Associate Mechanical Engineer

Make your mark on complex, high-impact projects.

At HDR, we believe great ideas are built by great teams. As an employee-owned company of over 15,000 professionals, we’re united by a shared purpose: to create meaningful, lasting impact through engineering, architecture, environmental and construction services.

Here, collaboration isn’t a buzzword, it’s how we work. You’ll be empowered to shape your career, contribute to projects that matter, and grow in an environment that values technical excellence, ownership and continuous improvement.

The Opportunity

We’re looking for an Associate Mechanical Engineer to step into a discipline leadership role within our Building Engineering team in Melbourne.

This is more than a technical role, it’s an opportunity to lead, influence and shape outcomes. You’ll act as the technical authority for your discipline, driving quality, mentoring engineers, and delivering outstanding solutions across a diverse portfolio including mission-critical and complex building projects.

You’ll stay close to the technical detail while building towards broader design management and project leadership responsibilities.

In the role of Associate Mechanical Engineer, you will:

• Act as technical lead for your discipline across assigned projects.
• Lead the delivery of discipline-specific design from concept through to construction.
• Develop, review and approve complex designs, calculations and technical solutions.
• Maintain hands-on involvement in complex, mission-critical or high-risk design activities.
• Take accountability for technical quality, compliance and coordinated outcomes.
• Ensure designs meet Australian codes, standards and statutory requirements.
• Lead discipline coordination within multidisciplinary project teams.
• Act as the primary technical interface with clients and key stakeholders.
• Support project delivery activities including resourcing, programme input and delivery planning.
• Demonstrate strong commercial awareness and contribute to repeat work and new opportunities.
• Lead, mentor and develop engineers across the discipline.

What You'll Bring

• Degree-qualified in Mechanical Engineering (or similar)
• Typically, 12+ years’ experience in building services consulting
• Proven leadership in delivering complex projects across sectors such as data centres, commercial, health, defence, education or mixed-use
• Mission-critical/data centre experience (highly regarded)
• Strong technical capability across HVAC design, calculations, and system sizing
• Working knowledge of tools such as Revit, Navisworks, AutoCAD, Bluebeam
• Deep understanding of Australian standards (e.g. NCC, AS 1668)
• Experience leading multidisciplinary project coordination
• Strong client engagement and commercial awareness

Who You Are

• A technical leader who enjoys guiding teams and influencing outcomes
• Hands-on and solutions-driven, with a passion for engineering excellence
• Commercially aware and able to balance quality with delivery
• A collaborator who builds strong relationships across teams and clients
• Curious, proactive and motivated to keep growing
• Ready to step into broader leadership or design management pathways

Why HDR 

• Employee ownership model – share in the success you help create
• Major project exposure – lead a high-impact health project 
• Career growth – take on leadership, shape projects, and influence outcomes

• Collaborative culture – work alongside highly experienced leaders and technical experts

   

About Our TMT & Mission Critical Work

We design high-performing, adaptable digital infrastructure that integrates complex systems and supports mission-critical operations. From hyperscale data centres to smart campuses, our work enables continuous innovation across a rapidly evolving digital landscape.

Our approach combines:

• Scalable, modular design for rapid deployment and growth

• Operational resilience and high availability

• Sustainability and future-readiness, including energy performance and carbon reduction

• A focus on the human experience, supporting collaboration and wellbeing in technical environments
   

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