• Proactive manner demonstrating strong commercial aptitude and interpersonal skills.
• Capable to define problems, collect data, establish facts, and draw valid conclusions, identify work priorities in a constantly changing environment.

Ideally will have:

• Proven experience in a Design Authority role or technical delegation within the defence or maritime industry, with a focus on shipbuilding
• Professional certifications or memberships in relevant professional bodies (e.g. Chartered Engineer status, membership in the Royal Institution of Naval Architects) preferred.
• Formal training in leadership, organisational change management and behaviour.
• Ability to develop system documents, process standards, and high-level reporting.
• Anticipate future commercial need for design and confidently propose it to the business.
• This is a permanent full-time position providing a great opportunity to work with an established organisation who offer challenging work. 

If you have the skills and experience that we are looking for, click “Apply” to submit your resume or contact  Lisa Naughton via email on *************@amida-recruit.com.au or 0450 302 *** or Sam Barnes via email on **********@amida-recruit.com.au or 0429 306 *** for further information.