Assistant Director – System Safety – Australian Submarine Agency
📌 Vacancy Fact Sheet
- Reference Number: VN-0769890
- Agency: Australian Submarine Agency
- Job Title: Assistant Director – System Safety
- Position Number: ASA/03044/26
- Classification: Executive Level 1
- Closing Date: Sunday 21 June 2026
- Job Type: Full-Time, Ongoing
- Location: Canberra ACT, Port Adelaide SA
- Future Merit Locations: Canberra, Port Adelaide
- Salary: $124,393 – $140,315
- Office Arrangement: Flexible (ASA is committed to assisting its employees with)
About Australian Submarine Agency
The Platform Systems Branch of the Australian Submarine Agency Engineering and Technical Division works to assure
and evolve the non-nuclear platform system engineering capabilities that will underpin the safe, stealthy, effective and
enduring sovereign operation of Australia’s nuclear powered submarines.
Our branch is responsible for the technical governance, safety certification and OQE development for Australia’s
nuclear-powered submarine capability through managing a wide spectrum of specialist technical functions, including
naval architecture, transverse systems integration, and stealth management.
Our Ideal Candidate
We are a dynamic organization seeking employees who are agile, innovative and energised by high-paced work. We are
seeking highly motivated and collaborative minded people who will have the opportunity to contribute to a once in a
lifetime program.
Our ideal candidates will bring the following attributes and skills to the role:
The ideal candidate will have substantial experience in safety engineering for complex, high risk or mission critical
systems, preferably within Defence, maritime, or similarly regulated environments.
Demonstrate strong knowledge of systems and safety engineering principles across the capability lifecycle,
including hazard identification, risk assessment, and safety case development.
Experience applying Defence safety frameworks, regulatory requirements, and assurance processes is highly
desirable.
Demonstrated ability to provide clear, authoritative advice to senior stakeholders, review technical documentation,
and exercise sound judgement.
Strong analytical, communication, and stakeholder engagement skills are essential, along with experience leading
or mentoring engineers and contributing to governance processes.
Duties
- The Role
- The acquisition of conventionally-armed, nuclear-powered submarines is an historic and transformative endeavour for
- Australia. The whole-of-nation effort to safely and securely deliver the cutting edge nuclear-powered submarine program
- will transform Australia’s economic and national security landscape for decades to come.
- The Assistant Director System Safety is responsible for providing professional safety engineering leadership and
- assurance across complex submarine non-nuclear platform systems within the Platform Systems Branch. The role
- supports the delivery of safe, compliant, and operationally effective capability throughout the system lifecycle, from
- concept and design through to sustainment.
- This position leads the development, review and acceptance of safety artefacts, including hazard analyses, safety cases
- and assurance reports, in accordance with Defence and regulatory frameworks.
- The Assistant Director System Safety works closely with engineering, project management and Navy stakeholders to
- identify and mitigate safety risks, provide authoritative advice, and influence technical decision making. The role requires
- sound judgement, strong technical expertise, and the ability to manage competing priorities in a sensitive, high stakes
- environment.
- The Assistant Director System Safety may lead small teams, engage with industry partners, and contribute to
- governance processes to ensure the Agency meets its safety and assurance obligations in support of Australia’s
- submarine capability.
- This role is eligible for an additional remuneration benefit known in ASA as a Building Capability Payment (BCP). This
- enables ASA to provide a premium, in addition to the base salary otherwise payable under the ASA Enterprise
- Agreement, for positions in occupational disciplines/classifications that are critical to ASA capability. For further
- information, please contact the contact officer.
Eligibility / Notes
- Security Clearance:
- Applicants must be able to obtain and maintain a security clearance at “Negative Vetting Level 1”.
- Mandatory Qualifications:
- This engineering position requires a Bachelor of Engineering (e.g. Systems, Mechanical, Electrical, Naval Architecture or
- equivalent) from an Australian institution, or a qualification gained elsewhere, that satisfies the requirements of the
- Washington Accord for recognition as a Professional Engineer.
How to Apply
Position Contact ASA Recruitment, [email protected]
Agency Recruitment Site https://defencecareers.nga.net.au/?jati=47B90A25-2492-39A0-411A-ECF2B061C1
Applicants to vacancies notified in all formats of the electronic Public Service Gazette should be aware:
that the names of successful applicants will also be notified in all formats of the electronic Public Service Gazette
applicants found suitable may be offered similar employment opportunities by other Australian Public Service agencies
Vacancy