What's your job about?
As a graduate mechanical engineer, I work on the physical design of products, ensuring components fit where required and that designs are safe and can withstand wear-and-tear. I’m currently part of a team that’s upgrading the onboard sonar systems on the Royal Australian Navy’s Collins-class submarines. I spend a lot of my time using 3D CAD programs, developing technical engineering drawings and engaging with manufacturers to ensure our components are fabricated to the form and standard required. A big part of my job is also to document the design work that is completed and develop ‘how-to’ guides for product use and maintenance.
What's your background?
I grew up on Sydney’s Northern Beaches and graduated from the University of New South Wales in 2023 with a degree in Mechanical Engineering. The highlight of my studies was being part of ‘Redback Racing’, which is the university’s Formula SAE-A Team. The student project involves design, build, and testing of a small formula-style electric race car, which race against teams from other universities. I led the design of drivetrain, brakes and suspension, and thoroughly enjoyed the challenge of designing engineering components that would guarantee performance while ensuring they were reliable for use. In the 2023 competition, the team came second overall and were the highest placed Australian team. This was an incredible result for the team, and the culmination of multiple years of effort post-pandemic lockdown.
I discovered Raytheon Australia’s GradX program when researching an undergraduate internship in my third year of study. When I learned I could complete an internship and be guaranteed a graduate position with the company before finishing my degree, I knew I had to apply. I joined Raytheon Australia in March 2023 as an intern in the underwater systems product line, which was focused on delivering upgrades to the Collins-class submarines. Later that year, I transitioned into a graduate role. One of the highlights while working as a graduate was the opportunity to work on sustainment of the F/A-18F Super Hornet and EA-18G Growler flight simulators, based at RAAF Base Amberley in Queensland. I was given the chance to fly the simulator– an awesome experience!
Could someone with a different background do your job?
Yes, definitely – provided you have the right engineering qualifications and have Australian citizenship. In my role I have the fortune of working with people from a range of backgrounds, including ex-military personnel, technicians, graduates, and experienced engineers of a variety of disciplines. The benefits of a diverse team are particularly apparent when tackling complex problems – each person is able to apply their own perspective and expertise to different aspects of the challenge, enabling the team to develop a considered and quality solution. I believe the most important characteristics for my role are curiosity, communication, and strong problem-solving skills.
What's the coolest thing about your job?
The coolest thing about my job is being provided the opportunity to work on platforms that simply don’t exist in other industries. My experience as an intern and graduate has largely been developing products that will be installed on the Collins-class submarines. Designing something for a submarine presents unique engineering challenges, like environmental and packaging considerations, while giving exposure to advanced and unique technologies. The challenges, combined with the novelty of the work, is what keeps me engaged.
What are the limitations of your job?
Many defence projects have long timelines – some are decades long – which means you might not be present for the entire project lifecycle. To build expertise and gain new experiences, you may have to hop from one program to another. This also means that the designs you develop may not be realised for an extended period. However, it makes the outcome even more rewarding when you finally see your work in action.
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