Principal Engineer

About the role

We are seeking a highly skilled and experienced Principal Engineer to play a pivotal role in supporting the Chief Engineer and advancing NHVR’s engineering capability. As a trusted technical advisor, you will work closely with the Chief Engineer to provide expert engineering guidance while also mentoring and developing junior engineers across the organisation. Through your leadership, you will help strengthen engineering capability, foster technical excellence, and drive continuous improvement in engineering practices

Key responsibilities of this role are:

• Independently lead and deliver complex heavy vehicle engineering projects and project components, including defining technical scope and methodology, managing priorities, risks, resources and stakeholder inputs, and resolving technical issues in collaboration with Directors, Managers and project staff. This includes work relating to heavy vehicle performance and interaction with other road users and infrastructure.
• Advise on the application of heavy vehicle standards, modifications, manufacturers’ specifications and Design Rules in accordance with both national and international standards.
• Provide technical and project leadership and direction to engineers and multidisciplinary project teams, including setting clear expectations, making and documenting engineering decisions, reviewing work, managing technical risk, and contributing to team development and growth.
• Assist the Chief Engineer in ensuring that advice and engineering input to projects, initiatives and processes is complete, accurate and reflects best practice. This will be achieved by supporting the Chief Engineer in technical oversight, engineering assurance, capability development and mentoring roles, in collaboration with Directors and Managers, including ensuring that the NHVR complies with the Professional Engineers Act Queensland (and interstate equivalents) as required.
• Assist the Chief Engineer in building and maintaining professional networks, relationships and effective partnerships with internal and external stakeholders and represent the NHVR on required technical committees, engineering boards, working groups, committees and forums to increase awareness and understanding of best engineering practices and ensure these are incorporated into technical and operational policies, strategies, procedures and legislation.

To learn more, the position description can be found on the NHVR Careers site - https://careers.nhvr.gov.au/jobs/search

About You

To be successful in this role you will hold a four-year engineering degree in mechanical engineering from an Australian higher education institution and be a registered Professional Engineer Queensland (RPEQ) or equivalent qualifications which will allow for certification as RPEQ (or equivalent) within three months of commencement.

Your toolkit for success:

• Demonstrated knowledge of vehicle engineering, including heavy vehicles and their components, heavy vehicle standards, inspection techniques, equipment and relevant legislation.
• Ability to interpret and apply vehicle standards, Australian Design Rules and relevant legislation, including in respect of heavy vehicle interaction with road infrastructure
• Ability to solve complex engineering problems, and provide clear, concise and accurate advice and recommendations to decision makers.
• Experience in developing, applying, validating and critically reviewing engineering simulations and computational models, including establishing assumptions and inputs, assessing sensitivity and uncertainty, verifying outputs, and translating results into clear engineering advice.
• Demonstrated ability to exercise leadership without direct authority, coordinate multidisciplinary contributors, influence technical outcomes and take accountability for project decisions and deliverables.
• Previous experiencing in autonomously leading and managing complex engineering projects and tasks, establishing the technical approach and course of action

Highly regarded:

• A minimum of four years engineering experience in the heavy vehicle industry.
• A minimum of two years’ experience as a principal engineer or equivalent in the heavy vehicle industry.
• Knowledge of or the ability to rapidly acquire knowledge of the NHVR Law.
• Demonstrated experience in planning and managing services, projects and tasks to establish a course of action for self and others to achieve specific objectives and deliver expected outcomes.
• Experience with programming languages and environments used in engineering analysis and visualisation (e.g., Python, C++, C#, real-time 3D engines).
• Demonstrated experience leading complex engineering simulation, modelling or analytical projects with a high degree of professional autonomy.
• Experience with vehicle dynamics simulation tools (e.g., Universal Mechanism, TruckSim, ADAMS).

Why join us?

The National Heavy Vehicle Regulator (NHVR) commenced operations in 2013 as the national entity responsible for regulating all vehicles in Australia over 4.5 tonnes gross vehicle mass. The NHVR minimises the compliance burden on the heavy vehicle transport industry, reduces duplication and inconsistences across state and territory borders, and ultimately for the heavy vehicle business with government in Australia.

We are headquartered in Brisbane and employ more than 1000 people across the ACT, New South Wales, Queensland, South Australia, Tasmania and Victoria.

 We offer

• A competitive salary package of $166,662.51+ superannuation
• Monthly RDO and paid leave over Christmas closure.
• Hybrid working environment – up to 2 days from home.
• Up to15.25% superannuation through a co-contribution scheme
• Leave loading 17.5%
• Wellbeing programs – discounted fitness through Fitness Passport, Discount health insurance, flu vaccine, financial programs including discounted banking products, finance information sessions.
• Salary packaging options including novated lease.
• Discounted IT products including Microsoft and free family password security plan.
• Ongoing training and professional development support
• Professional membership

Application Process

Please apply with your CV and cover letter addressing the essential requirements of the role.

Applications close: 5.00pm 14th September 2026 (applications may close earlier than the listed closing date if suitable candidate/s are identified prior).

If you have any questions, please don’t hesitate to contact the NHVR recruitment team on recruitment@nhvr.gov.au.

Successful applicants will be required to complete standard pre-employment checks including a national police and work rights check.

Please Note: We will not require any support from Recruitment Agencies at this time and kindly request no contact is made. Only direct applications will be considered.

We are committed to being an inclusive, diverse and flexible workplace where differences are valued. We welcome applications from people of all backgrounds, experience and abilities.