Associate Director, Structural Engineer - Timber Design Lead

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AECOM seeks an Associate Director or Principal-level Structural Engineer to lead timber design across sports infrastructure, aviation, education and commercial projects, focusing on mass timber systems, timber connections and hybrid solutions. Based in Melbourne, Sydney or Brisbane, you’ll be the lead technical resource shaping design strategies for new builds and adaptive reuse, collaborating with clients, architects and builders to deliver timber solutions that are practical and compliant. You’ll develop timber-specific design and delivery procedures, review calculations and drawings, and integrate timber with other materials. Requirements: 12+ years on complex Australia/NZ projects, mass timber or adaptive reuse exposure, autonomous technical input, and proficiency with ETABS, RAM Concept, RAPT and SpaceGASS, plus strong communication. Tips: tailor your resume to timber work, share concrete examples of leading timber design and digital workflows, and show how you manage budgets and schedules while embracing AECOM’s inclusive culture. Apply soon as the role may close early.

Company Description

“I work for AECOM because we cover a broad engineering landscape which challenges our engineering and consultancy skills through the best projects. The depth of skill and knowledge across the regions means anything is possible.” – Sean O'Leary, Practice Leader, Buildings & Places

Come grow with us.

Our global portfolio of work comprises the design of iconic and award winning buildings and landscapes. From strategic planning through to project realisation, the connections we make among people and place provide sustainable outcomes for our clients and the communities we serve. We place a premium on investing in digital capabilities and innovations which bring a unique consistency and efficiency to our scalable work. Together with our clients, we are working to evolve and elevate the built environment across sectors including social infrastructure, transit, technology and logistics, and commercial and corporate real estate, while focusing on solutions that promote long term health and wellbeing for all.

Everyone belongs at AECOM

We’re committed to diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging - because great ideas come from diverse perspectives. AECOM is proud to be a Fortune 500 Most Admired Company, a WGEA Employer of Choice for Gender Equality, #Work180 Equitable Workplace Awards 2025 Winner and an AWEI Bronze Tier LGBTQ+ Inclusive Employer.

Job Description

AECOM’s Buildings & Places Team are seeking a technically outstanding Timber Design Lead to join our National Structures team. As a senior member of our team, you will provide technical, project management, and structural engineering design input on a range of projects across Sports Infrastructure, Aviation, Education and Commercial projects. This role would suit an Associate Director or Principal-level Structural Engineer ready to take their next step.

Please note, this role can be based in Melbourne, Sydney, or Brisbane.

How you’ll make a difference:

• Act as the lead technical resource, providing specialist advice on timber structures, including mass timber systems, timber connections, and hybrid solutions. Support design strategies for both new-build and adaptive reuse projects.
• Collaborate closely with clients, architects, and builders throughout the design and construction phases, ensuring timber solutions are practical, compliant, and innovative.
• Develop and manage timber-specific design and delivery procedures, promoting high-quality, cost-effective outcomes for the team and ensuring seamless integration with other structural materials.
• Review timber design calculations, connection details, and drawings to maintain quality control, while preparing technical specifications aligned with relevant standards and sustainability targets.
• Contribute to a multi-disciplinary engineering team, participating in inter-disciplinary reviews of project deliverables and providing input on budgets, schedules, and constructability strategies for timber-focused projects.

Qualifications

The qualities that help you thrive:

The following qualifications and experience are highly desired, but if you don’t tick all the boxes, you could still be a perfect fit for this role. Please apply, all applications will be considered.

• Bachelor of Engineering with ideally 12+ years of experience delivering complex and varied structural engineering projects across a range of sectors and building typologies in Australia and New Zealand.
• Prior experience or partial exposure in mass timber design and adaptive reuse projects is highly regarded.
• Proven ability to provide specialised structural technical input autonomously across both conceptual and detailed design stages.
• Comfortable working with advanced digital workflows to achieve optimised design outcomes, with extensive exposure to industry-standard software such as ETABS, RAM Concept, RAPT, and SpaceGASS.
• Exceptional written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to liaise effectively with internal teams, clients, architects, and contractors at all levels.

Additional Information

Why you’ll love working with us:

• Flexible work arrangements, including alternative start/finish times, part-time, job-sharing and hybrid work options

• Purchase up to 6 weeks additional annual leave per year
• Flex public holidays – swap Easter or other holidays for ones that suit you better
• Continuous learning and growth - lunch and learns, professional development courses, financial study assistance, 5 days paid study leave, global career opportunities

Ready to push the limits of what’s possible?

We welcome applications from individuals of all backgrounds, including those with disabilities, additional health or mental health needs, and/or neurodiverse conditions. If you require any adjustments during the hiring process, please let us know.

Applications are reviewed as they come in, and the role may close earlier than expected, so if this opportunity sounds like you, we encourage you to apply as soon as possible.

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AECOM acknowledges the Traditional Owners and Custodians of the lands on which we, our clients and our communities live and work around Australia. We pay our respects to their cultures and to their Elders — past, present, and emerging. We are committed to connecting to Country in our work through meaningful engagement with First Nations peoples and businesses.  Find out more about our Australian Reconciliation Action Plan here: https://aecom.com/au/our-vision-for-reconciliation/.

About AECOM

AECOM is the world’s trusted infrastructure consulting firm, delivering professional services throughout the project lifecycle – from advisory, planning, design and engineering to program and construction management. On projects spanning transportation, buildings, water, new energy and the environment, our public- and private-sector clients trust us to solve their most complex challenges. Our teams are driven by a common purpose to deliver a better world through our unrivaled technical and digital expertise, a culture of equity, diversity and inclusion, and a commitment to environmental, social and governance priorities. AECOM is a Fortune 500 firm and its Professional Services business had revenue of $16.1 billion in fiscal year 2024. See how we are delivering sustainable legacies for generations to come at aecom.com and @AECOM.

Freedom to Grow in a World of Opportunity 

You will have the flexibility you need to do your best work with hybrid work options. Whether you’re working from an AECOM office, remote location or at a client site, you will be working in a dynamic environment where your integrity, entrepreneurial spirit and pioneering mindset are championed.

You will help us foster a culture of equity, diversity and inclusion – a safe and respectful workplace, where we invite everyone to bring their whole selves to work using their unique talents, backgrounds and expertise to create transformational outcomes for our clients.

AECOM provides a wide array of compensation and benefits programs to meet the diverse needs of our employees and their families. We also provide a robust global well-being program. We’re the world’s trusted global infrastructure firm, and we’re in this together – your growth and success are ours too.

Join us, and you’ll get all the benefits of being a part of a global, publicly traded firm – access to industry-leading technology and thinking and transformational work with big impact and work flexibility. As an Equal Opportunity Employer, we believe in each person’s potential, and we’ll help you reach yours.