Brunel Defence is partnering with a leading global defence shipbuilder and sovereign maritime capability provider to appoint an Integrated Product Support (IPS) Engineering Lead to support the delivery of critical naval shipbuilding programs for the Australian Defence Force.
This organisation is a recognised strategic shipbuilder delivering complex vessel design, construction, and sustainment programs across Australia and internationally. With long-term defence agreements in place and a strong pipeline of future programs, this role presents an opportunity to contribute to nationally significant projects that strengthen Australia's sovereign defence capability.
This position plays a critical technical leadership role within shipbuilding programs, ensuring mission systems are supportable, maintainable, and operationally effective throughout their lifecycle.
The Opportunity
As the IPS Engineering Lead, you will provide technical leadership across Integrated Product Support Engineering disciplines, ensuring supportability, reliability, and maintainability requirements are embedded into platform design and sustainment strategies.
You will serve as the principal technical advisor to program leadership on IPS Engineering matters and work closely with engineering, logistics, test, and sustainment teams to ensure defence platforms meet operational readiness and lifecycle sustainment objectives.
This role provides technical oversight across acquisition, verification, validation, and introduction into service, ensuring sustainment frameworks are established to support long-term defence capability.
Key Responsibilities
* Define, develop, and integrate IPS Engineering requirements across shipbuilding programs
* Lead the development and assurance of the Supportability Case, including reliability, maintainability, and testability requirements
* Provide technical leadership across IPS Engineering disciplines including Design Interface, Sustaining Engineering, and Maintenance Planning
* Direct the development of maintenance concepts, maintenance plans, and sustainment strategies
* Ensure integration of IPS Engineering with test and evaluation activities
* Oversee IPS Engineering deliverables in accordance with Defence acquisition and ASDEFCON frameworks
* Collaborate with multidisciplinary engineering, logistics, and sustainment teams
* Support lifecycle cost modelling through accurate sustainment and supportability data
* Ensure mission systems meet operational readiness, supportability, and sustainment objectives
* Mentor and guide IPS Engineering professionals across the program
Skills and Experience
Essential
* Degree qualification in Systems Engineering, Mechanical, Electrical, Naval Architecture, Mechatronics, or related engineering discipline
* Demonstrated experience leading IPS or ILS Engineering within maritime, defence, or complex engineering programs
* Strong experience delivering Product Support Analysis and influencing sustainment and lifecycle outcomes
* Experience working within Defence acquisition frameworks including ASDEFCON environments
* Experience supporting equipment acceptance, introduction into service, and verification and validation processes
* Proven ability to lead multidisciplinary engineering teams
* Eligibility for professional engineering membership or chartership
* Ability to obtain or currently hold a Baseline Australian Government Security Clearance
Desirable
* Postgraduate qualifications in Systems Engineering, Integrated Logistics Support, or related discipline
* IPS or ILS practitioner certifications or formal sustainment training
* Experience with condition-based maintenance, digital sustainment environments, and advanced supportability analysis
* Experience developing technical publications, sustainment data, and maintenance planning artefacts
* Experience supporting lifecycle cost modelling and sustainment optimisation
Why This Role
This is a rare opportunity to step into a key technical leadership role supporting one of Australia's most significant sovereign defence programs. Partnering with a leading defence shipbuilder, Brunel Defence is offering the opportunity to shape sustainment and supportability outcomes across critical naval platforms. You will operate within a mature defence environment backed by long-term government investment, providing both career stability and the opportunity to influence engineering and sustainment strategy across nationally significant maritime capability programs.
Key benefits include:
* Contribute to nationally significant defence programs that strengthen Australia's sovereign capability
* Join long-term, fully funded defence programs with a secure and expanding pipeline of future work
* Provide technical leadership across critical sustainment and supportability engineering functions
* Work alongside experienced defence engineering, logistics, and sustainment professionals
* Gain exposure to complex naval shipbuilding and sustainment environments
* Opportunity to develop and lead IPS Engineering capability within a growing defence program
* Strong support for professional development and career progression
* Career growth within a globally recognised defence capability provider
* Long-term career stability aligned with Commonwealth defence investment
If you are open to learning more, or are looking to explore opportunities within the defence industry, please contact Ben on