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 consultingProven leadership in delivering complex projects across sectors such as data centres, commercial, health, defence, education or mixed-useMission-critical/data centre experience (highly regarded)Strong technical capability across HVAC design, calculations, and system sizingWorking knowledge of tools such as Revit, Navisworks, AutoCAD, BluebeamDeep understanding of Australian standards (e.g. NCC, AS 1668)Experience leading multidisciplinary project coordinationStrong client engagement and commercial awareness

Who You Are

A technical leader who enjoys guiding teams and influencing outcomesHands-on and solutions-driven, with a passion for engineering excellenceCommercially aware and able to balance quality with deliveryA collaborator who builds strong relationships across teams and clientsCurious, proactive and motivated to keep growingReady to step into broader leadership or design management pathways

Why HDR

Employee ownership model – share in the success you help createMajor project exposure – lead a high-impact health project Career growth – take on leadership, shape projects, and influence outcomesCollaborative 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 growthOperational resilience and high availabilitySustainability and future-readiness, including energy performance and carbon reductionA focus on the human experience, supporting collaboration and wellbeing in technical environments

What We Believe

HDR is our company. Together, we build on each other's life experiences and perspectives to make great things possible every day. This shapes our collaborative culture, encourages organizational trust and connects us closer to the clients and communities we serve.

Our Commitment

As employee owners, we all have a role in creating an inclusive environment where each of us is welcomed, valued, respected and empowered to bring our authentic selves to work every day.

Our eight Employee Network Groups (Asian Pacific, Black, Hispanic/Latino(a), LGBTQ+, People with Disabilities, Veterans, Women, Young Professionals) help create a sense of belonging and foster a supportive environment where everyone is empowered to engage and contribute. Each group has an executive sponsor and is open to all employees.

Primary Location:Australia-VIC-Melbourne Industry:Building Engineering Schedule:Full-time Employee Status:Regular BusinessClass:Building Mechanical Job Posting:Jun 19, 2026

At HDR, we are committed to the principles of employment equity. We are an Affirmative Action and Equal Opportunity Employer (https://www.hdrinc.com/equal-employment-opportunity-employer). We consider all qualified applicants, regardless of criminal histories, arrest and conviction records.