Senior Research Engineer - Mechanical/Process/Thermal Engineering

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

• An exciting opportunity to contribute to renewable energy innovation & cutting-edge technologies
• Apply your engineering & project leadership skills to create real-world impact
• Great ongoing role to join CSIRO’s dynamic Solar Thermal Engineering team in Newcastle!

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 

CSIRO’s Solar Thermal Engineering team is a multi-disciplinary group of scientists, engineers and economists working at the forefront of renewable energy. Based in Newcastle, the team is focused on solving complex industry challenges, developing new technologies to accelerate the transition to clean energy, and creating lasting impact for Australian industry and communities.

As a Senior Research Engineer in this dynamic team, you will play a key role in the design, development and delivery of advanced thermal and process systems. You will work on high-impact projects involving major industrial partners and research collaborators, both within Australia and internationally. In this practical role, you will apply your expertise in mechanical systems, systems control and/or thermal process management to tackle technically challenging problems and deliver practical, scalable solutions.

You will bring strong project management capabilities, experience in commissioning mechanical components, and a demonstrated ability to lead small teams and engage with stakeholders. This is a fast-paced and varied role, well suited to someone who thrives in collaborative environments and is motivated to apply their skills for real-world change.

This would be a fantastic opportunity for a talented engineering professional to contribute to the advancement of cutting-edge solar energy technologies and high-temperature systems. If you have a passion for innovative engineering solutions and the drive to lead impactful projects, we would love to hear from you!

Your high-level duties will include: 

• Leading and overseeing the development and execution of experimental and process plant projects, ensuring timely delivery within budget and scope.
• Acting as a trusted advisor and the primary point of contact for clients, fostering strong relationships and ensuring effective communication throughout the project lifecycle.
• Driving business development by identifying opportunities and engaging with key stakeholders.
• Developing experimental test apparatus and processing plant designs, with a particular focus on high-temperature applications.
• Designing, prototyping, and implementing mechanical and automated components and systems.
• Leading commissioning activities and overseeing onsite operations as needed.
• Utilising common engineering design tools, such as CAD software, and applying computational methods and analysis tools, including finite element analysis (FEA), to optimise designs.
• Providing leadership and supervision to engineering staff, ensuring research designs are implemented accurately and that experiments are executed efficiently.

Role Particulars

Location and office arrangements: Newcastle, NSW

Salary: AU$131K – AU$153K per annum plus up to 15.4% superannuation

Tenure & work schedule: Indefinite; Full-time (preferred) – part-time and flexible work arrangements may be considered based on needs of the role and individual circumstances.

Reference: 100428

As the successful candidate, you will bring:

• A tertiary degree or equivalent technical experience  in a relevant engineering field, such as Mechanical, Chemical, Mechatronics or related discipline.
• Significant demonstrated experience in systems control designing, commissioning, and onsite operations.
• Excellent written and oral communication skills, evidenced by high-level reporting, presentation and negotiation abilities, and the capacity to identify and influence critical stakeholders to gain support for contentious proposals/ideas.
• Demonstrated expertise in developing prototype test setups and/or process plant systems, and experience in designing control systems (e.g. heliostats) and/or high-temperature process applications.
• Proficiency with CAD software and digital simulation, including FEA and/or CFD.
• Demonstrated experience in managing complex engineering projects, from planning and development through to successful delivery.
• Strong leadership abilities, with proven ability to supervise and develop engineering teams.
• Strong organizational abilities, with keen attention to detail and the capacity to manage multiple projects simultaneously.

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

Not sure if you meet all the criteria?

While it is CSIRO policy that the successful candidate must meet all the essential criteria, there are many ways to demonstrate this. Don’t let the list discourage you. If you are unsure about applying, please reach out to the contact person in the Position Description.

Setting You Up for Success

We are committed to providing a recruitment process that is fair, equitable and accessible to everyone. We recognise that it may be helpful for us to adjust our process to make it equitable for your individual situation. Please contact the Talent Acquisition Partner via email (see details in the Position Description) and let us know how we can support you.

 

Eligibility 

Applications for this position are open to Australian/New Zealand Citizens and Australian Permanent Residents.

Appointment to this role is subject to provision of a national police check and may be subject to other security/medical/character requirements.

Life at CSIRO and Flexible Work Arrangements

We work flexibly at CSIRO, offering a range of options for how, when and where you work. We can discuss flexible work arrangements with you during the recruitment process. CSIRO also offers a range of leave entitlements, benefits and career development opportunities. To find out more, visit Careers at CSIRO.

Inclusion and belonging

Solving Australia's greatest challenges takes a diversity of minds and lived experiences. We know diverse teams are more effective and deliver more innovative outcomes. As an equal employment opportunity organisation, we are committed to creating diverse and inclusive teams where people feel they belong. We recognise true diversity encompasses all ages, abilities, cultures, faiths, levels of education, genders, sexualities, diversity of thought and much more. We focus on hiring people who share our values of People First, Further Together, Making it Real and Trusted.

CSIRO holds Gold Status for the Australian Workplace Equality Index for LGBTQIA+ inclusion, and a Science in Australia Gender Equity Bronze Award.

Child safety 

CSIRO is committed to the safety and wellbeing of all children and young people involved in our activities and programs. View our Child Safe Policy. 

How to apply 

Please apply online, and provide a CV and a detailed cover letter, responding to each of the selection criteria in detail, that best demonstrate your motivation and ability to meet the requirements of this role. Please attach your selection criteria responses to your cover letter as one document.

Applications close 

3 August 2025, 11:00pm AEST

We strongly encourage you to apply early as we will be reviewing applications as they come through. CSIRO reserves the right to withdraw this ad prior to the closing date if required.