Safety Certification Engineer

Harrison McMillan is seeking a Safety Certification Engineer (EL1) to work with a Federal Government Department in Canberra.

The Safety Certification Engineer is responsible for working with the design authority and operator of SouthPAN and the safety (aviation) stakeholders to ensure certification needs and expectations are met, participate in technical reviews, ensure the effective integration of engineering specialties involved in the safety process, participate in verification & validation activities, and develop engineering processes and procedures for the SouthPAN safety program.

• Lead the program of aviation certification for SouthPAN

• Work across both Australian and New Zealand safety and security domains

• Conduct certification assurance activities, compliance inspection, and stakeholder needs analysis

• Work as part of a multidisciplinary virtual team across Australia and New Zealand

• Perform quality assurance and technical information review activities

• Coordinate analysis and evaluation, including analysis of complex data

• Develop engineering processes and ensure project certification objectives are met through audits and verification activities

• Manage relationships with stakeholders to achieve project goals; anticipate and response to stakeholder needs and expectations

• Report results in the form of presentations and project reports

• Maintain professional knowledge and continue to develop knowledge and expertise in relation to professional skills

• Prepare and review draft procedural or technical manuals and guidelines

• Identify, manage and report on specialist-related risk

• Translate high-level goals and outcomes into appropriate tasks for others

• Demonstrate an awareness of the implications of issues for own work and work area

• Identify critical information gaps and ask a range of questions to uncover valuable information

• Gather and investigate information and alternate viewpoints from a variety of sources through formal and informal means

• Identify problems and assesses their significance; take appropriate action to resolve them

• Respond flexibly to changing demands whilst maintaining sight of the end goal

• Maintain focus on quality to achieve key outcomes; adhere to documented procedures and see tasks through to completion

• Operate as an effective member of the virtual team; work collaboratively and cooperatively; draw on team strengths

• Take the initiative; progress work, and engage in additional tasks as required

• Demonstrate persistence and work hard to achieve objectives

• Structure messages clearly and succinctly, both orally and in writing

• Demonstrated understanding of engineering approaches for the development of aviation technology

• A Bachelor of Engineering degree in a relevant field (highly desirable)

• Postgraduate technical qualifications relevant to role (desirable)

• Proven ability to successfully build and manage relationships both with internal and external stakeholders

• 5 years’ experience as an engineer working on complex developmental or government procurement programs

• 3 years’ experience as an engineer working on space, satellite or aviation related projects

• Demonstrated experience of systems engineering, systems theory, and system life cycle management

• Experience with Global Navigation Satellite Systems, SBAS, digital signals processing, telecommunications or satellite communications technology 

• Experience successfully working as part of a multidisciplinary virtual team

• Proven ability to work within teams and communicate effectively with technical and non-technical people through written and verbal channels

• Proven ability to take personal responsibility for progressing work, meeting milestones and delivering results

This is a 12 month contract starting in February 2026