Lead Mechanical Engineer

About the role

Aurecon is an engineering consultancy with more than 6,000 people across Australia, Aotearoa New Zealand and Asia. In Aotearoa, our Energy & Industrial team is deeply engaged in projects that drive decarbonisation, support renewable energy transition, and uplift advanced industrial practices. You'll be joining a team that values curiosity, initiative, and a genuine desire to shape a more sustainable, resilient future. Ready to lead meaningful work? If you're ready to lead high-impact projects, strengthen trusted client relationships and help shape the future of New Zealand's industrial sector, we'd love to hear from you. We are an equitable-opportunity employer that values diverse perspectives and the contribution that every one of our people makes to our culture. Put simply, we want you to bring your whole self! We encourage you to apply even if you don't meet every criterion, your potential and the

Responsibilities

• As a Lead Mechanical Engineer, you'll lead the engineering and delivery of multi-disciplinary projects for key and platinum clients, guiding work from concept design and costing through to detailed mechanical design, construction management, commissioning, and handover.
• Key aspects of the role:
• Lead project delivery: Take responsibility for medium to large projects, delivering outcomes that meet client expectations and business objectives.
• Manage the project lifecycle: Oversee cost estimation, budgeting, design coordination, procurement, construction management, commissioning and handover.
• Lead mechanical design delivery: Provide practical technical leadership across mechanical and piping design, specifications, drawing management and site-based problem solving.
• Inspire and guide: Mentor junior team members, build capability, and enable the team to deliver exceptional client outcomes.
• Drive commercial outcomes: Strengthen client relationships, support business development, and contribute to winning work across priority sectors.
• Lead site-informed delivery: Engage with clients and project sites across New Zealand to turn practical plant insight into effective engineering solutions.
• Shape sustainable outcomes: Embed decarbonisation, energy-efficient design and emerging best practice into project delivery.
• You'll take the lead on complex projects, influence strategic outcomes, and play a key role in shaping the future of our Energy & Industrial business.

Requirements

• The ideal candidate will bring strong technical and commercial experience across dairy, food and beverage, clean industry, industrial manufacturing, or similar environments, ideally within New Zealand.
• Alongside this, you will have:
• A Bachelor's degree in Mechanical Engineering or equivalent Washington Accord qualification
• Proven experience in a similar lead mechanical engineering role, ideally with 10+ years' experience
• Strong project and design management experience coordinating multi-discipline projects, with broad awareness of related engineering disciplines
• Sound technical knowledge with hygienic and pressure piping system design, surge analysis, pipe stress and hydraulic analysis.
• Working knowledge with PECPR requirements, AS/NZS 1170, ASME B31 suite of codes or equivalent standards.
• Exposure to (or a willingness to learn) piping industry software such as AutoPIPE, PIPE-FLO, or similar.
• Demonstrated success building client relationships, identifying opportunities, and winning work
• How we support your growth

Additional Information

Lead Mechanical Engineer - Energy & Industrial At Aurecon, we are optimistic about the future. We are thinkers, solvers, and collaborators who work with our clients to deliver the infrastructure and assets that strengthen communities and create a sustainable future. We're hiring a Lead Mechanical Engineer to support strong growth across New Zealand's industrial and manufacturing sectors. In this role, you'll lead high-impact, multi-disciplinary projects across energy, resources, manufacturing, dairy, and food & beverage, while shaping strategy, strengthening client partnerships across Aotearoa and Australia, and mentoring emerging talent. This role is ideally based in Christchurch; however, we're open to candidates across our New Zealand offices for the right person.

Your Match

How well this role fits your profile.

Company Intel

What employees say

Worked at aurecongroup? Share your experience