Eagle Aircraft Maintenance (EAM) is seeking a Chief Engineer to join our Senior Leadership Team and take end-to-end responsibility for the entire maintenance system across our general aviation maintenance operation.
EAM values professionalism, safety, and continuous improvement.
We are looking for more than an excellent engineer. We’re looking for a strong manager and leader who can build a high-performing team, embed a consistent operating model across sites in Bankstown, NSW and Archerfield, QLD and shape the culture that underpins safety, quality, customer outcomes, and commercial performance.
The opportunity
Reporting to the accountable manager, you will lead the maintenance function as a complete system - people, process, governance, compliance, planning, capability, and continuous improvement - ensuring we deliver safe, efficient and repeatable outcomes across both sites.
You’ll be a key voice in the group’s leadership team, contributing to strategy, performance, and growth.
What success looks like
* One consistent, well-run maintenance “system” across both sites (planning, documentation, controls, reporting, audits, training)
* A team that is developed at every level, from apprentices to senior engineers
* A workspace culture that is professional, safe, tidy, accountable, and improvement-focused
* High aircraft availability and quality outcomes with clear commercial discipline
Key responsibilities
Senior leadership & systems ownership
o Own the end-to-end maintenance system: governance, manuals, controls, reporting, training, and continuous improvement
o Lead operational performance and ensure consistency across both sites - “one way of working”
Multi-site operational management
o Provide visible leadership across two sites, using management principles.
o Build alignment across diverse teams, personalities, and workflows to deliver predictable outcomes
People development & culture
o Develop and mentor the full team: apprentices, junior engineers, licenced engineers, and support staff
o Build capability through structured coaching, training plans, meaningful feedback, and performance management
o Set and maintain a positive culture: safety leadership, teamwork, standards, accountability, and pride in workmanship
Compliance, quality & safety leadership
o Ensure compliance with CASA requirements and internal systems
o Maintain a robust audit and compliance calendar, and lift documentation standards
o Foster a proactive safety culture—strong reporting, risk awareness, and continuous improvement
Commercial management
o Drive performance against budget and key operational KPIs (productivity, chargeability, overtime, profitability, inventory integrity, invoicing timeliness)
o Deliver clear reporting to leadership and support decisions with good data
Are you someone who understands how critical strong management is in general aviation maintenance and is genuinely motivated to step into (or further develop) a leadership role? Prior management experience is welcome, but not essential, as what matters most is a clear commitment to leading people and improving systems. We’ll support the right candidate with external management training and development, so if you’re earlier in your management journey but eager to invest in becoming an effective leader, we’d like to hear from you.
What we're looking for;
o Background in aircraft maintenance (or another regulated technical environment), with a genuine interest in how good systems and good leadership improve outcomes.
o Keen to lead people and improve the way work gets done—not just solve technical problems, but build a team and a repeatable operating model.
o Cares about culture and capability, and is motivated to coach, develop and support engineers at all levels, from apprentices to senior staff.
o Values compliance, governance and quality, and wants to strengthen the “maintenance system” so it’s consistent, auditable and practical.
o A clear, respectful communicator who brings structure, sets expectations, and follows through while remaining open to feedback and continuous improvement.
How to apply
Send your CV and a short cover letter outlining:
* your leadership approach to running a maintenance function as a system,
* how you would develop teams across experience levels, and
* how you would manage consistency across multiple sites.