Engineering Operations Project Officer - SKA-Low Telescope

Acknowledgement of Country  

CSIRO acknowledges the Traditional Owners of the land, sea and waters, of the area that we live and work on across Australia. We acknowledge their continuing connection to their culture and pay our respects to their Elders past and present. View our vision towards reconciliation.  

Role highlights 

• Great opportunity to support world's largest radio-astronomy telescope project
• Geraldton-based role within a global scientific collaboration 
• Join Australia’s national science agency in a dynamic, ongoing role!

About CSIRO 

As Australia's national science agency, CSIRO is solving the greatest challenges through innovative science and technology. Many of our iconic innovations were once considered impossible until someone, just like you, joined us and took on the challenge.  

Visit CSIRO.au for more information.

The opportunity  

The SKA Observatory (SKAO) is a next-generation radio astronomy facility that will transform our understanding of the Universe and fundamental physics. In Australia, SKAO is partnering with CSIRO to construct and operate the SKA-Low telescope on Wajarri Yamaji Country in remote Western Australia, supported by teams in Geraldton and Perth.

As the Engineering Operations Project Officer, you will report to the Head of Engineering Operations and work closely with a high-performing multidisciplinary team of engineers, technicians and logistics specialists responsible for the ongoing operation, maintenance and enhancement of the SKA-Low telescope.

In this role, you will support and lead the coordination of key operational readiness, contract governance and information management activities as the team transitions into a fully operational capability. You will play a central role in ensuring systems, processes and service arrangements are effectively established and integrated to support long-term operations.

You will bring strong project coordination and organisational skills, along with the ability to work across multiple stakeholders in a complex technical environment. Your proactive approach and attention to detail will enable you to manage competing priorities while contributing to continuous improvement across Engineering Operations.

Your high-level duties will include:  

• Supporting Engineering Operations in the establishment, administration, and scheduling of operational service contracts, including tracking contract terms, service periods, renewal dates, and key deliverables across SKA‑Low facilities.
• Providing project and administrative support to Engineering Operations initiatives, including action tracking, schedule coordination, meeting organisation, and follow‑up of agreed actions.
• Maintaining and updating Engineering Operations registers and records, including: Service contract registers, Supplier and contractor contact lists, Transition and operational readiness trackers, Risk, issue, and decision registers, etc.
• Acting as an administrative and coordination interface between Engineering Operations, Commercial, Finance, Site Operations, and technical teams to ensure contractual and governance activities are aligned with operational requirements.
• Assisting Engineering Operations leadership by preparing briefing material, reports, dashboards, and presentation content related to service contracts, operational readiness, and project status.

Role particulars 

Location and office arrangements: Geraldton, Western Australia 

Salary: AU$118K – AU$127K per annum (pro-rata for part-time) plus 15.4% superannuation 

Tenure & work schedule: Indefinite – Full-time (We are open to applicants who wish to work part-time or job-share. Please indicate this in your application). 

Reference: 102955 

As the successful candidate, you will bring: 

Essential

• Demonstrated experience providing high‑level project and administrative support to senior managers or leadership teams in a complex operational, engineering, or project‑based environment.
• Demonstrated experience supporting the administration and coordination of service contracts, suppliers, or contractors, including involvement in transition, mobilisation, scheduling, or contract lifecycle support activities (rather than day‑to‑day service delivery).
• Demonstrated ability to apply project management principles to plan, coordinate, track, and report work across multiple stakeholders, priorities, and workstreams.
• High‑level proficiency in Microsoft Office applications (including Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook, and Project) and demonstrated experience using enterprise systems such as SAP or equivalent systems for procurement, contract, or administrative purposes.
• Well‑developed organisational and information management skills, with the ability to manage competing priorities, maintain accurate records, track actions and milestones, and support structured governance and reporting processes.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills, with demonstrated ability to prepare clear documentation, briefings, and reports, and to work effectively within multidisciplinary technical teams and liaise with internal and external stakeholders.
• Demonstrated experience maintaining structured documentation and collaboration platforms, such as Confluence or equivalent systems, to support operational knowledge management and consistency. 

Desirable

• Experience working in an infrastructure, engineering, or large‑scale technical environment.
• Experience supporting the transition from construction or project delivery into operational or business‑as‑usual activities.
• Formal training or qualification in project management, contract management, or a related discipline.
• Demonstrated ability to identify process improvements, influence stakeholders, and contribute to implementing changes in complex operational or project environments.
• Experience providing advice or recommendations to support decision-making within project, operational, or contract management contexts.

For full details about this role, please review the Position Description.  

Eligibility