Title: Principal Engineer, Network & Process Safety
Location: Victoria, Australia
Employment Type: Permanent Full Time
Description:
* Own safety excellence across Victoria's energy networks.
* Shape strategy that matters at enterprise and regulatory level.
* Lead real change by lifting safety culture, resilience, and technical excellence.
We'rean energised team who is passionate about our customers, strive for operational excellence and a sustainable future for our people and our community.
About the Role
Help shape the safety and resilience of Victoria's energy future.
Join AusNet's Group Operations division—our strategic engine driving rapid organisational maturity, technical excellence, and cross‐business collaboration across electricity and gas networks.
As the Principal Network & Process Safety Engineer, you'll be the enterprise authority for network safety, process safety and technical risk management. In this pivotal role, you'll set the standard for safety performance across AusNet, ensuring our networks not only meet statutory obligations under the Electricity Safety Act and Gas Safety Act—but lead the industry in best‐practice, AFAP‐driven safety management.
In this position, you will ensure our safety schemes meet and exceed statutory obligations under the Electricity Safety Act, Gas Safety Act, and associated regulations, while championing industry‐leading principles such as AFAP (As Far As Practicable). You will govern and assure the effectiveness of our Network Safety Management Schemes and Safety Cases—including the ESMS and gas safety frameworks—providing independent oversight of network/process safety risks, critical controls, and technical risk governance.
You will shape and influence strategic safety initiatives, standards, and frameworks that strengthen resilience and embed a deep culture of safety across our operations. As the organisation's technical authority, you'll also act as the escalation point for complex safety issues, regulatory engagements, and assurance activities, supporting AusNet's commitment to safe, reliable, and future‐ready energy networks.
This role reports to the Senior Manager, Group Engineering and is based at our Southbank, Victoria office.
We are a flexible and truly hybrid workplace.
What you will deliver
* Lead governance of network safety, process safety, and technical risk management across electricity and gas networks.
* Provide independent oversight of Network Safety Management Schemes and Safety Cases, ensuring compliance with statutory and internal requirements.
* Govern and maintain the ESMS and gas safety frameworks, ensuring effective implementation and regulatory alignment.
* Facilitate the Network Safety Management Committees (NSMCs).
* Deliver expert input and reporting to the Network Safety Management Committee and Executive Leadership Team, including escalation of significant safety risks and emerging trends.
* Lead and strengthen AusNet's technical risk management frameworks, FSAs, and critical control assurance activities.
* Facilitate and provide specialist input to technical risk assessments, applying the and aligning with the corporate risk framework.
* Provide robust assurance through audits, compliance reviews, and governance forums to align with risk appetite and regulatory obligations.
* Maintain regulatory compliance, support engagement with Energy Safe Victoria, and ensure safety schemes and bushfire plans remain current.
* Drive safety culture, continuous improvement, and effective stakeholder collaboration, acting as the escalation point for complex safety issues.
What you'll bring
* Bachelor's degree in Engineering and Chartered Professional Engineer (CPEng) or equivalent.
* Significant industry experience (10–15+ years) in electricity and/or gas networks with a focus on safety, risk, and compliance assurance.
* Strong knowledge of Victorian regulatory frameworks (Electricity Safety Act, Gas Safety Act, Electricity Safety regulations) and Energy Safe Victoria requirements.
* Deep expertise in network safety, process safety, hazard identification, and technical risk management (including AFAP and ISO 31000).
* Proven experience leading Safety Management Schemes (ESMS/GSC), Formal Safety Assessments, and technical governance activities.
* Advanced analytical, problem‐solving, and stakeholder engagement skills across operational, executive, and regulatory environments.
* Strong communication capability for complex reports, governance papers, and regulatory submissions.
* Demonstrated leadership in safety culture, continuous improvement, incident investigation, and engagement with regulators and industry bodies.
A real place to belong.
We celebrate unique voices, refreshing perspectives and diversity in our team. Engage and connect through our social club, family day, wide range of events or by joining one of our Employee Network Groups.
We believe in more than just competitive pay. Here's what sets us apart:
* Flexibility : whether this is hybrid work, flexible hours, or part time arrangements, we'll work with you to help balance work and life.
* Leave :more than typical personal leave and a generous 14 weeks of paid parental leave, with no minimum service.
* Community giving :a paid day to volunteer with our social impact partners, Foodbank and Landcare Australia, or for a cause that matters to you.
* Perks: we offer all the other perks you've come to expect like purchased leave, income protection insurance, novated leasing, corporate discounts, private health cover discounts and more.
As an industry in transformation, we're excited by the possibilities ahead.
So, if you're passionate about our purpose and committed to making real progress, bring your energy and join AusNet. Together, we can shape a new way forward.
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