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About SA Water

SA Water is a successful, modern water utility wholly owned by the Government of South Australia. We employ more than 1,700 people across a broad range of disciplines who operate more than $14 billion worth of infrastructure to deliver essential water and sewerage services to more than 1.8 million South Australians.

With operations and offices across the state, our strength and expertise have been shaped by our history. For more than 165 years, South Australians have depended on us to innovate and deliver efficient and sustainable water services. With nationally and internationally recognised industry expertise, we’re focused on understanding and meeting our customers’ expectations.

As well as safely delivering smart and reliable services for our customers of today, we innovate to shape the water solutions of the future that will support thriving economies and healthy communities.

We are driven by our values; we value our people, we do work that matters, we keep it real, we know that our work has impact, and we are future focussed. Staying true to our values ensures that we consistently deliver positive outcomes for all South Australians.

About the job  

This role blends deep technical knowledge with strategic guidance and interpersonal influence to drive innovation, manage technical risk, and foster professional growth across the organisation and industry.

As a Principal Engineer, you will play a pivotal role in improving the entire business by advocating best practices, engaging with industry partners, and supporting the development of our engineering teams. Your direction will help deliver corporate objectives, strengthen relationships, and ensure SA Water remains at the forefront of engineering excellence.

About the Person

You are a seasoned engineering professional with a passion for leadership and innovation. You thrive on influencing outcomes at a strategic level and enjoy collaborating across diverse teams and industries. Your ability to balance technical expertise with interpersonal and communication skills sets you apart as a trusted advisor and thought leader.

Additional responsibilities include:

• Ensure compliance with SA Water’s Sustainability in Design (SuID) process and role model safety behaviours aligned with the Engineering Safety Framework.
• Provide Electrical Engineering Expertise as the Subject Matter Expert (SME) for electrical engineering, delivering fit-for-purpose, value-for-money technical solutions.
• Lead the development, review, and maintenance of SA Water’s electrical engineering governance to ensure best practice and cost-effective outcomes.
• Identify and evaluate emerging technologies and industry best practices to enhance SA Water’s capability and performance.
• Mentor and guide engineers, fostering knowledge sharing and building technical capability within the electrical discipline team.
• Engage with internal teams, business partners, and industry to co-create solutions that meet corporate objectives and customer needs.
• Provide timely, accurate, and cost-effective engineering advice and documentation to minimise delays and optimise project delivery.

Your success in this role will come from: 

• Professional Electrical Engineering Qualification and Postgraduate qualifications.
• Chartered status or professional recognition by Engineers Australia
• Expert knowledge of electrical engineering procedures and practices as applied to the water industry and large engineering organisations, with the ability to operate as a Subject Matter Expert (SME).
• Extensive experience in electrical infrastructure design for the water industry, including investigation, options analysis, concept and detailed design, as well as review and audit of designs prepared by others.
• Proven ability to deliver complex and critical engineering investigations and designs in electrical engineering.
• Experience in developing and maintaining technical and infrastructure governance frameworks.

Further information can be found in the attached PD – Principal Engineer Electrical.docx

To apply, click 'Apply'. Please submit and complete the application form, upload a cover letter and current resume, by 5:00PM 5th of January. For enquiries, please contact Gregg Forte from the Talent Acquisition team on Gregg.forte@sawater.com.au

A great customer experience is best achieved by having a diverse and inclusive team that reflects the community we serve. Applications are encouraged from everyone, including people living with disability, job seekers of all ages, members of the LGBTIQA+ community, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples, and people from culturally diverse backgrounds. 

Our Industry is like no other. Dive into the wonderful world of water and explore the boundless opportunities. Learn more about the water industry at careersinwater.com.au

Please note: We request that recruitment agencies do not submit candidates for this position, as they will not be accepted.